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Description
It was that day again, reassignment day. The day that he'd been
dreading. The day may have been bright but his sky was dark,
his trees were wilted and the wind he felt carried a sad song on
it shoulders. He didn't want a new charge but when it was time,
it was time. At least, that's what he was made to believe. What
he truly believed was that Lexi Dresden deserved more. Mycaelis
leaned against a lime green wall that was littered with posters
advertising actors and boy bands. Lexi was lightly snoring just a
few feet away as light filtered through the blinds with the
intention of disturbing her slumber. He could hardly look at her so
he looked at the wall to his right instead. He was silently praying
that she would sleep just a little bit longer, take more time
getting ready, call for a ride to school but that wasn't the case.
He knew how that day would go.

The seconds ticked by too slowly as he repeatedly checked his
watch and, when the clock struck 6:38 AM, her eyes fluttered
open. He crossed his arms and looked on helplessly as she
crawled out of bed, grumpy and groggy, and walked past him as
if he wasn't there. As far as she was concerned, though, he
wasn't.

She couldn't see him but, then again, no mortal could. He waited
patiently as she completed her human morning ritual while being
respectful of her privacy. He looked around the small box that
was her personal space and noticed how much stuff she had
which made him wonder if all teenagers required so much junk
to survive. By 7:03 she was showered, dressed and packed and,
when she left her room, Mycaelis was on the clock. It was his job
to protect her even if she wasn't aware he was doing it. It was
his sworn duty because he was a Guardian Angel. The word
'angel' brings to mind a certain stereotypical image which was
the case but only for the warriors. The guardians, however,
looked exactly like humans. They were not bathed in an angelic
light, they had no wings, and they weren't necessarily beautiful
but they did their job and they did it well. These angels looked
after humans until they were destined to die, then they're
reassigned to start the cycle again.

Mycaelis was not a typical guardian angel. He couldn't do his job
and move on like his brothers and sisters. He loved all of his
charges and it pained him to watch them die but his siblings
didn't understand. That day he was feeling the pain again
because it was Lexi's day and she was far too young.

She opened the front door, the portal from the saftey of her
living room to the horror of fate, and was greeted by a burst
of cold wind. Her long blonde hair mingled with his black and
became tangled. She felt the tug as he quickly worked out
the knots but she ignored it, as humans do. Before stepping
out she stuffed her earbuds in her ears and turned up the
volume to block out the world. That would be the death of
her, he knew, because she couldn't hear a thing and he
wanted nothing more than to rip them out. He didn't,
though, he couldn't because it was against the rules so
instead he trailed behind her like a loyal puppy, just on her
heels.

He stuffed his hands in his pockets, hunched his shoulders, and
watched his feet as he walked. The only sounds other than the
wind were her messenger bag slapping against her thigh as her
Converse adorned feet matched time with the sidewalk. The
residential streets were barren for a few minutes of walking but,
as they traveled further into town,people began popping up
with their own angels right behind them.

Some had multiple angels, a few had none, but most had at
least one and they were like an invisible secret service. They
were always looking out for threats and unforseen danger,
willing to put themselves on the line if there was ever a need.
The two kept moving, past shops and restaurants, and the
number of civilians grew. They were fighting against the
sidewalk traffic and the fight became harder the closer they
approached the school. One excessively inconsiderate human
ran straight into Lexi and kept going. She lost her balance and
those around her stepped back instinctually rather than help.
Mycaelis was the opposite as he reached out to catch her
without thinking. Just before she fell into his arms he was
thrown back by a restraining hand on his chest.

He attempted to move forward but a red-haired man was
holding him back with one arm. He was forced to watch as
Lexi fell to the ground, the contents of her bag spilling
around her. Fury began to bubble to his surface because he
was unable to help but he knew the man had been right in
stopping him. She was fine, a few scrapes and bruises, and
another human was helping to gather her belongings.
"Thank you, Raziel," he said grudgingly to the fiery-headed
guardian.
"You should be thanking me, you fool. You know what
happens when we touch humans."
"There's no need for that. You were right, I was wrong."
"You're damn right you were wrong," he huffed.
"You're a bastard of a friend."
He relaxed. "C'mon, Myc, you know I was only trying to help."
"You should concentrate on helping your charge before he
walks into traffic."

