LIGHT

EPILOGUE

Luxa managed to get the books she was looking for. For some reason, they'd been eluding her, no matter where she looked. But here they were, all musty and handy and at her disposal. Incensed by curiosity, she dug into the mountainous pile of books. She would try to look for the nature of the Mark that so fascinated her and others.

Thin silver lines crisscrossing around her arm, forming an unusual mark that looked like some kind of wings, but weren’t. Another thing was her dreams. They weren't the vague images that feature existent places filled with nameless faces. No, they’re as vivid as memory. She dreams of a place that was both familiar and frightening, of black wings and silver ones -and of a green-eyed boy who looked at her as if she was the world. Somehow she knew they meant something. 

Eli stayed where he was, invisible to everyone else, watching the students mill around in boredom. He’d flown don, being a good angel. The heavens were now clear. People filed out of the halls, having no idea of who was watching them. He walked towards where Luxa sat alone, tracing the marks on her arm for what seemed like the millionth time since he Ascended back to Heaven, he’d follow her all day, keeping close, knowing he couldn’t let her know he was there, but keeping her safe. I hope you don’t consider that mark a curse, he thought.

“I have no idea what this is, but it’s beautiful,” she muttered, startling him.

It’s a mark of that which we have shared, that which you had, that which you lost, and that which you will have again.

“I wish I knew who you are. I wish I knew what happened, who you are. I know your face, I know your scent.”

You would, someday, Eli thought, wondering if she could hear what he was thinking even if she couldn’t see him.

“I’ll hold on to it.”

Try to remember what it felt.

“There can be no one else.”

I will be here forevermore, watching over you,

“This I swear.” He saw tears trickling down her cheeks.

This I swear.