Case CRx

Prologue

I want to give in.

I want to give up.

I want to let go.

"Chris!" I heard my mother scream throwing her hands in the tub and pulling me out. I coughed, water spilling from my mouth as I did. I gasped for air, drawing in enough oxygen, although that was the last thing I wanted. I didn't want to live for another day.

"Why would you do that to me?" She sobbed as she cradled me in her arms, I was too weak to reply anyway, so I stayed silent.

My first attempt had failed.

"Don't leave me Christine, please, don't." She cried still holding me in her arms. I closed my eyes, tears streaming down my face, I couldn't listen to this. I couldn't bear to hear her say these words, I couldn't bear to see her be this way. My eyes stayed shut till I fell to a deathlike sleep, just the way I liked it. Tomorrow was another day.

I would try again, and this time, I hoped I wouldn't fail.

***

"What will it take for me to get my wings?" Eli asked, exasperated. "Do you know how silly I seem without my wings? Everyone else seems to be rubbing theirs in my face!"

The archangels chuckled as they regarded the man before them. Eli had been an angel for over 200 years and he just couldn't seem to get his wings. He had failed countless missions, due to his recklessness, so had been left to meager jobs like acting as a conscience to humans; a job that was about to be taken from him too.

"You want your wings, huh?" Zarachiel asked, eyeing him.

"I believe I just said that," Eli muttered to himself. "Yes."

"Quite frankly, you don't deserve wings." said Gabriel bluntly.

"I am an angel, aren't I?" Eli asked challengingly.

"It's a matter that's up for debate." Gabriel muttered and the other archangels laughed.

"Just tell me what to do." Eli shot then quivered from the look he was sent.

"There's nothing to be done. The last time we gave you something meaningful to do, you started the second world war!" Archangel Uriel roared making Eli shrink back.

"It was an honest mistake..." Eli started.

"A mistake?! Do you know how much damage you caused?" Orifiel said "No. Absolutely not. You're not cut out for this."

Eli sighed, sadness seeping into his very being. He felt like an utter failure, what angel couldn't get his wings. He just wanted wings. He bowed curtly and turned to leave.

Time to go whisper good thoughts to people, he thought.

"Wait," Archangel Michael's voice came. "There might be hope for you yet."

Eli shivered at the sound of his voice. He rarely spoke. The oldest of the Angels, he was highly regarded. Slowly, Eli looked at him. His presence alone was overwhelming, he looked so young, his face void of wrinkles or signs of aging. The only hint to his actual age was his eyes. In his silver eyes were years of existence; they held so many stories, so many emotions and feelings, not understandable by mere humans, yet his eyes didn't look tired, they looked like he had seen it all but expected so much more, they looked bright, they looked alive.

"He can't handle anything serious, you know that." Gabriel said with spite.

"When did we become beings that put others down?" Archangel Michael asked patiently before focusing his eyes on Eli. Eyes that seemed to pierce him. Gabriel said nothing.

"I'll assign you case CRx." Michael said simply and the other archangels gasped. A yellow folder floated in the air till it landed right in Eli's hands.

"You can't do that." Raphael gaped.

"I believe I just did." He replied.

"B-but it's such a fragile case. We've got our best angels working on it." Orifiel stammered. Eli realized he head never seen an angel stammer, especially not an archangel.

"They're to stop. It's his case now," Michael replied.

"Archangel Michael..." Simiel began.

"This is a serious case. You have to change her total outlook on life and save her. If you fail, the consequences shall be grave." Michael cut in. "Her life is in your hands now."

Archangel Michael closed his eyes after his last statement and rose, spreading his glorious white feathered wings behind him, a bright light seemed to emit from him, so bright even Eli couldn't look at him directly. He flapped his wings, and flew upwards in an instant. The other archangels said nothing, but instead did just as the oldest of them had done, leaving Eli alone.

Eli wondered where they flew off to when they did that. After all, they were in the heavens already. But he didn't ponder on that for long, he had a more serious case at hand, CRx. He wondered what that was all about. The others seemed incredibly hesitant. Well, his wings depended on this so he just had to get it right this time, he was determined to. He opened the folder and read the information on his file.

He would try again, and this time, he hoped he wouldn't fail.