Seraph

Texas 1935

Serafina enjoyed seeing the changes in her town over the years. She enjoyed bringing talented individuals in to help speed up its modernization. It had grown to a decent size. She even allowed them to upgrade her home in the past several years. It was no longer that sizable single-roomed building. It was now a rather sizable two-storied mansion. She felt she earned it, and the townspeople insisted. She loved it. It was a two-story white Greek revival architectural style home with columns and giant windows with black shutters. Although the people believed she would never need them, they still made it to usual living standards with restrooms and a kitchen. Most of her time was spent at her home, but she would occasionally be seen around town. In the day, dressed in black, covered from head to toe. But at night, in a simple white dress revealing her arms and legs, but still with a hat and veil. Just in white. Everyone knew it was for her eyes. They didn't question it anymore.

Late one morning, she left her home and made it into town. Sitting in her gazebo, she watched the hustle and bustle of the town while relaxing. Some children made their way over from the orphanage to play near her. All understood the children would be safe if she were sitting outside. The children always ensured to take full advantage of her protection to play outside their orphanage's walls. She would even sometimes play with them, so they always asked her to join. Hoping that would be a day where she would agree. This time they were successful. She agreed and played hide and seek with them when the town's mayor approached her. The mayor was a woman named Juana, who happened to be a great-granddaughter of the Juana she had rescued decades before. She greeted Serafina with her entourage of assistants and guards and asked her to follow them to their town hall to meet with a guest that may have some big business. Serafina agreed. She escorted the children back to the orphanage and followed the mayor to the town hall.

Walking through the town square and past a statue erected only a few years previously, she couldn't help but turn her head to look at it as they passed. Serafina couldn't hold the smirk back from her face. They had made the statue an angel with large wings holding a flame in her hand as though using it to lead the way while the other arm wrapped protectively in front of two children. The angel had her likeness. New rumors about her were that she was a fallen angel. That she was hinting at her history with her coin designs. They also believed this was the reason for her dislike of the church. They thought it wasn't hatred but maybe remorse for having been banished from the light of God. She always found it funny. Just because she did a few good deeds, she was now an angel in their eyes. She knew she was just a monster. But she wouldn't correct them. It was better than them knowing the truth.

Together they walked into the town hall and made it to the meeting room. Serafina was no stranger to the meeting room. She was asked to sit in on town matters many times. She was even given a special entrance and throne-like upholstered chair in the corner where she could observe should she want to. It was to the right and behind the mayor's seat, so everyone else technically looked to the both of them. Serafina never sat in on meetings unless asked, not wanting to interfere so much in their decisions. When she walked in, she noticed an older woman she didn't recognize sitting with a couple of young muscular men on either side at the opposite end of herself and Juana. Although she was in a dark corner where people typically wouldn't notice her entrance, the new woman kept her eyes on Serafina the entire time.

All council members stood up upon Juana's entrance and sat when she did to show their respect. "Thank you for waiting," Juana said as she sat opposite the strangers, "you asked that all members be present, and we now are. You had mentioned building a hotel in town and expanding roads to help in getting more tourists. Is that correct?"