In The Arms Of An Angel (ON HOLD)

CHAPTER 3

Back to the present time...

Dei felt terror beyond anything she has ever experienced in her life as she felt herself losing balance. She tried to twist her body to turn towards the outcropping of rocks behind her but in her panic she hit her right arm instead on the protruding rocks.

She cried out in pain as the sharp edges of the rock scraped the exposed
skin of her forearm because she decided earlier to roll the sleeve of her long sleeved shirt. The pain caused her to lose her grip and she felt herself slipping and falling towards the ravine. She could almost imagine the pain when she eventually hit the bottom of the ravine if she can't find something to break her fall.

Dei suddenly remembered the old adage about your life's significant events flashing before your eyes in the face of possible death because that exactly is what happened to her at this point.

Flashes of memories from her childhood to her adulthood including happy moments with her family and friends played in her mind like a movie clip. She even remembered the numerous times she experienced similar life threatening scenarios in her life:

The time when she was nearly hit by a car as she absentmindedly crossed the street outside the school campus back in college and she was pulled to safety by Uno;

The time when she choked on a piece of meat because of laughing too hard while eating during one of their barkada restaurant foodtrips;

And the time when she almost broke her ankle and her neck while running on the cobblestone walkway of a park when a heel of her stilettos broke off as she was trying to go though a shortcut on her way to a meeting because she was late. A stranger caught her that time which prevented her from sustaining any major injury.

But this time...she might not be as lucky anymore. No one is here with her to rescue her.

She is all alone.

She opened her mouth to scream in terror but no sound came out as she started to feel herself tumble down the steep ledge. She closed her eyes and prayed:

"Oh God, help me!"

Then a miracle happened.

Instead of pain, Dei felt the warmth of a human body as two strong arms caught her falling body.

The force of her fall was so great that she almost literally slammed into the body but the person who caught her seemed not affected by the sudden impact and instead was able to maintain a firm grip on her.

Dei's eyes remained tightly closed for what seemed like hours instead of just seconds after her fall, too shocked to either move or speak. Her heart continued to beat erratically inside her chest that she could hardly breathe.

When she finally found the strength to move, she forced her eyes to slowly open and look at the face of the person who saved her.

Her vision was blurry at first, with her being able to make out only the silhouette of a young man because of a bright light shining behind his head.
The man seemed to be studying her face intently because she can feel his intense gaze on her despite the blinding light hindering her sight.

He is still carrying her bridal style in his arms effortlessly as if she weighs no more than a child.

Dei closed her eyes again for a few seconds and shook her head a bit in an attempt to clear her vision.

When she slowly opened her eyes for the second time, she almost lost the ability to breathe again as she gazed at the face of the man who saved her.

Dei's heart skipped a beat. And a sudden realization hit her that made her head spin.

"Oh my God! Namatay na nga yata ako sa pagkabagsak ko kanina..." Dei thought dazedly. She continued to stare at the man and suddenly uttered:

"Sinusundo mo na ba ako?!" before she was enveloped by an all consuming darkness.