Stuck With You

Part 2

Chapter 2

She watched as he stared at her in shock.  Letting a small smile cross her face, she wondered how old this one was.  Sure, his body looked as if he was in his thirties, but how old was the soul that occupied it.  She herself, looked in her mid-twenties, but she had been in this body, this exact age, for about a thousand years.  Time was flighty when you lived as long as she had.  She kept up with the lingo of this time, the way they dressed, the occupations they held.  It was the only way to survive the human world, blending in. 

“You’re an angel?” he asked in what came off as awe. 

Her head tilted to the side.  “No, I am a giant bird with a human body.”

“That’s nice,” he told her with narrowed eyes.  “What is an angel doing here?”

“What is a Jinni doing here?”

“It is where my object is.”

She looked around the dark cave.  Water ran in the corner, water that she knew was fresh.  Darkness shadowed any occupants it may have, but she had scouted the place before she settled.  There were no others.  It was the perfect place to hide, which was why she was here in the first place.  Should she tell the man why she hid in this cave?  Or should she keep with the unnecessary questions?  The answer was simple.

“The jar? How was I to know that your object was a jar?  Most Jinn have lamps or fancy bottles, not a dirty jar that may hold food.”

He took another step forward, highlighting his black hair in the light streaming through the mouth of the cave.  “You were looking for food?”

She nodded.  “It seemed like a good place to start off.  If there was nothing in there, I would have traveled out to find something more efficient.”

“Like a rabbit?  You would kill an animal?  I thought killing was against your rules, no matter how minor the life.”

Her eyes narrowed at him, and she let out an indignant huff.  “Of course I wouldn’t kill a rabbit.  I’m not barbaric.”

“Yeah, because killing for food is barbaric,” he mumbled at her while rolling his eyes.

A smile crossed her face despite herself.  He really was quite cute.  “Where are we exactly?”

“You don’t know where you are?”

“I got lost on the way.  When you get pushed, it’s hard to remember where exactly you fell.”

“You’re a fallen angel?” he asked with awe once more.

What was wrong with him?  Did he honestly think she would give up her place in heaven for anything?  Did he honestly believe that she would let herself become one of the fallen?  “No, I am Celeste.”

“Aidirian,” he replied.  “My name is Aidirian.”

“That’s nice.  Now, will you please answer my question?  Where are we?”

“In Arizona,” he answered with a smile.

She looked around at the jagged rocks.  “I thought that there was only desert in Arizona.”

“You have not been to America in quite some time have you?  We’re in the Grand Canyon.”

“How do we get out?” she asked with her nose curled in disgust.  She would not be able to stay in this cave for long.  Her life was not meant for the underground.

“No one knows where we are. No one has even ventured this far.  I think that we are safe, for the time being.  Can you tell me what is after you?”

“Me?” she asked with a smile.  “The normal things.”

“Normal?”

“Angels are after me, humans who know about angels are after me.  Many things will attempt to follow me.  That is not important.  What is important is that I need to fulfill my mission before I can return home.  Seeing as you will not simply let me release you, you will have to come along.”

“I am not coming with you,” he mumbled with narrow eyes.

She let out a sigh, not knowing what to do. It would make her journey easier if he would go along with her.  Twirling the jar in her hands, she glanced at the rock walls.  “If I busted your jar?”

“You know what would happen.  I would be truly free until they hunted me down and bound me to another.  It is a waste of time.”

“It would keep you away from me.”

“I would follow you.”

The words seemed to shock them both.  Why would he follow her if he were free?  Opening her mouth, she voiced her question.  “Why would you follow me?”

He shrugged.  “This was the first time I had been caught off guard in ages.  I think it would be interesting to see how everything turns out.  I want to know what kind of mischief you will get yourself into this time.”

“Hmm, well then, it looks like you will be following me.”

He smiled at her.  “I guess I will.”

She smiled back at him, but the smile quickly slipped off her face as the walls around them began to rumble.  She shot a glare in his direction.  “I thought you said no one had ever found this place.”

“They haven’t,” he replied while steadying his hand on a nearby wall. 

“Well, it looks like they have.”

The rumbling worsened, sending her crashing into him.  He grunted as they made impact.  As soon as it started, it was over.  Her body was on top of his, making it impossible for her to see the force behind her.  His eyes widened.  “Another creature I never thought I would see.”

“How deadly?” she asked with a groan.

His eyes connected with hers.  “Very.”