Angel’s series book 1: Celestial
Celeste
I absentmindedly fingered my feathers hoping some movement would make me fall asleep, keep me strong. I needed my full strength now.
My family was gone, the demoniacs killed them already.
I was completely alone in an empty house. I had initially tried to convince my human aunt to let me be alone but no, it was too dangerous. Of course she’d think that. She was part of the light guardians a group of humans who knew about the existence of angels, they knew the truth. That these creatures for lack of a better word – angels were in fact now extremely demonic. We (as in the good angels) call-called- them reaper angels, R.A for short, and the good angels Saviors of life (S.A). But now it’s just the light guardian humans and I. All the Saviors are dead, except me, little old me. So they’ll send me to their school tomorrow. They could keep me safe with a group of extra gifted humans. I think there were five of them, Bridget, Anthony, Marcus, Aden, and Callum.
Sighing loudly I flung my pillow away from the bed creating an arch it landed in a thump next to the wall after it lightly bounced off.
“Aghh” I moaned I sat up and swung my legs over the side of the bed, and slipped onto my feet. I shuffled to the other side of the room where the pillow was and picked it up I then turned around and threw the pillow back on my bed and flopped under the thin covers. I let my wings slink back into my back so I could turn on my back. I yet again tried to distract myself, this time with the white fan spinning over head. The fan had on it the center light fixture four bulbs hung almost haphazardly from where the fan’s motor hung from the ceiling; each bulb was sandwiched between the ends of the fan blades.
Great now I had resorted to describing fans, this really made me feel better. I tried to count sheep, no. Alright then let’s try French
Un, duos, trios, quatre, cinq, six, huit, neuf, dix…
Hana, dul, ses, nes, daseos, yeoseos, ilgob, yeodeolb, ahob, yeol... now I was counting in Korean. God, I wasn’t going to get to sleep soon was I? I sat up again and ran my fingers through my long gold hair. Maybe if I wash my face with water I’ll feel better. I trek to the bathroom and peer at myself in the mirror, green mossy eyes stare back at me small specks of blue dot the irises. The eyes-my eyes are framed by my pale skin so pale that they could see every time I blush.
I needed my rest; maybe I could cast an enchantment on myself.
Many people have mistaken witched for angels and vice versa, the key point. Witches don’t even have wings.
I arched forwards closing my eyes, when I opened them my wings were out I worked my muscles to let them expand. I think my wingspan is 15 feet. The girl in the mirror looked haunted as I felt. I sighed and glanced at my clock, amazing superhuman sight and hearing came with the freakish package that is being an angel, as is strength, and as I mentioned before the magic. I climbed into bed and folded my hands over my arms.
“Somnum” it didn’t hurt to know Latin, since all the enchantments were in Latin. My eyelids grew heavy and I let loose a yawn.
I woke up the next day feeling refreshed and powerful. I leapt out of bed and got ready for the day pulling on clothes and braiding my hair for the flight, no, not a plane flight, a real flight. I ate breakfast making sure to eat foods with lots of energizing molecules. I smile to myself, oh, the strange satisfaction and distraction…My smile drops with my heart. I can see the memory I so desperately tried to lock away flashing. I drop to my knees.
Five months ago
I sit at our dining room table, chewing on a cucumber slice that I snatched from the salad mom’s making when she isn’t looking. I take silent pride in sneaking bits of the salad without her noticing
Ha!
“Sweetie, I have eyes in the back of my head” she sings and something blinks at me
Damn, “you have to teach me that” I laugh, snatching a crouton from the bowl. Mom turns and smacks my hand with a salad spoon.
“Aghh” I jump a bit in my seat when Luke and Anna’s screams of delight echo through the house, Luke rushes in with little two year old Anna on his heels at five Luke can fly well. He exhibits this now when he launches himself into the air followed by Anna.
“No flying in the house!” Mom yells after them “George!” George comes in after them already flying, (George is my twin) he laughs and settles on the ground folding and retracting his wings.
“Hey Les” he smiles sitting by me
“Hi” I laugh again when Anna and Luke come in again going for round two.
“Hubert!” Hubert-my dad-is flying too
“How come he can fly in the house?” George asks
“Because…” but mom is cut off by a sound that will haunt me forever the horrified screams of Anna and Luke. We all run to see that our house has been intruded. Anna and Luke lay in a heap by the door. No heartbeats, the fast thumping flutter is silent. Mom collapses on the floor. The kids are riddled with glass bullets the one thing that can kill us. Shots go off, and Dad and mom fall to the floor. George sweeps me in his arms and jumps in the air, his wings expand with a whoosh. He flies to my room and places me down.
