I ran out of the car, tears streaming down my face. My day had started out perfectly: I was going to perform in the talent show, get my braces off, and have ice cream with my boyfriend, Joshua. But then it turned out all wrong. I tripped on the stage, my orthodontist appointment got cancelled, and, worst of all, Joshua dumped me for the most popular girl in school, Lily. There was one thing that could make me feel better: riding my snow-white horse, Crystal. I received Crystal for my tenth birthday. My dad had died the year before, and my mom's new boyfriend, Richard, had bought me Crystal in an attempt to get me to like him. It didn't work. Richard was still a jerk, even if he did own a horse farm and race Thoroughbreds. But she was the best birthday present I ever recieved. I saddled up Crystal in record time and took a trail ride through the fields. I ran my fingers through Crystal's mane and felt a little better already. Suddenly, Crystal broke into a gallop. I tried frantically to slow her down, but couldn't find the reins. I saw a wall of blackness in front of me, and we slammed into it at the speed of sound.
Then, I was floating on air. Literally. No, wait, Crystal was floating. No, she was flying. Before my eyes, feathery wings sprouted from her back. A gust of wind carried us upwards us upwards, and I closed my eyes. When I opened them, Crystal had a pink mane and a full set of pink and white wings. I should have been confused, but it seemed perfectly natural somehow. I was riding on a pegasus through a midnight sea of swirling stars into infinity.
After what seemed like a millenium, I saw something hazy in the distance. A cluster of clouds came into focus. Crystal sped towards them and alighted softly on the surface of puffy white cloud. I snapped out of my trance and looked around for the first time. I could hardly believe it. Crystal and I were standing on a cloud. Me, on a cloud! Far below us shone glittery blue seas and emerald land. Far in the distance, a shining golden city arose from the clouds. I could make out a tiny speck in the distance. It morphed into a blob, and then into a person, and then into a winged person. An angel? Maybe. It was a man with shoulder length gold hair, a flowing blue robe, and snow white wings. He landed on my cloud. I stared in awe. "Hello, I'm Raphael," said the winged man. "Welcom to..." He was interrupted by an unseen person shouting his name. He turned toward the sound; the look on his face told me he was sorry to leave. He spread his magnificent wings and launched himself off the cloud.
Crystal whinnied. Well, at least I wasn't alone. I gave her a pat, and she shook her head impatiently. I clambered on, and she immediately flew off. Crystal took me down to the ground, and I suddenly noticed why. On the cloud where we had been standing, two flocks of birds collided. No, not birds, people. With wings. I found Raphael in the midst of the fray, brandishing a fiery sword. Funny I hadn't noticed that the first time. Then, as suddenly as the clash began, it stopped. The two sides sped away in opposite directions. One group headed toward the clouded city, the other across the sea. One didn't know which way to go. He threw a longing look at the city, then sped off on his jet black wings accross the sea.
This was too much to handle. Back at home, my day had been bad enough, but then Crystal took me to this strange place, and the one person who was going to tell me where I was had to go fight and left me here. Well, I wasn't going to just stand here. I was going home, and I would find someone to help me. I hopped onto Crystal and spurred her toward the city in the clouds. It seemed closer than the land accross the sea. We spiraled up toward the city past layers of golden clouds until we arrived at the top. I stood outside the pearly gates. A man came and greeted me. His expression was stern, but kind. "You can't come into the Kingdom of Caelum yet, Scarlett Rose. Go back down and be cleansed. Then you can enter." I nodded dumbly and flew away. Only when I got back to the ground did I wonder how he knew my name.
I landed beside a tiny pond. The man said I should be cleansed. I guess that means take a bath. Before wading in, I checked to make sure no one was around. The skies were empty. I had one toe in the water when trumpets sounded. Another fight. A line of winged me streamed out of the pearly gates blowing horns. The other group flew in an arrowhead formation directly at them. I wandered away from the pond and watched. They were engaged in hand to hand combat, but neither side seemed to be advancing. Suddenly, I heard a sharp cry of pain. Someone was seriously injured. It was the one with black wings. He stumbed off the cloud and started free-falling. He tried to extend his wings, but one was broken and he spiraled downward. Right at me. But I was paralyzed. He landed on me and the world went black.
