Part 4



I digested that, and tried not to show the mild distress I felt at coming so close to such a fate. Of course I had no idea what this fate I now had was either, but I was willing to bet it was a good deal nicer.
"But I broke her gaze," It sounded more like a question.
"Yes, she let you go. Your resistance obviously indicated a strength not seen in simple spirits."
"No, Alex. I broke her gaze." I turned and looked him in the eye, to make sure he took me seriously. "I did resist, yes. But then I could hear you talking, and you sounded like you were walking away and I wanted to follow you. I didn't want to be left alone."
He considered this, his eyes never leaving my face. I could practically see the wheels of his mind turning over all the possibilities and explanations behind this. Eventually he murmured, "Hmm. I'll have to speak with Persephone as to what that means."
"Is it unusual?"
"Aurora, I've only just managed to train myself to break her gaze." At my questioning look he expanded on his answer, "It is important for angels and archangels alike to stay in the peak of health and top condition. For our senses to be acute and reflexes sharp. Persephone likes to spring traps on us spontaneously - she gets bored very easily, and finds these exercises entertaining - where she grips us in her gaze, and we have to fight it until either she gets bored and releases us or we break free ourselves."
"And you've only just been able to break free yourself?" I was getting worried now. What did that say about me?
"Yes." He searched my eyes for something, probably a reason for why I was so different. "But you doing that within a day of becoming an angel from a human no less, where you aren't even at your full power. And on your first turn. That's.. pretty spectacular."
I smiled meekly, not sure whether I liked being spectacular. It felt like just another word for 'freak' or 'different'. I didn't want to be different. I wanted to fit in. A sudden flash back triggered by that thought brought me previous feelings of wanting to fit in and surrounded by friends. I got a vague impression of a memory, of me on the outskirts of the groups of people socialising. OF being more interested in reading and animals than make-up and the latest celebrity gossip.
As quickly as it arrived, the memory flickered away from me. My mind fought to grab onto it, to delve deeper into it but it danced away until it faded. For a moment I forgot Alex was watching my face, and realised he must have misinterpreted my obvious frustration as anxiety. He immediately turned earnest.
"Spectacular in a good way, I mean. You're making Angelic history!" He gave me a lop-sided grin. It sounded odd when he used words like 'angelic' as technical terms, as actual names for things, and not just as a way to describe someone or something. Like if you wanted to emphasise a child's innocence, you'd say they were angelic. I couldn't get used to this minor shift in vocabulary. "Honestly Aurora, don't think of this as some drawn out end to your life - Think of it as a bright new beginning where you've the potential to become legendary. You've definitely got the potential to do great things, no question." He smiled reassuringly at me.
"Thanks.." For laying on the pressure. "I'll keep that in mind."
Alex suddenly leapt up from the bed and stood at the foot of it. His clothes were remarkably un-wrinkled from lying down all that time. I couldn't recall him leaving to change them. "Alex did you change into fresh clothes?" I sat up, my back stiff from staying in one position for so long. I was vaguely aware that my hair must have looked a right state, where my tears had run down my cheek and soaked the left side, which was the side I'd been lying on. But no matter what I looked like, Alex merely threw me a look that clearly said what-are-you-talking-about-you-crazy-fool? and proceeded to open all the curtains.
"No, Aurora. I stayed next to you the whole time. Didn't you realise?"
"Well that's what I thought but your clothes aren't even wrink-"
"Enough of your questions!" He threw open a set of french doors on the north wall, opposite the bed, and turned back to face me. At that moment, with the light streaming in around him through the doors, he looked truly angelic - and in the literal sense. I was temporarily awed by his beauty. "Since you are obviously feeling better, I think it's about time you got up." I was beginning to wish he'd go back to being silent and soothing.
"Okay, but please - answer me two more questions?" I sat forward with my legs crossed under me, suddenly eager for the answers.
"Fine."
"How long have I been in here for? Like, I know it must have been a few hours.." I shrugged embarrassed by what now felt like merely a bad dream.
