Dots

Bravery

An angel stood and looked down at the couple.
They were being stupid.
He watched as the man gave the woman a tender kiss on the cheek and a tender kiss on the stomach. Something grew within the angel, a feeling of warmth that had ignited and evaporated just as quick.

"I know I don't say this a lot but... I really love you," claimed the man. His dark eyes glowed; his scars and tattoos seemed less threatening at the gentle tone in his voice and soft eyes. The woman smiled at him with the same light in her eyes.
"I love you too, that's why we're fighting," she said. Both their eyes suddenly grew dim as the door opened to reveal a man in tactical gear.
"They're ready for you," the soldier said before exiting the room, leaving the door open.
The woman sighed and the tattooed man grabbed her hand and squeezed it.
"I'll fight for you," the man said and the woman nodded, her eyes brimming with tears. She gave him one last longing look before letting go of his hand and walking out the room.

The angel watched as the tattooed man, who'd been putting on a brave face, broke and let a single tear fall.
"Tell her to stop! Tell her not to go!" The angel shouted at the man but his pleas fell onto dead ears as the man wiped away his tears, hardened his expression and walked out the door, heading in the opposite direction to the woman. The man stopped at another door and inhaled a deep breath before slamming it open.
"Gentlemen, thank you for meeting me on such short notice," he stated to the room of five men.
The man closest to the door rolled his eyes before speaking. "And why exactly are we here?"
The tattooed man paused and the angel knew what came next but he couldn't look away.
"You're here to die," he said before pulling out a switch and flipping it. The entire building exploded.
The angel looked away, only to be faced with the woman sobbing on her knees.
The solider who was with her looked away but the angel caught the look of pity and sympathy that he had briefly passed her way, before reminding himself he was an emotionless patriot.

The angel stared at the woman and then felt a hand on his shoulder. Next to him stood one of the older angels.
"They would've been your parents," the older angel said softly. The younger angel looked back to the woman just as the shot was fired from inside the burning rubble. The soldiers looked to the source and shot the man down but by that time it was too late. The woman and her unborn child were already dead.
"They were so stupid," said the younger angel. The older angel sighed and then turned the younger one to face him.
"No, your parents were brave," the older angel said before gesturing towards the orbs of light floating down to the earth. "Because of your parents bravery, hundreds of children will survive. Their self sacrifice is the reason so many others will live."
The smaller angel sighed.
"But all those children will never know that," he said sadly. The older angel shook his head.
"They don't need to but you'll know and doesn't that make it all the better?"
The angel looked down on earth, at the joy on people's faces as they held their newborn babies. The angel nodded and then slowly smiled as he watched the illusions of the past fade away.
His parents were brave.