Raziel whipped around to see his charge, a business man,
blindly walking into the street while talking on his cell phone.
It required all the patience he could muster not to curse as
he bolted after him. Mycaelis grinned but his triumph was
short lived. His own charge was escaping him and walking
closer to fate. Part of his holy job description was to be
there when it happened. He jogged after her, expertly
dodging a few humans on the way, until he was at her heels
again. When he caught his breath he surveyed the area to
see how far she'd gotten. As their surroundings became clear
his heart sank and his stomach tied itself in knots. It was
going to happen. He already knew that, of course, but it truly
hit him when he was there at the right place and the right
time. It was surreal as it always was.

The scene beagn with gunshots. There were two of them and
they still rang out after the shots were fired. Lexi almost
stumbled to a stop because her instinct told her to freeze and
look rather than run. She saw a gas station and behind the
two of them was an old, abandoned brick building. The ghostly
gunfire still rang louder and louder until it was deafening and
passersby were forced to stop to see what was happening.
Even the wind stopped for that one moment until the doors
blew open and the man in black ran out.

Finally, the spectators reacted as if it had just become real.
They screamed and ran which, unfortunately, startled the
man who'd never stolen anything before. He fired wildly in
a deranged self-defense and people started dropping. Their
angels stood back, expressionless, and watched their
charges die. After they helped them pass on they just walked
away which left a bad taste in Mycaelis' mouth. Blood was
pooling, those who were still alive had stopped moving, Lexi
was frozen in place and yet the robber continued to move
and fire. BANG! When the right shot was fired, he knew. There
was a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. It was the
guardian instinct, the same one that that was screaming at
him to step back and let it happen, but could he do it? He'd
seen this scene so many times because it replayed in his
head. The cause of so many tortured nights was about to
come true and he began to panic.
'I don't know,' he thought as the bullet cut through air in slow
motion. Lexi's eyes widened when she realized where it was
heading. 'I don't think I can do this. Not again. No. NO!'
"NO! STOP!" he shouted and time actually slowed down to an
almost standstill.

The other angels in the area paused in confusion as their
charges stopped moving. It even took Mycaelis a few seconds
for him to realized what he'd done. It was as though it clicked
for everyone at the same moment and it became a race to
destiny. Every angel within range charged him with all the
power they had just as he dove for her. She was less than
an inch from his fingertips when a tug ripped him away.

He screamed in sadness, anger, and frustration as three,
four, five pairs of hands held him back. As fate would have it,
he looked up as soon as time returned to normal. Mycaelis
had the oppourtunity to see the expression of terror on her
face just before the bullet caught her in the forehead.

The life drained from both of their eyes and their bodies
slumped forward in unison. The angels holding him let him go,
only Raziel kept him from hitting the sidewalk. A horrible red
mural was splashed along the brick and began to attract a lot
of attention. The gasps of other humans grew louder and 911
was dialed but she was unsavable.
"Myc..." his friend said sadly.
"Why do I keep doing this, Raziel? You know I can't handle it,
I know it. I must be a masochist."
"You're doing your job."
"Why do I have to feel? Why can't I be like you and everyone
else?"

He dragged the broken man to his eye level before speaking.
"You have a heart, Myc. You're special, you're better. The rest
of us, we lost touch with humanity long ago. My friend, you
need to use your heart now. There's a soul in that body that
needs help crossing over so, put your sadness aside and help
her."

