Writing Destiny

Chapter 5

Aleator watched as the man entered the red car, taking the baby with him. He watched as the car drove away. He watched as the young mother scrambled down the street in her bare feet screaming for someone to give her baby back. And that was all he could do.

The gravity of the situation hit him so hard, he was paralysed. 

What have I done?

What kind of life had he given to the poor child? 

Just then, he felt someone push the centre of his back. Aleator turned his head to see his father with disappoint in his eyes. "You must try and save this child from what you have done. Start doing your job as her guardian," ordered his father.

Before Aleator could protest, his wings had already unfurled and he felt his feet leave the ground. He rose higher and higher into the air, and then he soared through the sky as he scanned the road for the red car.

As he flew through the air, a million questions crossed his mind. Why was he this baby's guardian? After what he had done, he surely had to have failed his examinations. He should be retaking another year at the academy. There was no way that he was qualified to become a guardian angel.

He had screwed up this year so badly.

And yet here he was.

Aleator came to a sharp stop as he spotted the red car that had just parked in front of an old building. He watched as the man stepped out of the car with the baby girl in his arms. The man checked both sides to see if anyone was about before he proceeded towards the front steps of the building.

Aleator started to descend from the sky to take a closer look. He saw the sign that said Verindale Orphanage.

His heart beat faster as he realised that the baby girl was going to be given away, but what could he do? 

Furiously, he tried to think back to what they had taught him at the academy and he remembered the four golden rules:

1. Do not let any human see you except your charge.

2. Do not let your charge remember that they have seen you.

3. Avoid physical contact with any humans.

4. All interventions must appear as if by chance.

Well, from his options, Aleator would not be able to talk to the man and persuade him to change his mind. He could not stop the baby from being given away, but he promised to himself that he would try to protect this baby from any harm as best he could.

Aleator waited for the man to drive away in his car before he descended to the ground. No one was around in this desolate place so he could approach the baby without being seen.

Baby Silvia was sound asleep as she lay upon the front step of the orphanage. She had nothing on except a cream blanket wrapped around her. When Aleator approached, Silvia shifted in her blanket as if she heard his footsteps. 

She opened her eyes and Aleator froze because he couldn't risk being seen by her. He hadn't brought any forgetful powder with him to make her forget seeing him. But her pupils did not move about, because the baby was blind.

His heart twisted at the sight as guilt filled him up. "I am so sorry," he whispered before he removed the jumper he was wearing to wrap it around the baby girl. "I can never make it up to you," he said, "but I will try to protect you from harm."

In the distance, Aleator could hear the approach of more cars. And from above him, he heard the chime of bells, they were calling him. He had to go.

Aleator took one last look at Silvia. She smiled happily at the ceiling, without a care in the world, not knowing what fate he had given her.

The cars were coming closer. He quickly rang the doorbell to the orphanage before he spread his wings and flew up towards the heavens.