Tears streamed down the little girl's eyes as she held out a dead bird. Her back was pressed down as if she bore the sky on her shoulders.
"There, there Hope," Azazil comforted her as he wiped away her tears. "It'll be fine. L-let me show you something."
Hope handed the bird over, watching hesitantly as Azazil covered it with his hands. After a few seconds passed, she thought she saw the bird's eyes open. Then one of its wings slowly started to flutter. Finally, its beak opened up. As it got to its feet, it chirped out a happy tune before flying away.
"See, Hope? All better now." Azazil began to braid Hope's hair as she peppered him with questions.
"But Mister, how come you're so hurt if you can do that?" she asked.
Azazil looked away. "I-it doesn't really work on me, you could say." He pushed up his sleeve to show a collection of bruises on his arm. When he touched it, the bruises momentarily went away, only for them to appear again.
Hope kissed Azazil's arm when she saw that the bruises remained. "Mommy always said that a kiss makes your boo-boo better," she explained.
Azazil laughed and patted the girl's head. "T-thank you, Hope. You're so sweet."
*
"How are you enjoying things so far?" Mary, Hope's mother, questioned.
Azazil nearly caught himself from stuffing an ungodly amount of food into his mouth. He normally didn't eat, having no need for it, but he seemed to have a penchant for Gehinnom's cuisine. "Um, it's good."
Mary beamed as she looked over at her husband Luke. "See? I told you he'd like us!"
Luke breathed a sigh of relief, "I have to admit, I was worried that we wouldn't get along. But you and Hope are like two peas in a pod."
Azazil smiled. "I'm glad to hear that, sir. B-being with her is quite the pleasure."
"We're glad you're adjusting well," Luke replied. "Now let's cheer for our new beginnings!"
Azazil looked puzzled, prompting Mary to say, "You just hold up your glass and tap them together."
"Oh." He replied as he lifted up his glass.
"To new beginnings!" Luke and Mary cried out.
YOU ARE READING
The New Helel
FantasíaAll his life, Azazil was expected to be perfect. He rose from the ashes of his namesake Helel, so he was expected to become even greater. But what happens when you have to become greater than the most perfect of God's creatures? Unfortunately for Az...