“Look Celeste, you’re more powerful than me, you’re more important. You need to hide!”
“No, hide with me!” I plead through the onslaught of sobs
“I love you Celeste” and he shoves me up all the way in the attic. The last thing I see is the men and the demoniacs flying and grabbing him.
I gasp, crumbling to the floor; I get the vision of the memory sometimes, in spastic moments. I sighed and pushed myself off the floor using my arms like a push up.
“Les!” the answering machine picks up my aunt’s voice “you better be gone already…” I jam the ignore button and sling my back pack (which I enchanted to fit my clothes, some of my books, and a few special keepsakes) over my shoulder. I stepped out of the house passing the staircase and the corridor. I locked the door behind me, and slid the key under the mat. I let my hand linger on the stone pillar that held up the canopy over head
“Goodbye” with that I leapt into the air my wings already unfurled (my backpack was designed for my wings) and I began to fly
About five and half hours later my wing muscles had began to scream in protest, so I sat in a tree for ten minutes careful to choose a heavily wooded and unpopulated area. After ten minutes I took off again this time going for seven hours without stopping. The school was on an island so I had to rest up and sleep for a few hours in a small field. I used a cloaking spell to hide myself and I slept for five hours. When I awoke refreshed, I pulled food from my enchanted bag and ate then I drank water. I rested another hour and took off again for the four and half hour flight to the school,(It was nice- sleeping on a beach) The water, it-it reminds me of mom, and Anna and Luke they loved it here, they would have loved this beach, we would sleep here, Anna mom and I in one tent and Dad, George, and Luke in another. Then in the middle of the night, I’d wake up to Anna curled up next to me and Luke nestled into my other side.
But that won’t happen ever again. I desperately wished I could stop having these memories, but…
I shake my head and start thinking distracting thoughts to clear my head, I had been using the tactic for the last few months it was the only way I could keep from collapsing again
And again
And again
And again
And again
And again
Over and over I had found myself sobbing silently in my dreams in bed, in the shower. Everywhere, no, no, no! I have to stop thinking of that.
I sigh, and look down to see the glistening crystal like spots the sun makes on the ocean how it’s blue green water dance in the wind. I can’t even count the times that I sobbed and screamed.
Then I heard it,
Wing flapping, heavy whooshing of air, I looked back, regret filled my veins moments later.
Three of them, wings dark as the ash they arose from, speeding like bullets towards me, I shoved upwards, curving away. I rose above them rising into the lighter clouds and zipping forward trying to lose them.
“Got you!” steel arms wrapped around me I thrashed at the one holding me he was pale and dark eyed. The coal in the earth was brighter than those eyes. My thrashing loosened his grip whispering a hindering enchantment I shoved my hand into his chest he screamed turning to ash. I dropped from the sky, my wings caught the air lifting me again towards the other two a man and woman I sped at the female first shoving my fist into her nose and hooking my fingers around her head letting the spell work its magic. She exploded into dust and disappeared. They hadn’t actually died I had just sent them back to the everworld where they belonged.
The last was gone, or so I thought, suddenly something forced me down hard making my wing retract, when I looked up he leered at me, still gripping my shirt.
“I’ll see you soon, Blondie” and he disappeared dropping me. I screamed and fell fast like a rock I crashed into a bush.
“Oh my god!” a face cut through my sight and peered down at me. As I sat up he became clear. He had dark skin and he had a buzz cut. His dark eyes filled with concern
“Are you okay?” he murmured
“Define okay” I said. “Who are you?”
“Marcus”
“Marcus” I repeated where had I heard that? Oh, right “As in the light guardians?” his eyes widened and he smiled suddenly
“Yes, wait…you’re Celeste” he helped me to stand
“Yeah”
“Let’s get you to the dorm; Bridget will heal your wounds”
A few minutes later we had arrived in a dorm house, and were greeted by three other teens two boys Anthony and Aden, and a girl Bridget, who had jet black hair and sparking blue eyes against a pale face. Anthony who I figured out was the towhead smiled at me with warm brown eyes. As well as his friend the one with red hair and blue eyes,
“Tell us what happened” Marcus said sitting on a coach in a small sitting room I sat next to him with Bridget.
“Here I’ll heal you” Bridget’s hands were warm and soft and my pain faded away as I told them about the demoniacs and my near death.