My Heaven

When angels fall

Who knows how long it's been? The days started to bleed together a long time ago. Without Michael every day seems empty. I just wake up, eat, go to work, go home, eat, and sleep. Before Michael I was quite happy with my life. I was lucky I got the job that I did, but now ever since Michael gave me that sweet taste of love I can't help but hunger for more. I don't eat as much, and it shows even if my stomach seems bigger. Richard and William are starting to get worried. Lacy is slowly trying to build our friendship again or maybe she thinks she has a chance now that Michael is gone. If I'm honest I can't tell which one it is.

I heard about D Day. Michael must have been a part of it. He mentioned going to France a few times. There were so many casualties. I'm scared that Michael was one of the soldiers who will never return home. Every time I try to sleep I hear Michael screaming in pain. The nightmares I once had are returning too. Everyone keeps telling me I should move on with my life, after all I've only known him for what? Six weeks? Seven weeks? But I can't. I tried to but I can't.

Today is just another day. I wake up alone in my cold bed. I take a quick shower and skip breakfast. I'm too busy to eat. I get to the club early and immediately start working like any other day. Hours pass in the blink of an eye. Before I know it, I'm already back on stage, singing to all the regulars at the club while they drink beer and talk. I just want to be done and go to sleep.

Suddenly the door to the club opens. I don't think much of it since people come in at random all the time. Then I hear someone yelling my name. It's a voice I recognize. I stop singing and look over at the door. My body completely freezes. It's Michael. Michael. Am I dreaming? Here he is, right in front of me, alive and breathing. I thought I'd never see him again. His eyes are wide and full of desperation. It doesn't look like he's able to walk very well. Was he hurt under the invasion? Why is he looking at me like that?

"Michael"

I call out before everything turns black.

I slowly open my eyes. I can feel the dust in the air tingling my nose. I can feel the sun on my skin. I want to sit up. I want to try and find Ashley, but I can't. My head is too heavy. They dropped the bomb. I was too late. I don't even know if Ashley is alive. Luckily the bomb wasn't powerful. They're running out of resources. The only reason why we're still alive must be that they dropped the bomb further away than expected.

Suddenly I feel something move. I squint my eyes and see Ashley. She's alive. I can feel all the tension leave my shoulders as I let out a breath of relief. She's alive. Her dress is torn and she has a lot of bruises but no major injuries. I couldn't be happier. She's moving a shelf that's on top of me away that I didn't even notice.

"Michael?"

I hear her say as she pushes the shelf completely off me. Her hands grip my arms, helping me back on my feet. As soon as I stand without collapsing, she practically lunges at me. I stagger back from the force but wrap both of my arms around her tightly. I let out a chuckle of happiness. The feeling of her warm body back in my arms is like a piece of heaven. I've never yearned for more in my entire life. I know she feels the same because I can feel her hands gripping my shirt tightly until she eventually pulls away.

"What was that?" she whispers as if the dust itself would wake if she spoke too loudly. I reach up with my hand and use my thumb to wipe away a tear that slipped from her eye. "A bomb. We need to go. Now" I say firmly, grabbing her hand and guiding her trough the ruins of the club. "What about the others?" She protests but doesn't resist. She's too relieved to see me to resist. I don't answer. Pain shoots through my injured leg, but I press on. We have to get out of here right now in case the plane comes back. Ashley seems to notice my injured leg. She doesn't ask. She just pulls my arm around her neck while her free arm comes around my waist to help me walk.

A noise reaches my ears just as we exit the ruined club. It's not just any sound. The sound of a plane. They didn't leave. They're coming back to finish the job.

"RUN!!!"

I yell. Ashley doesn't hesitate. She kicks off her heels and immediately begins running, still supporting me even though it slows her down. I know they will drop a second bomb the question is just where? If we can get far enough away, then maybe we'll survive. Maybe we can recover. Wind rushes past my face. I can feel it in the air and I immediately know. It's too late.

The ground disappears under my feet. For a moment time seems to stop. We fall. Both of us. Ashley and I fall through the air like feathers from a dove. I see her beneath me. Ashley. Her blonde hair is all around her as the air pressure pushes it up. Her beautiful crystal blue eyes are wide with shock and fear, they cling to me like I'm the only thing keeping this world together. I feel my own hands reach out for her. I want to grab her wailing arms, to desperately hold her in my grip when we eventually hit the ground. I reach out for her. I don't want her to hit the ground first. I want to be the one who hits the ground. I want her to land on top of me. Maybe then she'll survive if she lands on me. My fingertips brush against her wrist and for a moment I think I might be able to save her. But that's not what happened. Time starts again and I fall through the air faster than I can blink. The ground comes closer faster and faster.

"MICHA-"

CRACK.

I slowly open my eyes. Everything hurts. I can't move my legs or my left arm. I feel blood gushing down my face. The sun is bright above me, shining through the dust and hurting my eyes. I can't tell how many bones I broke but it's defiantly a lot. My heart is pounding, and I can't seem to catch my breath. It's like my ribs are pressing into my lungs, preventing me from getting air properly. I slowly look around. I can feel the sun on my skin and its light blinds me even when I try to look away. Everything around me is rocky and hard. It looks like the bomb made a crack in earth and Ashley and I just happened to fall into it. Wait... Ashley!

I slowly sit up, wincing in pain. Everything around me spins for a moment. I look down only to spot Ashley under me. There's a crack in her skull, blood slowly oozing out, coloring her blonde hair a dark red. Her legs are twisted in a weird way that isn't natural. I can feel my heart stop beating in my chest when I look at her.

"...no...no...no no no no no! Ashley!"

I lunge forward despite the pain shooting through my body. I put my head on her chest, listening desperately. Everything is quiet. I wait for the familiar sound of her heartbeat to reach my ears, but nothing comes. Everything is silent. My brain doesn't register it. I keep waiting for that familiar beat of her heart. My brain doesn't register what this means. My whole freeze and I can't move. Slowly I look up at her face, her beautiful face that's now lost all its color. My eyes meet hers and I almost expect her to look back at me with that sharp look I adore so much, but she doesn't. Her eyes are wide and unblinking. There's no light in them. Not anymore.

I collapse against her, my whole body feeling as heavy as steel. Tears roll down my cheeks before I even realize it. My arms move on their own, wrapping around her and cradling her against my chest, almost trying to will her back to life. My Ashely is dead. The only one I ever loved is dead. I can't breathe. I don't understand anything. How could this happen? We were supposed to live, to get married and be happy until we grew old. How did things go so wrong?

Why is she so cold?