Hell, I Never Asked for Angels!

Hell, I Never Asked for Angels!

Upon First Sight

A myth is a religion in which no one any longer believes. ~James Feibleman

I sat in the grass beneath the old willow, just waiting. The storm clouds rumbled ominously in the distance. An eerie stillness settled over the graveyard. Now I was truly alone. Gone were the days of Rhamiel's mischievous smiles. I would never again feel Sariel's healing touch. Gabriel's strength and Ecanus's youthfulness were gone from the world as well. I was the last one left, the human.

Oh, I guess I am getting ahead of myself, for you must be very confused right now. I guess it all started the summer before high school, the summer I turned fifteen. I don't know why it happened, but it did. Do you care to hear my story? Will you judge me and write me off as some insane, religious freak? Well, one problem, I am as anti-religion as you can be, but they still appeared to me. Who? The ones no one really believes in of course! The ones you mistakenly call angels...

...

Several Years Ago...

I sat in the car as Aunt Gail drove us back from the airport. Great, another week of my summer spent with people that couldn't care less about me. I glanced at my stepmother, Jazz. Her short, dark hair already showed signs of the heat judging by its dampness. Her pale skin was flushed red as she fanned herself with a road map.

I sighed and glanced out the window, wondering how I got roped into visiting Jazz's family. Why did I have to go when my father didn't!? He was married to her, not me! He had said he was coming with us, but an important "business thing" came up at the last minute like always. Ya, sure Dad.

I glanced up at the front seat and instantly caught Aunt Gail's eyes in the rear view mirror. I shivered and looked away quickly; they were so cold, so unfeeling. I wanted to scream! My little sister, Morgan, let out a soft sigh in her sleep next to me. Oh how I wished I was that age again, without the troubles of a fifteen-year-old. I laughed bitterly at myself. What troubles should a fifteen year old have?

I turned my attention back to the window, thinking of the dreaded high school I would be forced to go to in several weeks. God no! It was the largest school in the state (2,800) I would die! As my thoughts broiled in fear and anger, I just so happened to glance out the window at the woods around us.

I hated my stepmom. How I wished I was back in Florida with my mother, even though I actually got along better with my stepmom, but it was the principle of the matter! I was supposed to be loyal to my mother. Whatever...

Movement suddenly caught my eye. I could have sworn I had seen- never mind. It couldn't have been. I stared at the sunlit spots between the trees not fifty feet away. Yes! There! A figure was flitting through the trees for an instant then disappeared! How was that possible? The car was going 60 mph!

"So, Ara," Aunt Gail fixed her cold, grey eyed stare on me, "Excited about starting high school?"

"Ya." I mumbled and turned back to the window. Come on! Let me see you again...
There! Wait, did the person have- wings? No, the heat of Texas must have been getting to me already. Ya, that was it.

We pulled onto the half mile long driveway which would lead to the small house by the lake. I sighed as I dragged my body out of the car to help unload the baggage.

"Here you are!" Jazz handed me my bag and a huge, fake smile to go along with it. Ugh! She was so superficial! Did she not think I could see right through that fake exterior? I began tugging the bag in but stopped as the feeling of being watched washed over me. I glanced up at the towering oak I was under. Nothing.

"Why'd ya stop?" my sister asked.

"Felt dizzy." I lied.

"Well keep going or carry my bags for me!" she whined. I moved toward the house, already hearing Aunt Gail's two dogs barking madly to greet us. As the door opened, a big mutt and a miniature dioxin rushed out. Hobo, the horse-sized dog, practically knocked me over as he jumped on me. His big brown eyes blinked up at me from a black face with a bit of tan fur around the eyes and mouth.

"Hey, Hobo!" I patted his head with my free hand.

"Hobo, down!" Aunt Gail yelled as she headed inside.

Heidi, the little dioxin with one blind eye waddled in to watch me quietly. I put down my bags and scratched her behind the ear; she wagged her tail and barked happily before running off to find one of the four cats to torment. Having done my job, I proceeded to the bedroom I would share with my sister.

By the time I made it in, Morgan had already claimed her side of the bed. I blinked, not remembering how granny-like the room was. A blue and white floral patterned quilt topped the ancient looking bed. The dresser was a blonde wood and looked just as old. I went to open the window and gaze out at oak in the middle of the gravel driveway. Did I see someone peering out at me? No, couldn't have been, but then why not?