Rose Petals.

Hello there everyone...please press play before reading so you may listen to the music while reading...thanks ;)

Story Written By: Jade Alexandra.

Story Editor: Nichole Pridemore.

Tap, tap, tap...

Her sleep-ridden eyes open to face the darkness of her bedroom, forcing her to escape the dreamland she'd been visiting just moments ago.

'What's that tapping sound?' She asks herself as she glances around, attempting to find the source of the tapping noises. 'It could be the rain?' She thinks. 'No, rain doesn't sound like that.' Her head continuously turns in search of the unusual sounds.

Suddenly, she finds someone looking through her bedroom window; someone who could easily resemble a beautiful angel. 'Who is that?' She wonders to herself. She dismounts the bed, pulling herself closer to her window. However, as she gets closer, the angel quickly flies away. She moves faster, trying to reach the window, but it was too late. The angel had gone.

She continued this every night. She would always sit up and wait for the angel to appear. However, when it did, she was never able to get a good look at it. It would always be gone before she had the chance. The same thing happened night after night.

She would always try her best to remember the beautiful angel, but every time she would think about it, all she could see was its lovely smile-a smile of an angel. Who was this angel? Why did it always look through her window?

Even while the girl slept she would dream of someone holding her, someone protecting her.

One night, she laid herself down in a field of roses just outside her house. A single tear gently rolled down her cheek, and was caught by one of the soft rose petals surrounding her.

"Why are you crying?" Whispered a voice. Quickly, she righted herself and looked left and right in search for the source of the voice.

"Who's there?" She questioned loudly. "Show yourself!"

The voice replied back, softly saying, "Oh don't be frightened, child. I won't hurt you."

She heard the voice speaking from the hard ground beneath her. However, when she looked down, she only saw many roses. "Show yourself." She demanded. "I'm not afraid, just show yourself."

Then the voice replied, "You're looking right at me." She looked all around her, but again, the only thing she saw was the rose garden.

"Are you a... a ro... rose?" She asked, entirely disordered.

"Yes I am." The voice spoke softly. "And I'd like to know why you're crying."

"Oh I didn't know roses were able to speak!" She whispered, confused.

"Yes, we can," said the voice. "There're a lot of things you don't know. But I won't be able to help you unless you tell me why you're crying."

She placed herself back on the ground, then looked to her feet, took a deep breath, and said, "Well, every night an angel comes to my bedroom window and looks into my room. I'm not sure why. I try to run towards it to get a better look at it, but when I'm finally outside, it's gone. I'll never know who it is."

The girl began to cry again. The rose told her, "Don't cry, come and talk with me. Tell me what you'd like me to help you with. Tell me one wish, and I'll grant it for you." The girl looked at the rose and wiped her tears away.

"I could ask you for anything?" She questioned.

"Anything you wish, I can grant."

"But what would you want in return?" The girl asked.

"Oh, nothing." The rose spoke to her again. "A rose symbolizes love and compassion and I'm presenting my love and compassion for you, my dear." The rose expressed. "Now tell me what you wish for."

"Oh, thank you so much," cried the girl as she leaned down towards the rose. She whispered her request in a short and sweet song. "Rose petals, will you show me the way? Will you lead me to the angel that watches over me every night? Would you help me understand the reason it comes to me?"

As soon as she finished her short song, she got up and pulled herself towards her bedroom, feeling suddenly sleepy. As soon as her head hit the soft pillow, she closed her eyes and quickly fell into a deep sleep.

When she finally woke, she opened her eyes and immediately recalled the conversation with the rose. She turned towards her window to see the angel watching her again. She quickly got out of her bed and ran to the garden of roses, but the angel was gone.

She looked to the floor of the Earth, and saw a trail of soft rose petals making a path. She decided to test her luck and follow the petals.

She followed the path until she reached the very end. She shut her eyes tight; then felt the presence of someone pure and beautiful. She opened her eyes when she heard someone call, "Jade?".

She turned towards the source of the soft, soothing voice calling for her. There stood the most gorgeous creation she had ever laid eyes on. It was her brother, whom she loved very much.

He had come back after dying from a terrible illness. He had come back to protect his sister from harm. While she slept, he watched and protected her while she was unable to protect herself.