The Tenth Year

Chapter 8 - Gabe

The itch behind my eyes was killing me. I was flying through what the humans called the Atlantic Ocean and I couldn't fully concentrate on my mission. The itch was too much to bear. I only had one more group of people to collect and then I could go back to my bed. But this itch was making it really hard for me to fly on full speed.

I wasn't really surprised when in the middle of my overseas flight, Bar joined me. He seemed as eager as ever to go to the next collecting point. "You know where we are going, right?" he asked but didn't even wait for my reply. "I wonder if she is going to be there." He looked ahead at the land that had just started making its appearance at the end of the blue.

"She is still human," I stated dryly. I didn't know how I felt about his interest in the girl but I knew I didn't like it.

"Oh, please, I know that," he dismissed my comment with a laugh. He batted his wings harder and took the lead and then he fell a little behind, taking the lead again after a few seconds.

"Stop doing that." I didn't have the patience for his games. My eyes were killing me.

"Doing what?" he asked with an innocent smile on his face, as innocent as it could get for a dark angel.

"Stop flying circles around me!" I didn't really want to shout but my voice had only two volumes, bored and angry. And right now I was angry. He immediately froze in place faking shock. I didn't even bother to slow my pace as I left him behind. Unfortunately my alone time didn't last.

"You are no fun," he commented as he matched his pace with mine.

I kept my expression neutral. "I am not supposed to."

I heard him mutter something under his breath but couldn't make out the words. "You will miss me when I am gone," he said louder and I heard the smile on his face even though I didn't turn my eyes on him.

"Not a chance." Truth was I didn't really know what I would feel like when the Tenth year came to pass. I had grown accustomed to having a house and a bed, eating and having running water every time I wished to, I'd also gotten used to sharing those wonders with Bar. It wasn't what the humans called friendship. Angels had no friends, especially enemy angels. Still, I found it really hard to imagine a life without my house and human comforts, and without Bar. I felt a lump in my throat. Was that what missing felt like? Because if it was, I wanted it gone.

"So, do you think she'll be there?" Bar asked me, making the lump disappear.

"Why do you care so much?" I asked, my annoyance back in its usual place. I flipped my head just in time to see a smile appear on his face. His black eyes shone with excitement. It was really weird seeing such a human feeling in his face. All the time we had spent on earth had made me like the human comforts, which many angels would consider a weakness, but Bar had taken a liking to the humans themselves, which was even worse.

"I just find her very interesting," he commented as his smile grew even wider. Scarier.

"Whatever." I didn't want to continue talking about the girl. It made my scar itch and I already had the itch behind my eyes to worry about.

"You do, too," Bar added. I didn't even bother to answer him. It didn't matter what I said when the girl was in the conversation he kept on going on and on about how she was special and how she was the most interesting human being on earth. He once even said he liked her more that running water, which for me was insane. One time he had suggested we made her live with us for the rest of her human years. I didn't know which was worse living with Bar or the human girl, but I managed to talk him out of abducting her.

Truth was, ever since Bar told me he met the girl in a field in the middle of the dessert I was expecting to see her every time I had to collect people there. I never did.

I mentally reached for her, but after a few futile attempts I turned to Bar surprised. "I can't sense her."

His eyes grew wide. His face focused for a second and I knew he was searching for her too. When his mouth gapped open I was sure he hadn't found her either. "Me either," he said and then he smiled. "Does that mean she changed?"

He was obviously excited as he picked up his pace. He flew in front of me steadily gaining some distance. I didn't really share his excitement, though. Instead I felt the lump in my throat forming up again. I had gotten used to checking to find her presence constantly. It didn't feel right to me to lose it. To lose her.

"Come on, Gabe! Hurry up!" Bar yelled from the front.

I picked my pace up contemplating the situation. After a few seconds I decided it wasn't that bad. "At least I still have running water," I muttered to myself as I flew closer to the last recruitment mission of the day.