Blink {Featured}

Chapter Nineteen

SEMILA LEANG

It wasn't long before they were back in Samantha's car, heading for the Finnie house. But not until after smell of the car had Samantha running back to her flat, where she grabbed some air freshener. Now the car smelled of puke and potpourri, not the best mix, so Semila decided to open the window again, just for Samantha's sake of course.

The Angel was delighted just watching people on the streets. She loved how the mortals crammed in everything they could in their short lives. As they moved through the inner city though, her mood changed. People here were desperate, she could feel it. Samantha put the handbrake on, the clicks it made caused Semila to jump. She turned to Samantha.

'Where are we?' she said.

'Just a quick pit stop Sem, I have to tell the foundation why I wasn't there last night.'

Semila got out of the car and looked around. 'What is this place?' she asked Samantha.

'It's a shelter for the homeless, I work here three nights a week,' she replied.

'Wow,' said Sem, 'You are like a guardian angel too.' She winked at Samantha. 'I knew we had something in common.'

She followed the mortal girl in through the doors. 'Just wait here in the foyer Sem, I will only be a minute,' said Samantha.

Semila sat down, opposite two children, a boy and a girl. She smiled.

'What's your story?' asked the older scruffy looking boy. 'You don't look homeless.'

A sad expression crossed Sem's face. 'Oh, but I am, and have been for thousands of years. It's not nice being homeless. 'She shook the sadness away. 'Anyway, what's your story big man?' she asked the boy.

'They wanted to put us in a home; our Mam got the cancer and died. Now we are by ourselves. So we ran away. We didn't want a new home without our mam, and dad split when we was younger.' He grabbed the smaller girls' hand. 'We can make it on our own.'

Semila moved over to the girl and put her arm around her. 'I'm sure you can. But sometimes a little guidance is all you need to set you on your path, here take my hand.'

The boy shook his head and crossed his arms. 'We don't need another grown up, we don't need anybody.' The boy looked up and got lost in those eyes. He unfolded his arms, took her hand and the world seemed to stop. Both children looked up at Semila as she started talking, lost in the wonderful voice coming from this strange woman. They sat bathed in a warm glow, until she stopped speaking and the glow lessened.

Semila looked down at the two children beside her. 'You are not unguarded anymore little ones. I have ensured a good friend of mine will stand guard over you. You will never be alone again.' Semila stood up and sat opposite them once more. Both children sat, slack jawed, staring at Sem.

At that moment, Samantha walked into the foyer. 'Right then,' she said, 'That's sorted, let's go.' She then noticed the two children staring. She looked at Semila who just shrugged. Samantha bent down to get eye level with the boy. 'Someone will be with you soon, okay? Just wait here,' she said giving him a warm smile.

The boy nodded, not even looking at Samantha. He lifted his arm and pointed. 'She's an angel.'

Sam stood up and ruffled his hair. She turned and looked at Semila who was still sat smiling. 'Believe me,' she said, 'She's no angel.' And walked out of the shelter.

Semila followed on, looked back at the children, and winked. A car screeched to a halt a man jumped out of the car, without even shutting the door. He came running up the steps to the shelter, almost knocking into Sem. 'Beg Pardon,' he said as he hurried past.