The Angel Prophecies: Opal Sky

1. New Beginnings

I felt myself lift away and stared down at my sleeping body. I hadn't had one of these dreams in so long, I forgot how peaceful and serene it felt, but I never forgot how frightful it could also be. As I floated through the roof, I felt the little silver thread connecting me to my body. I wondered if there was any way to sever it and what would happen if I did. In an instant, I found myself on a barren surface, the earth below like a blue and green marble, floating in a sea of sparkling darkness and surrounded by whispy cotton clouds. I had never been to the moon before and was wondering why this was where my soul brought me. I caught movement in the corner of my eye and turned to find my dad standing right next to me. Without a word, I embraced him. It had been a long time since I'd felt his protective arms around me, and I felt safe, like you can only feel in your daddy's arms. I couldn't stop the tears that came.

"I miss you so much, Daddy." He wore a red plaid flanel shirt and jeans. He smelled of pink peppermints, just like I remembered. He had always kept them in his pocket when he was alive.

We moved apart, but he kept his hands on my shoulders. "I've never left you, Abbey. I've always been there when you needed me, guiding you, you just didn't know."

"I think sometimes I felt you when I was sad. It was almost as if you were there, making me feel that everything would be okay, like you did when I was little."

"That's why I've come to you tonight, Abigail. I need to warn you that you'll soon be facing adversity like you never have before. You'll need to make an important decision, a decision that will affect other people's lives."

"Dad, aren't you being a little dramatic? Everyone faces decisions that affect others, and why bring me to the moon?"

"It's safer here. Not many of the others would think to come here."

"I don't understand. Safer from what?"

"Those that seek you."

Familiar fear suddenly overwhelmed me, and I was back in my body almost instantly, the silver thread having reeled me in like a bungee cord.

I woke up in a cold sweat; my pulse racing. Why was I having one of these dreams now?

Perhaps it was the stress of living in a new place and staring grade 12 with strangers. My cats, Pita and Kittycow, were sleeping peacefully on my bed, and I tried to get up without disturbing them.

I fumbled toward the bathroom and through the hall window, caught a glimpse of the full moon floating in a sky of early morning light. My dream had seemed so real. I could have sworn I was really standing up there, staring down at the earth as my dad warned me about my future.

I brushed my dream aside, remembering the nightmare called my life. I finished using the washroom, washing my hands in the vintage sink my aunt just had installed. If there's one thing I had in common with my aunt, it was her love of old houses, and she was gradually restoring this one back to its original 1888 style.

I made my way back to my room, wishing I was back in Nova Scotia. I had begged my grandma for us to stay until I graduated. She felt it was getting too hard to make ends meet, and she wanted us to move with her daughter in Maine. She said Cape Elizabeth High had a good school, which gave out awards for academics and also had great sports programs. I'm not sure why she tried convincing me on the idea of moving using either of these selling points. I had mediocre marks and was always last to be picked for teams. I even offered to help pay bills with the money from my part-time job at DJ's Corner Store, but she refused, saying it was not my responsibility to care for an old lady.