Writing Prompts and the Outcome

Alone Again

She is standing there, so perfect, so lovely. I know she is the one. But she doesn't, not yet at least.

She and I were childhood friends. We grew up together, creating our very first planet together, even made a universe. And I've been in love with her through it all. I see her, twirling her pink pastel hair, chuckling at something she's reading, and I fall in love all over again. I fall in love with the twinkle in her eye and the crinkle of her nose when she says something funny. Only problem, she doesn't even see me. She has flocks of admirers. And I'm one of them. But I understand, if she pays attention to every person "in love" with her, she'd have no time for anyone else.

I am but a hopeless romantic, yearning for someone I cannot have. But it must be this way. I can't simply take her as I please, and throw off the natural order of things. I must sit in simple sadness, for that's how it goes. Someone like me can't have someone like her.

I am always busy. Did you know two people die per second? It's a hard job, collecting all those souls. And that's only counting the souls on Earth. I barely have the time of day to admire my love. That is, until I see her name was at the top of my list. It breaks my heart. Finally, she gets to see me, and I can hold her. But that means she's gone. Dead. She is so young.

I am there instantly, staring down at her body. She's on the street, a car not too far from her. Her breath is labored, and I know she has barely seconds. I watch as people walk around her, taking pictures. Someone has called an ambulance, but where are her admirers? They surrounded her in life, but now in death, they loose interest. It is of no consequence. I am here. As her soul leaves her body, she looks at me. I have been waiting for this moment. The moment she remembers who I am. She yells my name," Azreal!" Standing up, she looks down at her mortal form, "Why did I not remember you?"

"Because mortal eyes cannot see me, and when you were sent to Earth, knowing you would never be able to talk to me until you die, you requested the ability to forget. "

"But now I remember, and we can be together!"

She hugs me, and I am happy. We are caught up in the motions of touching after so long. Making contact of any sort has been a blessing, after so many decades. But, it cannot last.

"Don't you understand? I have to bring your soul back to heaven! I can't let what happened last time happen again. I will not make the same mistake," I say, pulling away.

She nods. "I understand. But come visit me once in awhile, okay?" Her lips turn up into a bittersweet smile, as her soul, piece by piece, rises. She's finally gone. I knew this day would come, but now that it's happened, despair fills me. I guess I am alone again.