A scream ripped apart my life, and I didn't know then that it was a warning bell—an omen of how the world would end. Screams became how many would die one by one. Like the ravens outside my window that people saw as a harbinger of death because of their black feathers, but only destruction followed the angels and their beautiful white wings. Had we only known that silence could save us, we might have faced them each month when it went dark.
Murders and disappearances were a normal part of life in a major city. People never heard about most of them unless an agenda or an important person were involved. Most faded into the night like a boat sunk at sea during a storm. Even the voices of grieving family members often went ignored as everyone excused it away as trafficking and other horrors everyone stayed ignorant about. The angels took advantage of that.
Abdiel had taught me to heed the warning—to never scream because, in the sound of terror, the angels could steal a soul.
I balanced on the ledge of the roof with my arms stretched out. My black hair flapped wildly behind me in the increasing winds.
"A woman shouldn't like heights so much, Alazne." Abdiel leaned against the apartment greenhouse, shaking his head.
"You have wings to catch me."
"Yes, I want to reveal them because you're foolish." His round eyes had darkened to a mossy green rather than their usual emerald, and his hook nose twitched slightly. He had the eerily beautiful face and strong jawline that showed the ethereal being he was, but no one believed the truth about him. Everyone gave the gym credit when it was really his bloodline responsible for his model body that made others drool. His trimmed blonde hair had a golden glow that made people take notice even more than they already did. He got regular comments on it.
"No one's out here this early." I continued my balancing act.
He leaped forward, grabbing my waist and tickling me until I fell against him.
I laughed until I wheezed. "Mercy!"
"Why? When you show none to your guardian angel." He stopped tickling me and cleared his throat.
"I have to keep your training up to date. Keep you on guard."
"Nothing happens outside of the darkness."
"Nothing with the angels. What about the rest of the world?"
"How is it you humans put it? Cake. Handling humans is cake." He held out his hand to help me up.
"Arrogance will bite you one of these days."
He raised an eyebrow. "Confidence is not arrogance."
"It's a fine line, my friend."
I glanced at my phone and stuck it in my pocket, swinging my backpack over my shoulder and heading into the stairwell that led to the street ten stories below.
The sun showed a sliver of orange, peeking over the horizon as it made the stars slowly fade to create a new day. A woman jogged with her chocolate lab trotting beside her. A few cars drove past. Calm hung in the air that would soon dissipate with the onset of rush hour.
Abdiel walked next to me in his blue jeans, black shirt, and leather jacket that hid his secret. Angels could flatten their wings against their backs tight enough no one would notice them concealed in clothing.
I arrived at the community college early each day to find time in the library to study. Abdiel read while he waited for me to finish. He could read a book in about ten minutes and retain the knowledge forever.
I clutched my textbooks and cracked the bathroom door open to take a peek proceeding the rest of the way in when it appeared empty. I hurried to use the restroom and wash my hands. The silver sink handles squeaked and sputtered to life. The aged peach metallic door flung open.
