𝐝𝐮𝐥𝐜𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐮𝐦, supernatural

vii.

" wrong side of heaven "

I don't understand.

What is it that you're asking of me?

But...what about my family?

And my daughter, you will keep her safe?

Then yes. My answer is yes.

━━━━━━━━━

"Nevaeh Aurora Hendrix. The child has to be protected, at any cost. We cannot let the inevitable happen. Now go, do what you must. These are your orders."

As millions of years of history would have it, it's always been known, that angels are soldiers - warriors of God. They do as they are told, and rarely venture to disobey; free will is a distant thought - though, of course, there can always be an exception to the rule.

"Laila. I see you've acquired your vessel. She is strong - very well."

The angel, thoughtlessly wearing the face of the poor petite woman, nodded, awaiting further directions.

"You will be watching over the girl at all times. You will have to be discrete, though. As far as she will know, her mother is dead."

"Of course."

And so it was. The news of Nora Hendrix's death reached the household soon after, shattering hearts and opening rifts that no one ever would be able to patch back up. It violently tore the family apart, like a July thunderstorm clawing at the roots of the earth. It left them forlorn and cold, feeling like they had nothing left - but the one thing they did have, was each other.

Charles Hendrix tried his best. He had lost the love of his life, the one person he would wake up next to every morning and who made him feel like he truly had it all. He was a good father, and in that moment, more than ever, he needed to be there for his children. Poor little Theodore was so young, he could hardly fathom why his mother would no longer kiss him goodnight. And it pained his father - what ever could he say to him?

"Where's mommy?" he would ask, each night.

And each night, he would receive a sad smile, "She's with the angels now, little one. She's alright. We'll be alright." and, with that, a tender kiss on the forehead.

And it pained his sister, as it took away more from her than she could handle - but she knew better than to let go of her tough facade. She was forced to watch her father slowly crumble before her eyes and she knew she had to be the one to help him put the pieces back together. And, though it passed by unacknowledged, in their darkest times, she was the pivotal reason that one faint light at the end of the tunnel kept on glowing.

And in the meantime, as the family struggled to get back on their feet, the girl with hope in her eyes and hair like fiery skies, whose world was slowly burning out, and who spent every living hour looking after her own flesh and blood, not even slightly aware of the dangers ahead, was being watched upon.

The angel by the name of Laila, wearing the figure of Aurora's loving mother like a priceless, elegant suit, walked the earth freely and unseen, and did as she was told, not sparing one moment.