We were soaring in the heavens. They say clouds were made out of the fluffiest of material. They were right, I could hug them. I could make a wish, but I didn’t have everything --- a genie, for example. I had the worst of all supernatural creatures.

I had an archangel and he proved to be liar. No matter how many times I tried to get the image out of my head, it would come back much more vividly.

Noemi, my poor sister.

I failed her. She didn’t even know she was to be a mother. I can still remember the way  her lifeless eyes looked into mine. Her chocolate eyes were melting with joy so vibrant, then to be stipped of it --- it was supposed to be her day! Not her funeral.

“Take me back there, now! I won’t leave my little sister behind!” I struggled in his hold, aware of how close we were. His arms were coiled on my waist while my hands were pushing at his hard chest. I wasn’t going to get sidetracked, not this time. There was too much going on and if I didn’t go back to the reception, then I would go crazy. “Gabriel, damn it, do what I say for once!” My vision slowly became blurry, the tears building up. “I must save her.” I kicked and screamed, anything, to try to release me.

If I couldn't save her, then I would die.

There was no denying it, I was going crazy. I was thinking about suicide and flying with a man in a monkey suit. Well, partly a suit now. The back of his jacket had two gaping holes where his wings were.

“Noelia…”

“No! Take me back!” I whimpered, pounding at his chest with as much force I could muster. “You owe me that much…oh God…please tell me this is just a bad dream.”

He crushed me to his chest, “I’m sorry.” He kept repeating those two words. He was beating himself up about it.

‘I miscalculated.’

To think I could trust him. I went along with his stupid plan, going in like a blind woman. I knew he didn’t meant for anything bad to happen. His sole focus was to help me save my sister. A part of me wanted to cry on him, but I wouldn’t give myself that comfort. I didn’t deserve it. I had to overcome this just like everything else.

But, this wasn’t like anything else you’ve ever faced.

No, this was something personal. Any personal affair I would run away from. But, not this time around.

I was going back to that reception whether Gabriel liked it or not.

“Don’t even think about it,” he growled.

I looked at him, disgust etched on my face, “You...don’t tell me what to do!” This time I didn’t care if I was to fall to my doom. I wanted him to be in agony. To feel what was going through my body. I didn’t think, I reacted. I grabbed one of his dark wings.

“Leave me alone!” I maneuvered my body over his wings like a handle.

Crack.

Gabriel roared with pain, letting go of my waist for a brief moment. With both hands, I pushed off his chest.

It sent me spiraling down into my personal game of life and death.

*******

‘Lia!’

I groaned, “Five more minutes, Mimi.” I rolled over to my side, hoping she would go away and let me sleep.

I never got what I wanted.

‘Don’t make me come down there,’ her tone said she meant it. She kept repeating her threat like a broken record.

‘Don’t make me come down there.’

‘Don’t make me come down there.’

‘Lia!’

“Arrrggg, all right! All right!” I shot up, ready to yell at her, but she was gone.

“Noemi?’ I scoped out the fields.

My breathing hitched.

She was gone. Where had she gone?

She wasn’t here anymore. Where was she?

She was dead. It can’t be.

Realization dawned on me. I had to get help. I needed it now! She could have been waiting for me. She could be crying because one of her bridesmaids cancelled on her last minute and she wanted me to kick her ass. Her bridesmaid, maybe, had anxiety and couldn’t go through with it, but hell if I cared. She just ruined my little sister’s wedding.

But, why hasn’t she called me? I was family, and, regardless of my absence, I was just as important than a stupid bridesmaid.

I got up from the stack of hay, and ran for forever.

I had to go anywhere. I couldn’t sit on my butt all day and contemplate what was happening to Noemi.

I arrived at the nearest police station and collapsed on their desk, huffing and puffing. I clutched my chest, painfully aware that something was wrong with my body.

“Uhh, miss? Are you okay?” I looked up at him, identifying the source. And, I thought doughnuts were a police stereotype. Seems like they got it right with this officer. He had a bear claw half-way shoved into his mouth.

I always hated authority, but this was an emergency I couldn’t handle by myself.  “What?” I tried to get my shit together, they would help me, but only if I didn’t look crazy. It was tough with hay sticking out of my hair and a dislocated shoulder.

I hadn’t realized I broke it. It was probably shock and all I felt was a rush to get back to that plaza and save my sister from her bridesmaid.

“Miss,” the cop carefully started, “Calm down, I can help, but you need to stop shaking.” He pointed to my shoulder. “Anymore of that and you’ll hurt yourself.”

Great. He reminded me of this angel who had the knack to tell me what I could and couldn’t do. Except, he had a dark mustache that matched his hair and was a little on the lanky side.

What if he wanted to take me away from Noemi? Tears started falling like the Hoover Dam. “Please, help me find my sister’s killer.” When he looked at me with accusatory eyes, something inside me snapped. I pounced on that man and started swinging. I didn’t care what the outcome would be. I just wanted to cause pain.

I felt something snap. I thought I broke his nose. He cried out like a sailor. For that, I slapped him for good measure.

We were finally noticed. It took three of his guys to tackle me down. The whole time, I was in hysterics, yelling for Gabriel, cursing his name. For what had been done to Noemi. It took all that to make me realize she wasn’t coming back.

I screamed to the heavens and, for once, I wanted to raise hell on earth.

*****

“Noelia Esquibel, 26, and no family.”

I glared at the nurse. Her smug grin resembled that of the whore who gave birth to me. She looked like her, too. She was mean and insensitive.

They all were. They had no hearts and she was the bitchiest of the lot. She loved to bring up that “no family” part every chance she got. It gave her pleasure. It made me sick to my knees.

I laid on my bed, my arms immovable, well, because...

“That straight jacket is a nice color on you, that’s what you get for biting Macy’s ear off,” she cooed. This bitch thought I was mute. I had nothing to say to her, yet she tried to break me just to make me speak.

I gave her the silent treatment. It was the only way she would get bored of me after a time and leave me alone to try to do her job.

I knew what I did that day gave me a one way ticket to the looney bin. It could have been worse. I could have gone to prison and had spent the rest of my days there. Luckily, those officers decided not to press charges and instead admitted me into a psych ward. They thought they were helping, but they let me down. They failed to take me to my sister.

“Not saying anything, again? That’s enough of that.” She brought her foot up and pressed the back of it on my arms. “I want us to get along, don’t you?” I noticed she and every other person who worked here wore mismatched socks. Was that part of their dress code? It was creepy. “You know you could smile sometimes, repay those officers with a little something-something if you know what I mean.” She wagged her eyebrows and thrust her hips.

Pig.

She brought her hand and smoothed out my hair. I wanted to bite her hand off, but I was a little busy at the moment. This jacket was no joke. I wore it like pajamas. They would try everything to make me uncomfortable.

She grumbled, “You’re no fun at all! Oh well, the doc will be here in five minutes to check up on your progress, anyway. You know he likes you, so nothing to worry about.” Her smile didn’t reach her eyes. She walked out of the room.

I stilled. I didn’t want that man anywhere near me.

I admired the silverware on the bedstand. The knife would go so well through his neck.

He was a scumbag, always playing mind tricks with me. He believed Gabriel was real and that he wanted to hunt every angel out there. If you asked me, I think he should have been in my place.

A knock on the door stopped the whirlwind of thoughts, I felt my heart on my throat.

“Miss Esquibel, come out and play,” he sang.

I couldn’t escape him, ever.