Raziel pushed him forward and Mycaelis fell. He stayed down
for a few moments, thinking about what his brother said. He
made the conclusion that he was right so he pushed himself
up and walked to the edge of the blood pool where he
hesitated. He was forced to build up courage before he could
continue but he did it, for her. He stood over her body, boots
inch deep in blood, and yanked out her soul. She looked the
same, unscathed, except for a faint glow and that she was
slightly fuzzy, like a TV that isn't working quite right. She
looked down at herself, her body, then up at him with a
confused expression.

"I'm dead..." she stated.
"Yes," he responded without meaning to.
"You can see me?"
"Yes."
"I was shot."
"Yes."
"That's awful,."
"Yes."
"Is that all you say because it gets tired after a while," she
snapped and he almost
laughed. He would miss her.
He looked at her, and she him, but she studied him with
intensity.
"I feel like... I know you."
"You do, " he smirked.
"Are you an angel?"
"I am. No wings, though. Sorry."
"That's okay. I've always thought the wings were a bit
showy."
"Me too but I could just be jealous of the ones up there," he
pointed and looked toward the sky.

"Is that where I'm going?"
"I think so."
"Do I have to?"
"Yeah. You can't stay here. You'll just become and angry spirit
of sorts. This is your one chance because I'm the only one
that can open the gate for you."
"No better time than now," she laughed nervously. Then she
paused and thought for a moment before hugging him. He
was surprised but comfortably folded his arms around the frail
form of her soul. She still smelled the same and felt like home.
"Thank you for everything," she said as she pulled away. "I
don't know why but I felt I should say that. Are you a
guardian angel?"
"I am. Created to keep you safe until your time."
"Which is now."
"Yes which means it's time to go."

Mycaelis moved around her and dragged his hand along the
blood and rough brick. The wall began to glow and
disintegrate until it formed a perfect door. He held out his
hand and escorted her to the bright light and she walked
through with one last hug before she went. One tear fell as
the door closed after stroking the brick a second time. He
walked away just as the police arrived, sirens blaring and
lights flashing, with a sympathetic Raziel at his side. He
shoved his hands in his pockets and stored away his
feelings because, as a baby was born, it was time to start
all over again.

Description
It was that day again, reassignment day. The day that he'd been
dreading. The day may have been bright but his sky was dark,
his trees were wilted and the wind he felt carried a sad song on
it shoulders. He didn't want a new charge but when it was time,
it was time. At least, that's what he was made to believe. What
he truly believed was that Lexi Dresden deserved more. Mycaelis
leaned against a lime green wall that was littered with posters
advertising actors and boy bands. Lexi was lightly snoring just a
few feet away as light filtered through the blinds with the
intention of disturbing her slumber. He could hardly look at her so
he looked at the wall to his right instead. He was silently praying
that she would sleep just a little bit longer, take more time
getting ready, call for a ride to school but that wasn't the case.
He knew how that day would go.

The seconds ticked by too slowly as he repeatedly checked his
watch and, when the clock struck 6:38 AM, her eyes fluttered
open. He crossed his arms and looked on helplessly as she
crawled out of bed, grumpy and groggy, and walked past him as
if he wasn't there. As far as she was concerned, though, he
wasn't.

She couldn't see him but, then again, no mortal could. He waited
patiently as she completed her human morning ritual while being
respectful of her privacy. He looked around the small box that
was her personal space and noticed how much stuff she had
which made him wonder if all teenagers required so much junk
to survive. By 7:03 she was showered, dressed and packed and,
when she left her room, Mycaelis was on the clock. It was his job
to protect her even if she wasn't aware he was doing it. It was
his sworn duty because he was a Guardian Angel. The word
'angel' brings to mind a certain stereotypical image which was
the case but only for the warriors. The guardians, however,
looked exactly like humans. They were not bathed in an angelic
light, they had no wings, and they weren't necessarily beautiful
but they did their job and they did it well. These angels looked
after humans until they were destined to die, then they're
reassigned to start the cycle again.

Mycaelis was not a typical guardian angel. He couldn't do his job
and move on like his brothers and sisters. He loved all of his
charges and it pained him to watch them die but his siblings
didn't understand. That day he was feeling the pain again
because it was Lexi's day and she was far too young.

