Abigail and the Angels

Chapter Fifteen

Abigail gasped and blinked her eyes open, squinting at the evening sky.

“How’d it get so late? My chest hurts…,” she said softly. The eyes of the angels flew open upon hearing her talk.

“Y-you’re alive?” Charlie asked in disbelief.

“But…you…you died,” Jasmine stuttered.

“I know. Get me back to the mountain and I’ll tell you all about it,” she said, sitting up on her elbows, but instantly falling back down in pain because her chest hurt.

“You’re alive,” Nate said.

“You’re really alive,” Chase continued. Before they knew it, they’d started crying, tears slipping down their cheeks. They held onto her tightly and checked her pulse just to be sure.

“Welcome back, Milady,” Charlie said with a sheepish smile.

“Indeed, welcome back,” Audra agreed, smiling warmly.

“I can’t believe it, you’re really alive,” Jasmine said with a watery smile.

“Yeah. I am. But more importantly, we need to get Chase home,” she said, forcing herself up again, wincing in the process.

“No, don’t push yourself. I’ll help you,” Jasmine said, picking her up gently. Nate scooped up Chase with the same gentleness and soon, they were back in the air returning to the mountain. Once inside, Abigail and Chase were put on two single beds in the same room, so Star could tend to them easily.

“What happened to Abigail? Why is she hurting?” Star asked, slightly alarmed when they took her through to the room.

“Ah, her dad killed her with a unicorn. She died but then she didn’t,” Charlie responded, following Jasmine down the stairs.

“What…?” Star muttered, walking into the room. Everyone was seated around the two beds, excluding Nova, who was asleep in the next room.

“So what happened when you died? You did die, right? No one could have survived that,” Jasmine asked eagerly.

“Jazz!” Audra said, smacking her shoulder.

“What? It’s a good question!” she said defensively. Abigail chuckled lightly and hushed them.

“I’ll tell you if you keep quiet! Now then, when I died…,” she started, telling from what she saw to what Yem told her to what their redemption was. At the end of it, she felt tired but happy that she could help them.

“So… the unicorns aren’t bad?” Star asked.

“Well, it’s not that they’re good or bad, it’s just that they have to protect something even if it means acting according to strong instinct and violence,” Abigail replied.

“And our redemption is the protection of this island? But we’ve been doing that for centuries!” Charlie said loudly. Abigail chuckled.

“Have any of you ever thought to fly away since the last time Ash tried?” she asked. They all looked sheepishly away.

“No…,” Ash replied. She smiled.

“Then maybe you should. I do believe that my father and the events leading up to this are more than enough redemption,” she said.

“If they aren’t then I don’t know what is. So, Goddess Yem told you that you’d have to be a guardian of the island too. Does that mean…?” Chase started. Abigail shrugged.

“Well, judging by the fact that I’m alive now as well as the fact that I believe I can feel wings sprouting, I think it means I’m becoming an angel set to guard this island,” she said quietly.

“Wings?” Star asked. Abigail nodded and turned around to lie on her stomach.

“Yes. I feel them up here, on my shoulder blades,” she said. Star examined it and said with a hint of excitement,

“I think she is growing wings!” They all smiled silently.

“Well, maybe all your wings will be white now too? I have to stay here to protect the island whether I like it or not, but you guys should be free to fly where you please now,” she said with a sad smile.

“I don’t want to fly where I please, I want to fly with you. I’m staying by your side, Abigail,” Chase said softly.

“Me too,” Jasmine said with a grin.

“If Jasmine stays, I stay,” Nate said, hugging her tightly.

“Jeez, I guess that means I’ll stay too. Don’t need you lot running into anymore trouble,” Charlie said with a lopsided grin. Audra held onto him.

“I stay,” she said with a quiet smile.

“You guys are going to run into trouble and hurt yourselves, and I don’t want that,” Star said, putting her hands on her hips.

“And you’ll need a chef,” Ash chimed in. Abigail laughed.

“But what about all that talk about wanting to see the world?”

“We’ll see the world, but we’ll always return home,” Nate said with a reassuring smile.

“Especially if home happens to be a certain cave carved into a mountain, beautifully furnished with stolen goods,” Jasmine said with a wink. They all smiled in agreement before leaving, on by one, until it was just Abigail and Chase left in the room. It was late and Abigail’s head felt heavy. She closed her eyes but was interrupted before she fell asleep.