Alex looked me straight in the eye and said seriously, "Seven days."
I stared at him for a long moment. "I never."
"But you were. If you're actually interested in hours then you've been in here one hundred and sixty eight hours." He briskly looked the room over with a critical eye. "Don't get me wrong - it's a very nice room - but I'm just about sick of it right now. Don't look so worried, Aura, it isn't unusual for a newly turned angel to hide away for seven days give or take. During that time you complete the transition from human soul to pure angel. It is a time of rebirth and creation - and where you humans got that idea about god creating the world in seven days."
Again I simply stared at him, trying not to let my jaw drop open. So much information to take in. But I found myself somehow absorbing and registering it quicker than before - seven days before, apparently. "So you mean there was actually some truth behind - No! I need to concentrate." I mentally filed that away to be asked at a later date when he wasn't restricting my curiosity. "Right, question two. What time of day is it now?"
Alex gave m an incredulous look, "That's your second question? Really?"
"Yup."
"Mid-morning. Now get up and get ready," He strode over to a door I hadn't noticed before on the west wall, and opened it wide. "If you want to change or freshen up or anything, you can do so in here. I'll wait out through the french doors, then we can brunch."
"Did you honestly just say 'brunch'?"
"We watch over you humans so much, we're bound to pick up your lingo. Now come on!" He gestured towards the new doorway. I swung my legs over and jumped out of bed, trying not to smile at his indignant expression, suddenly feeling rejuvenated. I practically bounced over to him.
"Seven days.. wow." I purposely looked him up and down, indicating his clean freshly ironed looking outfit. "And you didn't change your clothes once?"
"Is that another question?" He raised an eyebrow.
"You answered the one about you saying brunch!"
"Ah, but you were being rhetorical. I simply chose to expand on my use of the word." He abruptly gave me a wolfish grin that lit up his eyes. "I'll be just outside if you have anymore questions.. and I'm sure you will." He then strode away leaving me no choice but to go into the new room and wonder what he meant by 'I'm sure you will'. Was he teasing me? I knew I'd been very curious but who could blame me..
All thought left me as I entered the room. To my left a pole went right along it, from which many dresses, cardigans, skirts and tops hung. To my right the wall was lined with racks of shoes and accessories. I now understood what Alex had meant. He knew this was sending my curiosity into overdrive.
I walked forward, trailing my left hand along the many items of clothing, and my right over the many pairs of shoes, and then necklaces and rings. It struck me how all the dresses looked similar; floaty and feminine, and different tones and hues of white, from ivory to cream, to a pearly pale grey-lilac. The shoes were all a variation on my flat dark brown leather gladiator sandals; from basic flip-flops to the type of gladiator sandal that encased half your leg.
At the end of the rows of clothes and shoes, was a door frame without a door. I walked hesitantly through to find a large bathroom. There was a huge bathtub with clawed legs, and fancy shiny gold taps. I walked over to the sink that was also gold-tapped, and had a mirror hung behind it. I braced myself for whatever state I must have looked before I stepped in front of it.
Staring back at me was a clear skinned, bright eyed version of myself. My hair was for once shiny and silky looking, tumbling in smooth spirals down to my waist, unlike the usual tangle of curls I had to deal with every morning. The last time I'd seen myself had been my dead body, and that versions face had been drained of colour and devoid of expression. Now my skin with still as pale as porcelain, but my cheeks had a natural blush to them, and my lips were a nice pinky red colour. I gave myself a shy smile, watching as the dimple in my right cheek appeared near the corner of my mouth, as my lips stretched.
I looked... Healthy.
And more alive than before I died.
Filled with a strange sense of happiness - for all was not lost, as I had thought before. There was now a life for me beyond death, and I apparently suited it, if my reflection was anything to go by. I half ran and half skipped back to the walk-in wardrobe, and had a quick rummage til I found a short sun dress like my own cotton one, except it was more an ivory than white colour, and the neckline went into a V from spaghetti straps. I shimmied out of my oddly uncreased outfit and into the new one. It was a perfect fit, thankfully.