She opened the front door, the portal from the saftey of her
living room to the horror of fate, and was greeted by a burst
of cold wind. Her long blonde hair mingled with his black and
became tangled. She felt the tug as he quickly worked out
the knots but she ignored it, as humans do. Before stepping
out she stuffed her earbuds in her ears and turned up the
volume to block out the world. That would be the death of
her, he knew, because she couldn't hear a thing and he
wanted nothing more than to rip them out. He didn't,
though, he couldn't because it was against the rules so
instead he trailed behind her like a loyal puppy, just on her
heels.

He stuffed his hands in his pockets, hunched his shoulders, and
watched his feet as he walked. The only sounds other than the
wind were her messenger bag slapping against her thigh as her
Converse adorned feet matched time with the sidewalk. The
residential streets were barren for a few minutes of walking but,
as they traveled further into town,people began popping up
with their own angels right behind them.

Some had multiple angels, a few had none, but most had at
least one and they were like an invisible secret service. They
were always looking out for threats and unforseen danger,
willing to put themselves on the line if there was ever a need.
The two kept moving, past shops and restaurants, and the
number of civilians grew. They were fighting against the
sidewalk traffic and the fight became harder the closer they
approached the school. One excessively inconsiderate human
ran straight into Lexi and kept going. She lost her balance and
those around her stepped back instinctually rather than help.
Mycaelis was the opposite as he reached out to catch her
without thinking. Just before she fell into his arms he was
thrown back by a restraining hand on his chest.

He attempted to move forward but a red-haired man was
holding him back with one arm. He was forced to watch as
Lexi fell to the ground, the contents of her bag spilling
around her. Fury began to bubble to his surface because he
was unable to help but he knew the man had been right in
stopping him. She was fine, a few scrapes and bruises, and
another human was helping to gather her belongings.
"Thank you, Raziel," he said grudgingly to the fiery-headed
guardian.
"You should be thanking me, you fool. You know what
happens when we touch humans."
"There's no need for that. You were right, I was wrong."
"You're damn right you were wrong," he huffed.
"You're a bastard of a friend."
He relaxed. "C'mon, Myc, you know I was only trying to help."
"You should concentrate on helping your charge before he
walks into traffic."

Raziel whipped around to see his charge, a business man,
blindly walking into the street while talking on his cell phone.
It required all the patience he could muster not to curse as
he bolted after him. Mycaelis grinned but his triumph was
short lived. His own charge was escaping him and walking
closer to fate. Part of his holy job description was to be
there when it happened. He jogged after her, expertly
dodging a few humans on the way, until he was at her heels
again. When he caught his breath he surveyed the area to
see how far she'd gotten. As their surroundings became clear
his heart sank and his stomach tied itself in knots. It was
going to happen. He already knew that, of course, but it truly
hit him when he was there at the right place and the right
time. It was surreal as it always was.

The scene beagn with gunshots. There were two of them and
they still rang out after the shots were fired. Lexi almost
stumbled to a stop because her instinct told her to freeze and
look rather than run. She saw a gas station and behind the
two of them was an old, abandoned brick building. The ghostly
gunfire still rang louder and louder until it was deafening and
passersby were forced to stop to see what was happening.
Even the wind stopped for that one moment until the doors
blew open and the man in black ran out.

Finally, the spectators reacted as if it had just become real.
They screamed and ran which, unfortunately, startled the
man who'd never stolen anything before. He fired wildly in
a deranged self-defense and people started dropping. Their
angels stood back, expressionless, and watched their
charges die. After they helped them pass on they just walked
away which left a bad taste in Mycaelis' mouth. Blood was
pooling, those who were still alive had stopped moving, Lexi
was frozen in place and yet the robber continued to move
and fire. BANG! When the right shot was fired, he knew. There
was a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. It was the
guardian instinct, the same one that that was screaming at
him to step back and let it happen, but could he do it? He'd
seen this scene so many times because it replayed in his
head. The cause of so many tortured nights was about to
come true and he began to panic.
'I don't know,' he thought as the bullet cut through air in slow
motion. Lexi's eyes widened when she realized where it was
heading. 'I don't think I can do this. Not again. No. NO!'
"NO! STOP!" he shouted and time actually slowed down to an
almost standstill.

