LOVED BY AN ANGEL

In The Blink Of A Eye

Naturally as human nature goes we take thing's for granted on a daily basis. I'm not just speaking of people, money, jobs, spouse's, I'm talking about the small, unnoticed things. From the sound of a crying baby, the feel of a kittens fur, sand beneath our feet as the ocean breeze cools us, to the pleasant aroma of waking to coffee. Sometimes it takes drastic measures to open one's eye's, to make us see how good we really had it. What I'm trying to say is you don't know what you had until it's gone. So take that as a warning and pay attention. Stop grumbling about what you don't have and appreciate what you do have. Focus more on the smaller things in life, for those are the moment's that will count. Love yourself but not to the point of conceit,  but most importantly.... Love life. It can be taken from you in the blink of an eye.

Trust me, I know what I'm talking about. It happened to me. I'm living proof, well not exactly living proof, but I am proof that our lives can be flipped upside down in a nano second.   My human name was Evan. Evan Carmichael's. I was the ripe old age of 25, note the sarcasm, when I left this earth. Not of my own doing by the way. Death wasn't how I imagined it would be though.  There was no pain,which amazes me considering the way I died. All went black for a few moment's then I was floating, floating away. I saw my lifeless body or my shell that held my soul laying there still as time. At the time I didn't realize I was no more, I assumed it was a bad, but vivid dream, praying I'd wake soon... but I never did. I continued to float away from my body until it wasn't visible, through the ceilings, into the sky up into the star's until I was looking down on Earth. Then I finally woke but not in my bed drowned in my expensive Egyptian cotton sheets. No, I was in a place unrecognizable, a place I had only read about but doubted existed. But enough about that, I wouldn't want to ruin anyone's  perception, but I will tell you this... It is wonderfully beautiful.

Now, where I left off... oh right, I had just woken up. I looked like me, sounded like me but I had one very crucial addition. Upon standing I noticed I felt heavier, almost weighted down. Assuming it was due to tight muscles I went to stretch and that's when I completely lost my mind. I heard them before I saw them, a thick fluttering sound followed by a echoing whoosh. Craneing my neck to glance behind me I came face to face with a prominent set of black wings. "What the.." was the first words I uttered which caused chuckles to erupt from around me. Spinning in circles trying to disclose where the laughter came from and fighting to control my balance with my newfound wings was a task.  Then several pairs of wings came into view. Some white, some silver, and some black just like mine. Attached to these wings were people just like me, men and women of varying ages. Their smiles beamed down upon me, amusement evident in their eye's. One male with spectacular white wings approached me as I tryed to back away but my wings made me a clumsy idiot. Falling on my rump the winged beings laughed, yet again at my expense. Giving off a sour look at the amusement they found in my confusion one lady crooned. "Oh, don't get upset love. In time you will master your wings just as we did. By the way I'm Belle".

Still dazed and confused I spoke. "I'm Evan".

"No, no, no" Belle shook her head sweetly. "Once here your given a new name love. You leave all remanets of your human life back on earth. You are now Gath. Simply Gath."

Running a irritated hand through my hair caused my wings to flutter. How the hell do I control these feathers? I thought to myself and giggles erupted again. "It will come in time my dear Gath".

Looking at Belle stunned I muttered. "But I didn't say that out loud. How did you...?"

I stopped speaking from just sheer shock. This was unbelievable. Belle gave a gentle smile. "I understand your confused Gath, but soon you will understand and it will all come together. Come now, let me introduce you to everyone and proceed with your training."

Within two months I was a wing master. I now controlled them instead of them controlling me. I also learned exactly what I was. I was a angel, but a dark angel, broken, my fate still to be determined. Like I said I was only 25 at the time of my death, I was at the top of my game, loving life, a winner in all things. I was born into a wealthy family and I never knew what a struggle was. I had it all, money, women, cars, clothes. I breezed through school while never cracking a book open. My devastating good looks always won my instructors over and how could they fail such a charmer. Once I graduated at the top of my class no less, I had a job waiting on me at my parents textile company where I was the immediate CEO. My employees were beneath me, being the usual rift raft that slaved away to make my products while not even earning enough to make ends meet. But I had more important things to contend with like was this new chic I was taking out tonight going to let me screw her brains out, or had my high tech surround sound system been delivered yet. There was one way and one way only I dealt with these employees, if they came to me for a raise, ideas, or needing more standard safety equipment I simply let them go. That's right, booted them out on their ass. I had no time to deal with their wants or needs so therefore I saw them as a problem and used the quickest solution to remedy that problem. No matter how much they begged, what tired excuse they used I sent them away straight to the unemployment line. Yes, it sounds bad but I've always looked down my nose on the poor, the uneducated. My attitude was the world owed people like me everything.

I know, I know, your wondering how in the hell did someone like me become an angel, right? Now here's where the All Mighty's sense of humor comes in. Those with Silver wings are retired from the guardian business but oversee us the rest of us. They are our teachers. The white wings are the guardians, and the black wings, which is myself, well we are the test, caught in limbo. My soul wasn't good enough to pass on through, yet wasn't bad enough to be sent downtown. Basically I'm in waiting to receive my mission, a task I must complete to gain my entrance through the pearly gates. However, my task won't be a easy one. I will be made to face my past mistakes and guard a human that I would have once considered a low life alley rat. That's right, see how that works.

Finally after almost two years of hanging out in limbo I received my human to guard and was none to happy. Looking through her file's I seen a headache coming. Aspen Staley was her name. A 23 year old woman child. Opharned as a teen she dropped out of school to roam the streets. Her life now consisted of living in a ruddy apartment in the worse part of San Francisco, working as a tattoo artist in some grimy palor. Her free time was spent sleeping her life away and if she wasn't sleeping she was partying it up, drinking, drugs, and sleeping around. Clearly a version of my human self but only poor. She wasn't hard on the eye's either even though her hair color seemed to change a lot and her make-up was a bit dramatic. Clearly she is what you call one of those grunge girls, gothic I believe. Judging from her choice of clothing you couldn't determine if she was going to war or apart of a medevil play. But that's the least of my worries, Aspen seems to live a dangerous life with all the drinking and dabbling in drugs. She lacks self care and will be the first to throw a punch. Now it's my duty to save her soul, cater to her wellbeing, and lead her in the right direction, without showing my presence. Yes, seems unbeatable but Aspen will learn no matter what. She won't be the reason I'm stuck in limbo forever, she's my one and only ticket to uptown and I won't allow her to blow it. Reciting the three rules that we mustn't ever break,

1. Never expose yourself

2. Never cause harm to our human

3. Do what's necessary to protect them

Now I must prepare for my earthly descent and wrestle Aspen's demons.