Tainted Angel

Chapter 9

Chapter 9

The first thing I saw was a small light. Then a tree soon came into focus as well. The branches twined and loomed over the ground, creating what should have been a shadowy area, had it not been for the unnatural light pulsing from everything around the strange tree.

I cautiously walked closer to the tree, feeling the pulses of light burst and glow brighter with each step that I placed upon the ground. The closer I got to the trunk of the tree, the more power seemed to radiate from everything around it. Slowly I stroked my hand against its slimy bark; it resembled something more like that of a fish than that of a tree.

“I see you’ve found the tree of flesh,” a voice spoke, bringing me from my observation. I spun around, steading myself on one of the trees many limbs. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” a tall woman smiled, gesturing towards where my hand laid on the limb, “The tree would want nothing more than to eat you whole.” I took away my hand at that and glanced warily over to where I’d had it.

It had left a sizable indent that now pulsed and glowed like the ground had, before returning to its original appearance. Completely freaked out, I jumped as far away from the freak tree as humanly possible, which just happened to mean that, I landed right next to the strange woman.

“Who are you and where am I?” I questioned the woman with extreme wariness, barely allowing my eyes to examine who I’d questioned.

She was tall with a sort of wiry frame. Her skin glowed a light pink, clashing with her sky blue gown that reached to just above her bare feet. Her blue green eyes stared intently into the distant as if contemplating. Finally she turned her gaze back to me and smiled. “Awe child you’re still there,” the corner of her lips twitched as if she was stiffing a giggle, “Ah yes as for your question. I am a woman of many names but for now you may call me by my current existence. Call me Angel. As for your second question you are in the outer-lands. This, my dear is no place for the living I’m afraid, only the dead who wish to cross on to the spirit realms.” She looked closely at me then, examining everything from the way I held myself to the look of fear in my eyes that I quickly masked.

When the words did finally seem to form they came out choppy and no matter how hard I tried I couldn’t mask the fear as I asked, “Does, this, mean, I’m, dead?” the last word came out hoarse and quite unrecognizable to even myself.

“No, no dear,” she grinned sending a shock wave of warmth throughout my entire body, instantly replacing the to the bone fear that had lingered there. I gave her a happy yet confused look. “Let me explain,” Angel started to walk and signaled for me to follow, “You see angels have always been keepers of the dead and living. When you’re alive we watch over you, keeping your soul safe from the darkness. Though some humans allow the darkness to consume their souls, we can generally see it fast enough to step in if necessary, as for when you die we guide your soul to the outer-lands where you must make a choice, to cross over to the light realm or let your soul be consumed by darkness that will taint it here in the outer-lands. Oh and to answer your question child, you are teetering on the edge of life and death, connected by a single tether,” she motioned to a silver thread, that I hadn’t noticed, tied to my wrist, “You are still alive I assure you, but just barely.”

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   Her heels were the only sound made in the seemingly endless hallway. The sound of them hitting the cold tile only served to intensify the anticipation that was steadily building at the pit of her stomach. He’s being charged with attempted murder, Aurora thought. That damn fool hasn’t changed.