I’d spent the night in the garden of purgatory, doing absolutely nothing. Apparently, the dead don’t sleep. That whole rest in peace mantra, totally worthless. Gods didn’t need sleep either, but apparently the trainer for Aphrodite’s school for future cupids was occupied at night. Doing what, I had no clue. Was he/she a god, or a spirit, or a reaper? I had no clue. I just knew I’d be picked up by someone from the garden whenever I wanted. I had nothing to do, and nothing to think about. Well, I’d thought of my parents and smiled. They’d finally reconciled, and all I had to do was die to make it happen. I was nervous about becoming a cosmic love connector, but really, it sounded better than being bored for all of eternity. Flowers were pretty, couldn’t they have made purgatory a beach or something? Where were the other souls? Right, it’s just me. I was a cosmic glitch, an anomaly. I’d gone from being the girl who was too young to have cancer to being the girl who wasn’t supposed to die. Fan-freaking-tastic.
A boy appeared out of nowhere, watching me sit with some interest. He looked about nineteen, and if I had to describe him, he looked like the love child of Austin Mahone and Zach Efron. His blonde hair fell in front of his face, and green eyes sparkled.
“Who are you?” I asked.
“Zed sent me,” He said. “My name is Gabe.”
“Oh, so are you a reaper too?”
“No,” Gabe said. “I am actually your guardian, sworn to protect you in your life. Although, it seems I am somewhat unemployed now.”
“So you let me die,” I said. “You’re not a very good angel, you know.”
“I didn’t ‘let you die’ Macy. A nurse who was fresh out of school let you die. I just didn’t intervene when I should have.”
“Why not? Why didn’t you save me?”
“Well, to be quite frank, I didn’t realize I needed to. It’s been centuries since I’ve been a guardian, and I wasn’t aware of how deadly an improper blood transfusion would be for a cancer patient.”
“But you’re an angel, aren’t you?”
“I am what I am,” he said. “You don’t need to know the details, Macy. But what’s done is done, and you’ll be fine.”
“I’m dead,” I said. “So I am definitely not fine. But really, how can you even be an angel? You’re twelve.”
“I am a thousand years old, and I chose this vessel for you. I can take any form, and I wanted to make you comfortable. Is it appealing to you?”
“Sure,” I said. “But this isn’t a date. You’re taking me to cupid camp, right?”
“Yes, Macy,” He said. “But for the record, I am sorry for your death. It was a mistake.”
“Sure,” I said. “Let’s just go ok? I’m sick of this creepy garden.”
“Most people find it peaceful, relaxing,” Gabe replied.
“I hate quiet,” I said. “Probably because I’ve slept next to hospital monitors and beeping machines for years now. The noises reminded me I was alive, and the silence here reminds me that I’m dead.”
“I remember the machines,” Gabe said. “I remember the crying and the pain you felt. I was there for all of it, and I am very sorry for my mistake. You fought so hard to survive. I haven’t seen anything like it in centuries.”
“You were watching me,” I said. “That is so creepy.”
Gabe just rolled his eyes, the softness of his eyes fading and an overall annoyance hitting him.
YOU ARE READING
Bows and Eros
Teen FictionWhen sixteen year old Macy wakes up in purgatory, she knows something isn't right. She was supposed to survive the surgery and live a long happy life. But when she meets an odd man named Zed, who is a reaper for the underworld, she learns she died e...
