Heir to Hell

Mr. Cuddles

It had been three months since her mother had been killed in the fire. Adrianna had been enrolled in Sioux Falls Elementary for two weeks. Even though she never talked, she seemed to learn or know the material extremely well.

Today was one of the days that Bobby couldn't drive her to the bus stop. Since he was on a hunting trip, she was staying with the neighbor, Mrs.McKinley who had already forgotten about the girl and the need to get to school. She had even unplugged the alarm clocks due to an inherent belief that it was bad luck.

"Little Adrianna, it is time to get up. You have school to get to." Gabriel patted the sleeping child's head.

"But, Gabby, I don't w-wanna." She yawned. "Uncle Bobby wouldn't know," Adri stated, before turning over onto her stomach.

"Ah, yes. But I would know little one and you need to be educated to the best of your ability. You won't always have these chances. I think it's what your mother wanted for you." Gabriel explained, glancing at the alarm clock that was unplugged. Of course, she'd placed her pink Polaroid camera on the bed stand. He picked it up, curious, before accidentally snapping a picture of his own face. He heard a muffled giggling before he turned to look at the girl in his care.

"Do you find this amusing?" He asked, a grin sneaking onto his face. Adrianna covered her mouth, hiding her own smile.

"Only a l-little." She responded, laughing slightly still.

"That was a good 'l' sound, little one. Now come, your clothes have been picked and your breakfast is ready." Gabriel encouraged but as soon as Adri heard 'breakfast', she flung the covers back.

"Dibs on the radio!" She plugged in the alarm clock before switching it on the radio station. Gabriel left the room to check on Mrs. McKinley who he found was still drunk on the sofa. He sensed she wouldn't be up anytime soon. Gabriel heard the song 'I wanna dance with somebody' begin to play. He stepped into the kitchen to pull the cinnamon rolls out of the oven. Being an angel had its perks, one of them being the ability to communicate with deceased souls. He had gotten the recipe straight from Adrianna's mother.

Soon, Adri stepped down the stairs with her backpack slung over her shoulders, Mr. Cuddles (her stuffed bunny rabbit), wearing white dotted overalls with a pink shirt and kitty gray socks. The ring and her mother's necklace never came off. Gabriel often had to fight her to take them off when it came to bath time. He knew that the Polaroid camera was in her backpack. Along with a few pictures she meant to show her teacher.

"Gabby, how did you know that mommy used to make cinnamon rolls when I had show-and-tell?" Adrianna asked, confused.

"Well, I had a dream where she told me. Now, eat up quickly. We have to get you to the bus stop." Adrianna beamed up at Gabriel, a smile that made his heart swell.

"Thank you, Gabby." She hugged his leg, as that was as far up as she could reach.

"Of course, little one." He patted her head before setting the cinnamon roll on a plate and pushing it onto the table, where she ate quickly, and gulped the orange juice down.

Adrianna ran to grab her shoes, put them on, and began to tie them when he realized something.

"Little one, you still have to brush your teeth." He heard the child groan from another room before faintly running up to the bathroom on the second story where the water was turned on. He carefully counted the next two minutes, knowing she was also.

"There, I brushed my teeth. Now can we go?" Adrianna huffed.

"Tie your shoes with your gift and then we can go." She smiled as she wasn't allowed to use her gift without permission. The little girl looked down at her shoes and focused her eyes on the laces.