Short Story Compilation

Angel

'Not all angels are good'. It was a quote that I had read many times in my books. I hadn't ever really known what it meant, but I yearned to find out. As many believed, angels were ones that helped us through harsh times. They led us to the light when we ascended to the other life. And they were always kindhearted. Yet, in my books, angels had bad streaks.

I thought on those words as I set down yet another novel. I placed the book back on its self and walked out of the familiar library in which I had spent so much of my time. On my way back to my apartment, I took a short-cut through the forest that divided the two parts of the town. On one side, there was the richer homes. The other side had middle-class and low-class citizens. I was middle-class. I made almost enough to be considered 'rich', but I was still a few million short.

On my way home, I wouldn't usually look around at the forest that encircled me, but that day I decided to. I scanned the forest. Nothing other than trees and bushes. I wasn't paying any attention to my footing, and tripped over an overgrown tree root. I fell face-first onto the cold ground.

"Looked like that hurt........ Hehe," a light voice beside me said. I lifted myself up to a sitting position to look at the girl that was leaning against a nearby tree.

I stared at the girl. Well, more like I stared at her wings. Beautiful and jet black, like a darkened, starless night sky. "What are you?" I asked. The girl scoffed.

"I am not a 'what'. That sounds so rude. Anyway, my name's Amaranth. I'm an angel."

"That's impossible. Angels don't actually exist. And your wings are black. angel wings are white."

The girl pushed herself away from the tree and walked over to me. "Stand up," she commanded. I did what she told me to and looked into her dark brown eyes, which appeared nearly black. "Not all angels are good. I am what one would call a fallen angel."

"What's the difference between an angel and a fallen angel?" I asked, clueless.

Amaranth sighed. "Angels, true angels, are good. Kindhearted, sweet, and loving. Fallen angels, however, are pure evil. Fallen angels had started out as plain angels, but we did something horrendous and ended up becoming fallen angels. In my case, I disobeyed a higher authority and was banished from the 'good world'. My wings darkened from pale white to this ash black. That is why I am here."

"How does disobeying someone cause you to come here?"

Amaranth laughed, a light sound. Almost similar to the tinkling of wind chimes. My heart fluttered at that sound. "I was told to not watch any humans or try to influence them in any way. But I've been watching you. For a long time now. Admiring you. Hence, disobeying authority."

"Why were you watching me?" I asked. I had a feeling that I wouldn't like the answer, but I was curious as to her reasons.

Amaranth sighed. "Do you remember that one neighbor girl that lived a few houses down from yours when you were a child?" I nodded slowly. "Remember the day that she moved away with her family?" Another nod. "The car crashed when they were driving. Her parents survived, and she almost did. If not for the crushed ribs, the girl would have lived. That girl was me. When I died, I learned that in death, spirits still aged. I spent my first years of death watching over my family. That was an exception to the rule. Protection of family is one thing spirits are allowed to do when they die. After I was sure that my parents would be safe, I traveled around quite a bit. That was when I happened upon you."

As Amaranth told me her story, I found my heart clenching. I felt saddened by her tale. And she was sad telling me. Not because she did not wish to tell me what she was doing here, but because the memories pained her.

She continued, "I recognized you instantly. You still kept those silly comic books."

"They aren't silly. You collected them, too," I pointed out. Amaranth laughed again. "Wait, your name wasn't Amaranth back then, was it?"

She shook her head. "No. Amaranth is the name I was given upon my arrival into death. It's a bit strange, but when people die, they are given a new name. A new start. My name while I was living had been Allison. Do you remember me, now?"

I nodded and hugged my friend. She chuckled and hugged back. Her wings folded, allowing my arms to wrap further around her body. When we pulled away, I smiled. "You know, I had a crush on you back then."

"You don't still like me?" Amaranth questioned. I chuckled.

"No, I don't like you. I think that my feelings have long since grown since then. More like..... Love."

Amaranth smirked. "New starts are amazing, don't you agree?" I nodded and once more, we embraced one another.

---Time skip---

Years later, I died in a fire. Amaranth greeted me by sneaking through Heaven's gate. She watched as I was given a new name and was told that I was to guard the gates of Heaven as a new guardian.

Amaranth made her way out unnoticed, but waited by the gates. The other sentries that were placed there glared menacingly at her. When I arrived next to them, they smiled towards me, then continued to glare at Amaranth. "Why don't you guys like her?" I asked.

"She's a fallen angel. She was banished from here because she has a habit of watching those who are living."

"No, she has a habit of watching over me," I corrected them. "And now that I'm here, she should be allowed back in, should she not?"

The other men stared at me, then nodded. Amaranth and I survived through the rest of our existence with each other inside Heaven's gate. It was our fresh start. Our happy ending.