Aberrant Love

Prologue

I stood on the sidewalk of downtown, Minneapolis, I was tired and wanted to simply go home and sleep, but Alicia insisted we get back into the habit of walking since I was still recovering from my battle with cancer. A miracle happened and I survived it, though I had my doubts, I kept them to myself and simply cherished the moments I now had with my doting wife and soon to be born baby girl. I was so happy to be able to live out my days and see Alicia give birth in a week or two. She was so energetic and her smile was one to die for each time I made her laugh. I unknowingly would grab at her and steal a kiss or two. I was a sucker for those soft pouty lips. Though, I was still depressed from being let off from the army. Everyone sent their regards to me every month or so. I was finally moving forward.

I stared at the street light, the air smelt fresh and damp as it had recently rained. The street seemed somewhat quiet, only a few cars.

"We should name her, Amelia. I like that name." I said suddenly, my voice coming out slightly hoarse but heard. I hadn't had a chance to choose a name since learning I had cancer and now felt like the right time.

"Wow, that's the first time this whole year that I've heard you speak about naming her, Christian." Alicia says smiling widely, her brown-blackish curls whipping across her face. She loomed close to me as I slowed my pace to look into her brown eyes that held a sort of triumph. Alicia is the type of person that can go through so much pain and still smile so easily. She must've cried every night going through her pregnancy alone like that. This made me feel guilt. It had been hard for me to talk about the baby for most of the pregnancy.

A regular evening in Minnesota and yet I felt strange. The light finally turned green and I took a step off the curb. Alicia was scolding me for not looking both ways and wrapped her petite arms around my own and this makes me smile. Everytime. Her voice soothes my worries.

Until we get to the middle of the street and someone runs up in front of us with a shotgun, so sudden and out of the blue, I look at the man before me, he seems anxious and unnerved as if he had to do this. As if his own life depended on it. Someone stood on the other side of the street staring right at me, he was smiling, his face was hidden by a thick hooded sweater of his own.

The random guy that stood before us aims the shotgun at Alicia causing me to throw my body directly in front of her in panic.

"Christian, No!" Alicia yells reaching out to stop me, but it's to late.

I hear the gun go off and the next thing I know I am on the ground holding my chest as I bleed out, someone keeps screaming my name.My mind is going blank. Alicia, Alicia keeps screaming my name.

"Wh-Why would you stop me?" I asked softly in confusion as I struggled to breath.

I can hear the despair in her voice. "This is my fault..."

All the things she put up with just to see my die like this. None of it made sense to me. I hear an ambulance coming down a few blocks from us, but I already know I am going to be gone by then, I look up at the sky as Alicia uses something to try and stop the bleeding. I look at her then as she tells me everything is going to be okay. I reach out and touch her face, she grabs my hand and holds it against her cheek.

And then two men come up behind her.

"Why did you let him save you, look at what you've done foolish girl. I wanted you, not him. You have ruined the first process of my plan!" He yells.

The world goes black and I am gone...

Light shines through my eyelids stirring me from deep sleep. I sit up suddenly gasping for air and see four unfamiliar faces looking at me with deep interest and slight panic. I look at my hands and body examining it.

Where am I?

They were quiet and so was I. Watching me with careful eyes.

I look around the full white room, I was laying on a marble type of bed. Hard and smooth to the touch. The room had some decor with a black rug on the ground and little intricate designs in the forms of wings hanging from the ceiling. The room seems to glow in a surreal way, but I didn't see any windows.

"What the...? Why am I alive?" I say, thinking in my military mind set and accepting that I was previously going to die.

The one with blonde hair spoke up first.

"Well technically you're not alive, but hey, you can say that." He says flashing me a smug grin as he pats me on the shoulder. I narrow my gaze as he touches me.

He looks over at two others who were just waking up. Their beds line up in a row to my right. One had pink long hair and the other had rather huge glasses on. They look around with just as much confusion.

"Welcome my fellow students, I have brought you back as Earth Angels. You were created for a reason and you will help turn around an upcoming battle. Until then, we will train you and teach you the ways of Angels. Our original name is Tahuf, but humans like to call us Angels."

I was the first to burst into laughter at how corny this all sounded. When the other three standing in front of us look at me with a stern expression I let my laughter diminish and start to clear my throat.

"You can't be serious..."