One moment in time

Angele

Many thanks to B for being a brilliant Beta reader, as always!

Also, I owe a lot of thanks to Mel and Ruth for all the encouragement they give constantly.        
It means so much to me! :) 

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A couple walked side by side, hand in hand.
The sun shone brightly in the sky overhead, but its rays did not reach into the forest below.
Tall, luscious evergreens, whose ever reaching arms entwined as lovers, protect those under its canopy. A heady aroma filled the humid air.
A steady rhythm of dull footsteps was heard, on the soft carpet of earth.

A smile.
A slight shake of the head.
A heart, missing a beat.

"What? You keep smiling at me. Have I done something wrong? Is there something in my hair? Something on my face? Oh!"
A soft delicate hand reaches up and frantically smoothes long blonde hair into place.
Fingers feel over unblemished skin to find fault, but there isn't one.
Those same fingers commit to grasp a large, calloused hand.
The rhythm of footsteps on mother earth, fall still.

Two hands of warm olive skin, hold two hands of silken white.
Two eyes of soulful brown, gaze into two eyes of ernest blue.
Two bodies mirror each other, in an embrace of love.

"You smell like the ocean. Always the ocean."
"I do?"
Eyes close gently, breath inhales.
"The ocean, always the ocean."
Eyes flutter open, as breath exhales; the ocean recedes.
A large hand caresses a slender cheek.
"Se agapó, ángelé mou." 'I love you, my angel.'

A kiss.
A promise.
A vow.

"I kardiá mou eínai dikí sas , pánta ." 'My heart is yours, always.'

A kiss of fire.
A kiss of passion.
A kiss of desire.
A movement of hands.
A wince of pain.

"You're hurt!. Where? Let me see?"
"It's nothing."
"I want to see." Soft hands cup a warm face. Ocean blue eyes hold an earnest gaze. "Please."

A step back..
A wince of pain.
A shirt falls in defeat upon the earth below.

"Turn around."
A stifled gasp.
A hand drawn to a mouth.
A breathe that never comes.

"Aggele, breathe, breathe!"
Words spoken in a hurry.
Turning, two long muscular arms reach out and grasp two fragile shoulders.
A gasp.
"It's o.k. Just breathe. I'm ok."
"Turn around, please. Let me see it."

A newly etched image, has been cut into a loved one.
An angel with open wings embraces olive skin.
An angel in flight protects the
It's head held high in defiance.
Two fanned wings, stretch from back to front.
The tips of one curl towards the heart.
A seal of protection through which no one shall enter.
A name in script is committed forever.
"Aggele mou." 'My angel.'

"It's beautiful. So beautiful. Why do you need an angel to protect you?"
A whisper. "Because she can go, where you cannot."
Astonished blue eyes that glisten brightly beg an unspoken question.
"I must go. I must leave. I have been told."
"Where? When? Why?"
"I cannot say where. I will tell you when and you know the reason why."

A stumble, a gasp, a strangled cry.
"No! No! You cannot! You musn't! You cannot leave me. You cannot leave me..."
Words unable to flow.
"I must, for your safety. They asked for me. They always ask and I must obey."
A struggle for sound.
A head moving in disbelief.
"You said that you would never leave me. You said that you would protect me. You said that you loved me."
"Se agapó, ángelé mou." 'I love you, my angel.' "My love will never die."
A calloused hand, palm facing the heavens; reaches to catch a teardrop from the angel.
A fingertip holds the precious liquid and slowly raises it to lips that taste with reverence.

Knees fall to the earth, then crumple to the side. A muted cry is heard, as a heart is shattered.
The earth is watered with translucent tears. Hands claw the soil to find some relief.
Warm arms surround the angel in pain. A soothing kiss on a creased brow.
A promise of eternity. A pledge of certainty. An oath of devotion and a plea of desperation.

"Please, do not cry. My heart is broken. I cannot bear this pain. I cannot bear this burden. I cannot see you suffer."
"Then take me with you. Do not leave me. Do not be the path of my destruction."
"Aggele, they will not let me. You must be protected."
"Then protect me. Protect my heart and take me with you. Where you end, I begin."
"I feel it in my heart. I know it in my soul. You are meant for me."

A hand placed gently where the angel protects.
"Together. Forever."
A breath is taken.
The breath of life.
The ocean.
 Always the ocean.
"Take me to the ocean. Take me to our place. Take me home."

A small smile of acceptance is etched upon a face.
"I shall take you home, aggele mou. I shall take you to the ocean. I shall never leave you.
The pain would be too much. Where I must travel, so must you."

One set of dull footsteps continues it journey. The angel flexes its wings as it carries their beloved. The sun still shines brightly in the sky, its rays do not reach into the forest below.
Tall luscious evergreens, whose ever reaching arms entwined as lovers, protect those under its canopy.