Escaping Death [Watty Awards]

Chapter 22-Gabriel

Chapter 22-Gabriel

It was dusk by the time that we made it back to Gwen’s house.

I hadn’t noticed the time until I looked at the dashboard and saw that it was almost 8 o’clock.  Gwen had fallen asleep on the ride back, her hand still holding mine.  She had a slight smile on her face every time I would look over to her sleeping face.  She looked happy and healthy.  There was no trace of the sickness that had fallen over her.  Her sickness was the cause for her memories coming back.  She was human after all and that pressure was too much for her to bear.   The only thing that her body could do to protect her from drifting into madness was to fall deathly sick.

Pulling up to her driveway, Gwen stirred beside me.  I cut the engine off and got out of the car to go and help her out of the car.  She was still sleeping peacefully but she was half awake when she let me take her in my arms.  She wrapped her arms around me and mumbled, “You know, it’s like you’re an angel.  Your light is so beautiful.”

I smiled and looked down at her closed eyes.  Brushing her cheek I whispered, “No.  I’m not an angel but wouldn’t it be cool if I was?”

She giggled.  She slowly opened her eyes and I saw the glint of awe in them.  She was still amazed with the light that formed an invisible shield to the naked eye.  I had momentarily taken the shield down around me but I began to build it back up again.  I let go of Gwen and set her down to open her front door.  She noticed the change in me but didn’t say anything.  Her expression was visible in her face. She sucked in her breath and starred at me.  She blinked once and then twice, trying to make sense of it all. 

I know what she saw.  One moment there was a radiating light in front of her and the next it was gone; like it had never been there in the first place.  It was like a light had gone out and everything was normal again.

Putting her key in the door, she turned the knob and immediately turned on the porch light.  She gestured for me to come but I hesitated at the door.  “Mom?”  She called out.

“I’m upstairs, sweetie.”  Came her mother’s voice. 

Gwen looked back at me and said, “Aren’t you going to come in?”

“No.  I have to get home.  You should go talk to your mom though.  She may be worried about you.”  I saw the confusion in her eyes.  She wanted me to come in and stay with her for a little longer.  I wanted to stay with her but I also wanted to give her time to let the events of the day sink in.  She may accept me now but once she truly understood the truth she may want nothing to do with me.  “I’ll come by tomorrow.  Maybe we can do something for New Year’s.”  She just looked at me, calculating my words.

“I don’t want you to leave.  You may never…”  She fell silent.  She unconsciously started to play with her hair.  She was scared.  That’s one of the habits that did she did when she was nervous or afraid.

I crossed the doorway and cupped my hands to her face.  “Don’t think that.”  I said it as reassuring as I could possibly have said.  “I’m not leaving you.  I won’t leave without saying goodbye, Gwen.  I promise you that.” 

“It’s just…this just seems so unreal.  You being what…”  She took a deep breath to calm herself down.  “It seems like you can just disappear and I won’t know where you are like before.”

“Shhh.”  I took her in my arms and embraced her as close to me as I could.  She was so small compared to my tall stature but it was like our bodies were made for each other.  She fit perfectly in my arms and I tried to comfort her.  Running my hand through her hair I said, “I’ll come back tomorrow, okay?  You know where to find me if you get worried.”