Fallen Demon

Chapter 1: Lavana

            I ran ahead of her but almost immediately tripped when my foot got caught in the sidewalk. My body glowed lightly as I slipped through the crowd of people around me. I lay on the ground and watched as they continued to slip through me.

They no longer saw me.

They continued on with their lives as they stepped through me. I rolled onto my back as a child stepped around me with a small smile. I couldn't help but match it.

At least the children saw me.

I stared at the blue sky with a smile. My body felt heavy as my face scrunched up in pain as I tried to remember my past but failed.

"Lavana," Diana called from a distance, "Wait up!"

I blinked away the slight pain as I moved to lift myself off the ground. I brushed off my clothes and spun around with a beaming smile as the girl caught up to me. Diana rolled her eyes at me as she panted for air.

"Don't worry! One day we'll become angels! And walking will be a thing of the past!" My face was bright as I beamed down at her as she recovered.

"Yea but we won't get claimed for at least another month," she huffed the reminder at me.

"But it'll still happen!" I brushed her off with a grin.

I was quick to grab her wrist as she finally straightened herself. I wove us through the crowd much to Diana's displeasure. But she kept her mouth shut. Weaving through the crowd made me feel alive.

I kept dragging Diana until finally, we crashed into someone knocking us all down. I blinked in shock and moved backward as they stood up. I breathed a breath of relief as I met a warm forgiving smile. His dirty blond hair fell to the side as he stretched out a hand for me.

"Hey Darren," I could feel myself smiling like an idiot as he helped us up. Those white wings, beautiful as he pulled them close.

He kindly patted my head with a laugh making me feel like a small child. I couldn't meet his eyes anymore.

"How are you two?" he laughed as dropped his hands to his side.

"Great! We're off to a new job!" I chirped out as I brushed my hair back into place.

"Really, what kind?" Darren's voice was full of curiosity as he glanced between us.

"It's just a small one with a child," Diana answered getting his full attention.

Darren's attention snapped away from us as the bell tower rang indicating a new hour.

"Listen, I would stay and chat but I really do have to go," he was rushing as spread out his wings, "I'm late for a meeting with some demons."

His smile faltered as his face became covered in disgust. He must have realized his open reaction because he quickly covered it with a strained smile. He lifted himself into the air with all the grace of an angel. He was gone within seconds without even a proper goodbye. Small feathers drifted to the ground around us. I watched with slight wonder as a small child picked one up before running back to her mother. The child waved around her arms with excitement as the mother lovingly nodded at the story she must have thought was nothing but her child's imagination.

My eyes trailed around to the faces around me until they settled on the remaining feathers.

"Why don't you tell him?" Diana asked, finally breaking the silence that had taken over us.

"Tell him what?" I avoided the question as I gently picked up a feather.

"That you like him," she stated bluntly.

My eyes turned soft as I held the feather above my head to block the sun. I could see the small rays of light slipping through and warming my face.

"I'm not an angel," my smile was sad as I brought my arm down and kept my eyes on my feet, "He won't look at me as I am. He only sees a soul in front of him. These feelings are one-sided..."

I could hear Diana sigh as I let the feather slip from my hand. But she didn't say anything, instead, she only grabbed a hold of my hand and wove me through the crowd. I smiled gratefully at her.

My smile vanished as dread filled me and a dark tail appeared to swish behind her. I blinked and suddenly the dread and tail were gone. I shook my head at it.

I should have never ignored it.