Fallen

Shadows

An electric sign in the central bus station flickered on and off, announcing further delays on all routes. The people in the waiting area expelled grunts and exhales of frustration. Gabriel made a disgusted noise from the inside of his mouth; he had been waiting for an hour already. He walked past the waiting late-night commuters, pushing open the door and stepping outside. The cold night breeze cut through his trench coat and stirred up the dried brown leaves around his leather shoes. The scent of second-hand smoke greeted him, emanating from a group of people huddled beneath a bus shelter. Gabriel walked over to them.

'Give me one of those,' he said, gesturing to a cigarette.

A few young faces with piercings stared up at him, appearing unimpressed.

'I said, give me one of those,' Gabriel repeated.

'Piss-off,' a teenager said, looking up from his phone.

From beneath Gabriel's trench coat, his shoulders slowly widen. The streetlight's glow highlighted the material as it stretched taut across his back, his hazel eyes becoming void of emotion. His irises turned black and leaked into the whites of his eyes like ink. The teenagers' mouths fell open, as if screams were caught on their tongues. One of them tentatively held out their cigarette packet. Gabriel snatched it, along with the lighter then walked away.

*

Outside the waiting area Gabriel lifted the cigarette to his lips, trying not to smirk. The lighter flickered then flared to life. He indulged in a moment of quiet, taking a drag and exhaling the cigarette smoke, which curled into the cold night air. Gabriel watched a man in a yellow jacket across the street who shouted out something which Gabriel could not distinguish. A rattling noise disturbed his curiosity. He turned to see an old man leaning into a rubbish bin, retrieving a few empty plastic bottles.

'What did that man yell?' Gabriel asked the old man.

The old man looked at Gabriel, his greying hair visible through the holes in his beanie.

'That man shouts out his god damn wish every time he walks past that hole in the wall, he thinks it's magic,' the old man said.

'Funny,' Gabriel said.

'Nah, hopeful,' the old man replied.

'What does he wish for?' Gabriel asked.

'An angel friend,' the old man said. 'I bet he doesn't know that the only angels he will find down er' are the fallen ones.'

Gabriel smirked; it lingered a moment too long. He knew of Fallen angels.

*

The brisk night breeze stirred up the dried leaves and discarded cigarette butts on the road. The rhythmic thud, thud, thud of Gabriel's shoe's echoed steadily on the bitumen. The yellow jacket was almost too easy to follow amid the dull graffiti-covered brick apartments. The man turned down a footpath shroud in hedges that cut into a street, the golden numbers on each door caught his eyes, glimmering three of his favourite numbers: 60, 62, 64. The man paused to pet an alley cat, gently stroking its glossy grey fur. Gabriel remained out of sight in the shadows of the footpath, watching the man in the yellow jacket from behind. Gabriel glanced up and down the narrow street, nobody was in sight, so he unbuttoned his trench coat and slipped it from his shoulders. Vast wings unfurled from his shoulder blades like a white rose in bloom. The large luminesce feathers arranged themselves with precision overlapping each-other with an effortless grace. Gabriel smoothed some unruly feathers down, as if he were combing his hand through his hair. He took a deep breath, it was risky, but he preferred this to the long bus trip, only to couch surf.

*

Gabriel stepped out from the shadows, just as the man stood up, dusting the cat hair from his jeans. Gabreil stopped, all the man had to do was turn around and the illusion would be ruined. Gabriel bolted into action, flapping his wings at full force. The air around him was pushed in a gust towards the man, who turned, almost breathlessly staring upon Gabriel's white beating wings, the feathers brushing together as silent as silk sheets. Gabriel crouched ever so slightly before standing tall and brining his wings to a halt. He hoped it would appear as if he has descended from above.

'I'm here about your wish,' Gabriel said, 'I've been sent to you. My name is Gabriel, and yours?'

'My name is Udi,' the man said. His eyes drew upward looking above Gabriel's head. Gabriel flapped his wings to distract the man. He hadn't had a halo for many centuries now.

'It's a pleasure to meet you, Udi.' Gabriel said.

'The pleasure is mine,' Udi replied. 'Did you say you were sent to me?' his expression of admiration changing to hope.

'I sure did,' Gabreil said, pulling out a cigarette from trouser pocket and taking a long drag.

'Do angels have cigarettes in heaven,' Udi asked.

Gabriel froze.

'Only a select few,' Gabriel said. 'But don't worry about that, it's my job to look out for you...'

'Like a guardian angel,' Udi said.

'Sure,' Gabriel said, 'but I have nowhere to stay here on Earth, would you lend me a bit of money?'

'I guess,' Udi said, 'but you can stay with me, as long as you like.'

'Great idea,' Gabriel said.

'Yes,' Udi said.

'But I will still need that money,' Gabreil said.

Udi rummaged in his pocket, retrieving a $20 note.

'That's all I have,' Udi said.

'No problem, you can pay me more later,' Gabreil said, slapping Udi on the back, 'You and I are going to be a great team.'

Udi nodded.

'Shall we?' Gabreil said.

'Yes, my place is this one, number 66. I have a spare bedroom too,' Udi said grabbing his keys from his pockets and unlocking the door.

Gabreil followed Udi into the apartment, tucking the money into his pocket, no more couch surfing for him.