Ark (#Wattys2016)

An Angel With a Shotgun

"For truly we are all angels temporarily hiding as humans." 

-Brian L. Weiss 

My eyes snapped open with a gasp. Air rushed into my lungs, tasting sweet like I hadn't breathed for years. I felt dizzy and disoriented as I tried to take in my surroundings. I was standing in a vast, white room with no visible walls or ceiling. White fog rolled across the floor in bellowing waves, obscuring my feet and creeping up my calves. All around me were soaring marble columns, adorned with gold and sparkling gems, that stretched up out of my sight. They were arranged in a circle and I was right in the middle of them.

My head swiveled back and forth as attempted to gather my thoughts. Had I not just been in Ark HQ, about to fight Perch and save Zane? Maybe I already had and I had lost. Maybe I lost control and Dylan kept her promise. Maybe I was dead and this was heaven. Strange. I didn't think heaven would be this empty. Maybe this wasn't heaven. Maybe I was in Hell. No, that couldn't be it either. Hell was filled with fire and darkness, wasn't it? Maybe there was no heaven or Hell after you die and its just vast, white emptiness. Geez, that would be disappointing to say the least. I finally voiced my thoughts, "Where the hell am I?"

"You're in Limbo; the in between of the mortal world and heaven." I jumped at the sudden feminine voice and turned to see a man and woman standing behind me like they had been there the whole time. I instinctively took a few steps away from them even though I didn't feel threatened by their sudden appearance.

The woman was young, looking like she was maybe my age. She was Asian with radiant golden eyes and shining raven hair that fell over her shoulders in flowing waves. She wore a white dress so long that the fabric pooled at her feet. Gold bands were clasped around each of her wrists and an opal looking gem hung by a chain around her neck. She smiled kindly with happy tears in her eyes at me and greeted, "Hello, Elijah."

"Who are you?" my voice shook when she called me that name; the name the winged man from my dreams called me.

The man beside her stepped forward. His skin was dark, like he might be Hispanic, and he was built like a fighter. He wore a white shirt and pants and the same gold cuffs as the girl but had a vibrant red gemstone hanging from his neck. He looked like he was maybe in his thirties, a beard circled his mouth, which was turned up into a smile. He too, had golden eyes that were beginning to tear up. They both looked at me with genuine happiness, like they were actually glad to see me. Like they knew me.

"Old friends." he replied simply. My heart stopped and I froze when I recognized his voice. It was the same voice I heard every night for months. Suddenly, I could see my dreams clearer. The man with the wings; the shadows that concealed his identity faded away and I could now see his face. And I recognized him. He was the man that was standing in front of me.

"Salvador?" the name slipped out so naturally that it startled me. The man's smile deepened, creating crinkles at the corner of his eyes.

"So you do remember." he stated. The relief and hope could be undeniably heard in his voice. I felt bad as I shook my head.

"Remember what?" my question made them both frown. They shared a disappointed look and bowed their heads to talk quietly to each other.

"He must have sustained much more damage during his descent than we initially thought. This will complicate matters. There may be nothing we can do for him." the girl whispered. Salvador shook his head, his jaw clenched stubbornly.

"He knows my name, Calla. The fact that he is here with us now means that there is still hope. He just needs more time. I do not intend on giving up on him." he replied in a defensive tone. She gave him a warning look, narrowing her eyes and pursing her lips.