The Very Peculiar Odd Timings of Oridon

Sweet Anthony

That was my Anthony. For hours on end I'd pace the room, waiting for him to do absolutely anything. There's nothing to protect when children's parents just do it for them. That's the first mistake of humanity, and the last, considering how dependent they become in their older state. I can't blame the humans for it, but I can see the definite embarrassment in it. I think they see it too after a certain age.

Dependence is an awful thing. I was so blind to realize it would become one of my own sins. I'm not entirely sure why we're sent here to guard humans with blind folds over our eyes. I was too blind to realize how hopelessly in love with Anthony I am. In my eyes it's the worst kind of dependence. Romance is not that bad of a thing amongst humans. It's a beautiful thing. It's a beautiful thing that belongs to them, and not for angels like me. I took the bait though. Perhaps a little late, but I still took it.

He grew up wonderful. I watched him become wonderful. He was a sweet child. He liked playing in the garden and swimming in cool streams. He treated his mother well and had a strong mind like his father, who ran a cotton mill in town. Business owners like that always made lots of money.

Anthony's mother was well cared for, yet humble. She raised her son to be respectable and well mannered. I suppose if he had to be anything he should be kind to women. It was untypical of the time period, but he was also untypical. He was very untypical. I realized this a cold winter's day when he was about sixteen.

I was following him around as usual. I never had much else to do. Why would I want to do anything else? The human world was too big, and too overwhelming. Anthony's small world was enough for me. He was sitting around the breakfast table. From what I remember of it he was talking about simple things from school. He was talking all about the work and the rude teachers. Their work was excessive and the teachers were rude, so I didn't put an end to his complaining. Those complaints were completely normal. The rest of his meal was completely normal.

After breakfast he got ready for school and left the house. The wind nipped against his nose. Why ever people thought having children walk to school in those conditions still bewilders me. I mumbled to Anthony, "You should put on your scarf so you don't get a cold."

He brought his scarf up over his nose and I was satisfied for the time being. I'm surprised at myself for that. Anthony could never be safe enough. Perhaps I was a little too protective of him, but perhaps I wasn't protective enough.

During the school day I usually let Anthony handle himself. He was well mannered enough not to cause trouble. He got into school that day just fine, and I left him because he seemed fine. Meanwhile I mingled with other angels.

"Well if it isn't our Oridon!" Ariel cheered. Ariel is rather interesting, and perhaps the only angel who ever actually cared about me. The others didn't have emotions, so they didn't care. I didn't care much either. I was just any other angel. Nobody taught us how to care about each other, just our simple humans, and that's all. Ariel was different though. They've been around since the beginning of time, and nurtured the life in the garden.

Things happened in that garden. I'm sure you know that. Well Ariel being... Ariel... Took note of what was happening and came to discover emotion and rationality. The leash around their neck became a little bit looser with every step, until they got some kind of free will, yet remained loyal -or at least I thought they were loyal. Everyone knew about their freedom, but nobody had enough reason to care.

I didn't for the first bit of our knowing each other, because I was like every other angel. I took my place with the other angels. I was just another angel. It would be my last day of being just another angel, and the safety of Anthony's little world would seem like a demon reaching for Heaven.