Scribble

Wings

The girl smiled, running through the tall grass in the field. Grazing cows mooed at her to stay away, but she only turned around and ran the other direction, her arms flung out like wings.

Not real wings, of course. Real wings were what I had, as a guardian angel. But it pleased me to see the little girl pretend to fly.

I smiled softly as she leaped into the air, but it disappeared when she fell, landing hard on her hands. She cried out, and the girl's mother rushed towards her. But I got there first.

Holding her hands in my own, I kissed them lightly, healing them with a touch. She couldn't feel me, but her hair whipped around her head as I took flight again, hovering above her as her mother kissed her and carried her towards home.

I glided behind them all the while, protecting my assigned girl. I could see other guardians soaring about, protecting girls on bicycles and boys playing Forty Forty in. One boy almost fell off the church wall, but his angel swooped in and steadied him as he wobbled.

I had gotten distracted, and caught up with my little girl and her mother before they entered the house. The girl, looking over her mother's shoulder, smiled and giggled. "Bye, angel," she whispered as her mother unlocked the door.

I smiled. If you're healed by an angel, you can see them for a day. Which is why usually angels don't heal minor wounds, but my girl was special. I could feel it.

I settled down in the tree conveniently placed outside my girl's window and waited for her to come up. She did, flinging open her window and leaning out. "Angel," she called softly to me, "I brought you a snack." She held out a small fist and showed me glitter inside.

She smiled broadly, gesturing for me to take the sparkles. I did, and dutifully ate them while she giggled.

My girl's mother entered the room, sighing. "Olivia, what are you doing? You'll catch a cold."

"I was talking to the angel," she said, pointing at me. 

Her mother laughed. "Your angel isn't there tonight, Olivia. Now, it's almost time for your bath." She reached out and shut the window, then picked my girl up and carried her out. I waved to her as the door shut.

I settled into the crook of the tree, shutting my eyes as I listened to the boys still playing though it was getting dark and the girls, pleading for just a few more minutes. I smiled, remembering being just like them. Always wanting to stay out, to take risks, to jump higher, even if it means you'll fall.

The girl came back in and opened her window quickly, to whisper, "Good night, angel," before shutting it. I whispered back, "Good night, Olivia."

Then I watched my girl fall asleep quietly, content, knowing that she was being protected by her angel.