The other angels in the area paused in confusion as their
charges stopped moving. It even took Mycaelis a few seconds
for him to realized what he'd done. It was as though it clicked
for everyone at the same moment and it became a race to
destiny. Every angel within range charged him with all the
power they had just as he dove for her. She was less than
an inch from his fingertips when a tug ripped him away.

He screamed in sadness, anger, and frustration as three,
four, five pairs of hands held him back. As fate would have it,
he looked up as soon as time returned to normal. Mycaelis
had the oppourtunity to see the expression of terror on her
face just before the bullet caught her in the forehead.

The life drained from both of their eyes and their bodies
slumped forward in unison. The angels holding him let him go,
only Raziel kept him from hitting the sidewalk. A horrible red
mural was splashed along the brick and began to attract a lot
of attention. The gasps of other humans grew louder and 911
was dialed but she was unsavable.
"Myc..." his friend said sadly.
"Why do I keep doing this, Raziel? You know I can't handle it,
I know it. I must be a masochist."
"You're doing your job."
"Why do I have to feel? Why can't I be like you and everyone
else?"

He dragged the broken man to his eye level before speaking.
"You have a heart, Myc. You're special, you're better. The rest
of us, we lost touch with humanity long ago. My friend, you
need to use your heart now. There's a soul in that body that
needs help crossing over so, put your sadness aside and help
her."

Raziel pushed him forward and Mycaelis fell. He stayed down
for a few moments, thinking about what his brother said. He
made the conclusion that he was right so he pushed himself
up and walked to the edge of the blood pool where he
hesitated. He was forced to build up courage before he could
continue but he did it, for her. He stood over her body, boots
inch deep in blood, and yanked out her soul. She looked the
same, unscathed, except for a faint glow and that she was
slightly fuzzy, like a TV that isn't working quite right. She
looked down at herself, her body, then up at him with a
confused expression.

"I'm dead..." she stated.
"Yes," he responded without meaning to.
"You can see me?"
"Yes."
"I was shot."
"Yes."
"That's awful,."
"Yes."
"Is that all you say because it gets tired after a while," she
snapped and he almost
laughed. He would miss her.
He looked at her, and she him, but she studied him with
intensity.
"I feel like... I know you."
"You do, " he smirked.
"Are you an angel?"
"I am. No wings, though. Sorry."
"That's okay. I've always thought the wings were a bit
showy."
"Me too but I could just be jealous of the ones up there," he
pointed and looked toward the sky.

"Is that where I'm going?"
"I think so."
"Do I have to?"
"Yeah. You can't stay here. You'll just become and angry spirit
of sorts. This is your one chance because I'm the only one
that can open the gate for you."
"No better time than now," she laughed nervously. Then she
paused and thought for a moment before hugging him. He
was surprised but comfortably folded his arms around the frail
form of her soul. She still smelled the same and felt like home.
"Thank you for everything," she said as she pulled away. "I
don't know why but I felt I should say that. Are you a
guardian angel?"
"I am. Created to keep you safe until your time."
"Which is now."
"Yes which means it's time to go."

Mycaelis moved around her and dragged his hand along the
blood and rough brick. The wall began to glow and
disintegrate until it formed a perfect door. He held out his
hand and escorted her to the bright light and she walked
through with one last hug before she went. One tear fell as
the door closed after stroking the brick a second time. He
walked away just as the police arrived, sirens blaring and
lights flashing, with a sympathetic Raziel at his side. He
shoved his hands in his pockets and stored away his
feelings because, as a baby was born, it was time to start
all over again.