You Have Wings?

Chapter 5

When Corey sat down for dinner that evening, he wondered if Panuleon was in the house. He had an odd feeling that he was not close by which confused him. Why should Corey trust that? He has never felt anything like it before. A gut feeling couldn't be anything logical.

"Are you alright son? You seem a bit distant today," Samantha admitted while dishing the hot food onto plates.

"I'm fine," he smiled, not realise they had noticed anything. He is usually a little distant, but today he has been locked away in his mind, obsessing over the angel. Thinking about him was the only thing he could do, and it was very unusual.

"Good," she beamed before sitting down at the table with her husband by her side. After watching him for a further second, she decided not to press on his unusual behaviour. If their son wanted to tell them what was bothering him, he would.

"He helped out a lot in the garden today," Richard said, wanting to pick up his spirits. Even if there was nothing seriously wrong, he didn't like the lack of happiness in his expression.

Corey wasn't used to the attention, but they think something is bothering him. It's hard to hide anything, being an only child.

The rest of dinner was spent talking about his dad's new plants and his mum's new prescription sunglasses. Corey loves his parents, but they can be unbelievably dull sometimes. Finding things that they have in common is hard.

"Can I go up to my room now?" he asked while his dad cleared the plates from the table.

"Alright, but you have to do the dishes later." 

Corey darted out of the room before they could give him another task to do. He ran upstairs and headed straight into his bedroom, but as soon as he shut the door, something landed right in front of him. Corey got such a fright, he fell back against the door and shook it on its hinges.

"Sorry, I misjudged the size of your room." The angel casually put his wings away and took a step back.

"You scared me," the human breathed and held a hand up to his heart, calming himself.

Panuleon turned and wandered around his room, looking at everything that sparked an interest. He liked the gentle atmosphere in the house; it was quiet and untroubled.

"Why do you need a place to hide?" Corey asked, feeling privileged that the angel wanted to be in his house.

"I can't tell you." Panuleon picked up a Rubik's Cube. "What is this?"

Corey walked over and took it out of his hand.

"Why can't you tell me?" he continued, ignoring his other question.

"It is not your problem to worry about," Panuleon spoke serenely and glanced the human up and down. He really was small.

"But-"

"Corey, this is a dangerous matter, and it will be safer if you are not involved." He wasn't harsh, but it was stern enough to make Corey stop asking questions. The angel sighed, knowing he shouldn't have spoken that way. "I apologise for my tone. It is just an unusual situation."

"It's okay, I understand," the human mumbled and twisted the Rubik's cube around in his hand. "Why are you on earth? Aren't you supposed to be in like, heaven?" As he put the toy back on the shelf, Panuleon nodded and walked over to sit on the edge of his bed.

"I am what you would call, a dishonoured angel," He admitted, studying Corey as he sat down too, resting his back against the headboard in the process.

"Did you rebel or something?" He asked, seeing the sadness in Panuleon's eyes.

"No, I questioned my beliefs."

The human frowned. He is not a religious person but he never thought that now he knows angels exist, God might exist. People can have faith in whatever they like; nobody has the right to judge each other and force beliefs onto someone else. Valuing religion is respectful. He would rather have an open mind, giving people the freedom to be themselves around him.

"Why did you question it?"

"Well, in all my years of living, I have never heard our creator answer my prayers, I've never seen him. There are certain senior Angels in heaven who supposedly have the echo of God in their ears," Panuleon said. "The reason I questioned him was that I saw the chaos, the wars, and the heartbreak that happens on earth. My faith is tainted, now that I've corrupted my mind."

Corey has never thought about it like that. In all honesty, he doesn't really think about religion at all.

"So I was cast out of heaven when they knew my thoughts," continued the angel. "I haven't tried to go back, and I'm not sure I want to."

Corey could see the pain in his eyes. Being left on the earth must have hurt. It's no place for someone as pure as an angel. Panuleon stood up and walked over to the window. Corey didn't know what to say. How does he help to comfort an angel? But then, unexpectedly, there was a knock on his door, making them both turn quickly. Panuleon was just able to keep his wings away.

"Quick, get in the cupboard!" Corey hissed as he ran across the room, flinging the door open with desperation.

"The cupboard?" Panuleon questioned, seeing that he had no other choice. He also promised the human that he would not let his parents find out a stranger was hiding in their home. After climbing into the cramped space, the bedroom door opened.

"Corey, you need to do the dishes," Samantha said and flashed him an odd expression. "Are you alright?" He was a little flustered.

"I'm fine, I'll be down in a minute," her son smiled without moving away from the Cabinet.

"Okay."

She glanced around his room before shutting the door behind her. As soon as Panuleon heard it close, he climbed out of the confined space.

"I'm not fond of small areas," he confessed and brushed down his t-shirt.

"Sorry, I panicked." Corey walked over to the curtains to shut them, now that he realised it was getting dark outside, he didn't like exposing his bedroom to passers-by. "Next time someone comes in, hide in there." Pointing to the bathroom, he knew his parents never enter, he always keeps it spotless.

"Corey!" his dad shouted from the kitchen.

"Please, make sure they don't see you," Corey mumbled and dashed to the door.

"They won't," Panuleon reassured him, watched him leave. After shutting the cupboard door, he sat on Corey's bed again.

It is bizarre for him to be in a human's home, let alone hiding in it. He never thought it would come to this but the world outside can be dangerous, and at the moment, things are going on that even he doesn't fully understand. Yes, the demons said it is hard to track an angel, but it's not impossible.

Running his hand along the smooth fabric of Corey's duvet, he understood that the longer he hides here, the less danger he will face.