With one last glance at my reflection, and after folding my dress over the edge of the bath tub to be put away later, I swept out back to the bedroom. I was literally the cliché of someone with a spring in their step.
The french doors seemed to lead out onto a neat little outdoor patio/mini courtyard, with flowerbeds lining the walls. Alex sat on a stone bench that faced west. Opposite my bedroom, and to the right of Alex was another set of french doors that led back inside the building. To the west, where Alex was facing, the outside walls of the building carried on for around three metres, where the patio stopped and was enclosed by a dainty picket fence. From there I could see steps down to the pavement and road. Across the road was a huge field fenced off. The sky was a clear blue, with the smallest clumps of white fluffy clouds dotted here and there. I felt like I'd been transported to Cornwall or a rural part of England.
Alex jumped up from the bench when I stepped out onto the stone patio with him. "I see you didn't waste time in changing your outfit." He observed, looking me over.
"It was okay for me to change, wasn't it? You don't mind that I borrowed this dress?" I suddenly realised I hadn't even asked if I could wear it.
"Do I look like I own that dress? It's yours. Alond with everythign else in there. So of course it was okay if you changed."
"What? All those clothes? and shoes? They're all mine?" He couldn't be serious.
"Yes, Aura. Why did you think the dress fit you? They're all your exact size."
But apparently he was. "But how? How is it all my size? and all for me? I don't even have a place to live, or put all those clothes in!" Just my luck, to be given the wardrobe of my dreams, then not be able to keep it.
"Yes you do, this is your home now. That was your bedroom you were in for seven days, your wardrobe, and your bathroom. And before you ask," He gestured towards the other set of french doors. "Those lead to my rooms. So yes, you would be sharing a house with me, unless you feel uncomfortable with that, in which case new accomodation can be arranged." He saw me open my mouth again, and interrupted me. "And I don't know how all those clothes appeared, in exactly your size. But it happens for every human-turned-angel. Almost like a starter pack. I'm sure you noticed how the items were different variations of the last outfit you wore while alive. I'm guessing that's a way of playing it safe, as 'they'" He made quote marks with his fingers, "probably assume it was an outfit you liked, and so it's more likely you'll like your new wardrobe. So just accept that it happened. I know you're dying to ask me more questions, but just try to accept it for now."
I eyed him for a moment, digesting what he'd said. "But aren't you even curi-" I cut myself off when he shot me a look that clearly said I shouldn't bother asking that question. Resisting the urge to sulk and glare at him, I instead asked, "So how do you know I'm dying to ask more questions?" I raised an eyebrow.
"Well apart from the fact that that's all you've done since you died, and then relived your death, I think anyone would know you love to ask questions." I couldn't help glaring at him then. Grinning he carried on, "But you also forget, I've known you for a long time. I was your Guardian Angel from when you were born, eighteen human years ago. I'd like to think I knew you well by now."
Now that caught my attention. "So how old are you then? Obviosuly you're at least eighteen years older than me, even though you only look about twenty-one."
"Oh, you could say I am twenty-one." He laughed.
Feeling ridiculously like we were in a scene from Twilight, I persisted and asked, "And how long have you been twenty-one?"
"Since the mid-to-late 18th Century." He watched my reaction soberly. I was stunned into silence. So that made him around two hundred and fifty years old, give or take half a century. Whoa. I could tell he was slightly weary of my reaction, as if he expected me to run screaming or something.
"So I guess you're a bit older than twenty-one, really, then." I thought about that for a moment. "That explains your weird clothes," I said flippantly. He immediately flashed me a relieved smile that quickly turned a mock hurt.
"You wound me! What's so weird about my clothes?"
"Well not so much weird, just the only people I've seen who wore billowy shirts and tight trousers were Mr Darcy and his lot." I smiled innocently back at him. "Although I've no idea if they were from the same century as you or not." I shrugged.
"You know, for all I said about knowing you well by now, you still surprise me." He placed a hand gently on my back and started to guide me towards the picket fence and steps. "Now, let's go get something to eat."