Guardians

I’m soon going to post the review of a novelette by D.L. Finn, which has angels in it! I love angels. Here is a very short story I wrote about my angel not long ago.

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The view from the roof’s ridge line is spectacular, he thought. I do love the colors of autumn in this part of the country. He settled back on his cloud cushion with a sigh.

“Beautiful, yes?” said his companion, Dara. She ruffled her wings and spread them out to the setting sun.

“I never get tired of it.” He’d been enthralled with the seasons for more years than he could count. He also stretched out his wings, and they turned to gold.

“How did you get this assignment?” she asked.

“HE gave me a vacation after the last one – it had lasted only twenty-nine years, and during the last four, my assignment had cancer. It was hard to watch him losing the fight. I made sure that his family was there to welcome him at the end of his last journey. It was a joyous reunion, but mentally I was drained.”

“And this one?” She folded her feathers back into place.

“Well, she’s a tough old bird. I expect I’ll be around a while more. I’ve now met the guardians of her children and now her grandchildren. A good lot. You remember I had some heated discussions with her son’s, though – the son was a tough nut, and it was Michael’s first assignment. He seemed ill-equipped to handle the son’s problems. He took my advice, though, and thanks to our combined efforts, the family worked through it. I think the son’s doing fine now. Have you met his daughter’s guardian?”

“Not yet. Maybe on their visit this summer.”

He settled his wings and leaned back again on his cloud. “It’s been nice having you around, all these years,” he said with a smile and a sideways glance at his companion. “I imagine we’ll be getting reassignments around the same time – how old is he?”

“Seventy-nine,” Dara replied, “but still going. Does the Mrs. know you’re here?”

“It’s funny,” he chuckled. “I think she’s always known – the church convinces them of our existence when they’re very young, but only lately have I figured in her prayers. It’s so nice to be thanked each night for being here for her. I try to make sure her sleep is restful.”

“I hear dishes clattering in the kitchen, and the sun’s left us. Time to go down.”  Her diaphanous form slid slowly through the roof and into the house.

Ezrael sighed. Sunsets never lasted, but there would be another one tomorrow. Maybe. He thought he sensed rain.