Bret hadn’t the foggiest notion his supervisor adored him. He’d never taken the chance to even drop a hint the man’s way. I drew back on my haunches, ready to bolt. “Always been fond of closure, myself.”
“Closure?” He scoffed, screaming through the snot and the tears. Over and again, his fingers clenched then uncurled as if pumping up courage. “You think I don’t know? He’s just like everyone else!”
At least I pulled an argument from him. We may not have to go through this after all. But no, he did not know that one person loved him more than life…loved him…more than I did.
Eric was not like Bret’s everyone else. Why couldn’t I just tell the boy? Again, I cursed Big Papa and his rules; or was my hesitance my own?
What it must be like to experience such an exquisite creature, take him in my arms, pull him to me, share warmth and love in nature’s most glorifying act… I could only dream as I studied those perfect hands imagining them roaming over me as mine basked in the feel of his exquisite flesh.
“I’m just saying—”
“I don’t care what you’re saying!” With his outburst, this time he spun my way. “Can’t you see? I have no one! There’s —?”
His clouded gaze drank me in, from my toes curled over the edge, upward and over my tensed thighs. Hesitating on my face, he assessed me; and, I was hopeful, my intent.
Can you see you in my eyes?
I prayed for him to see me, to read me, to know my longing, as, his footing more unsure with each shift in the breeze, he continued to study me, seemingly entranced with the view.
With curiosity and surprise, I’m sure he’d meant to hide, he asked, “A-an angel?”
“Zagzagel. But friends call me, Zag.” As I spoke, I made an effort not to move, not to startle.
“Heh.” Expression hardening again, he pulled away, stepped back. “Here to see me off? Make sure I end up where I belong? ”
His parents’ words, I was certain. More to myself than to Bret, I said, “Awful bitter for one so young,” then chastised myself for speaking my thoughts when he turned away. I liked knowing his eyes beheld me. Damn me and my big mouth.
“Whatever. You don’t get it.”
Oh…but I did.
Only, my being immortal, I didn’t have the luxury of taking my own life, or I might have—tens of thousands of years ago. Truly, he hadn’t a clue to whom he spoke to with such condescension.
“Ever heard of Jagniel?” A chill raced through me as the name of my fallen beloved tumbled from my lips—even after all the millennia. I stopped myself from saying more, wanting to know if Bret had heard me—really heard me.
A slight shrug and a quick roll of his eyes skyward informed me, he had. Though he’d probably never heard of Jagniel —not many had— I was playing up the point more for effect than for detail.
“Try living, banned for eternity from the one you love.”
His shoulders shook as his tears multiplied into a river. Maybe I’d do better to simply shut my mouth—
“At least…” Choking, he covered his face with his hands, drawing into himself, as his wailing picked up on the wind. “You had love—”
I leapt with the untimely gust, following his panicked scream. He hadn’t meant to let go—he slipped. That’d be the story I’d recount to Big Papa, anyway.
Rendered invisible in flight, inches beneath him, I considered how truly alone he must right now feel. Legs kicking madly, arms outstretched, reaching, hoping, praying, and for the first time in his nineteen years, truly finding the nothingness he once only thought consumed him—he fell.
We passed the thirteenth story, the twelfth. Just a few more seconds, I’d torment. Precious seconds needed to help him never forget the feeling of true despair. Tenth story. Ninth….
Impact.
The remaining air rushed from his lungs as I embraced him, held him to me and redirected our flight. Wings spread, I swooped upward, supporting his weight. Bared skin from his uplifted
“Closure?” He scoffed, screaming through the snot and the tears. Over and again, his fingers clenched then uncurled as if pumping up courage. “You think I don’t know? He’s just like everyone else!”
At least I pulled an argument from him. We may not have to go through this after all. But no, he did not know that one person loved him more than life…loved him…more than I did.
Eric was not like Bret’s everyone else. Why couldn’t I just tell the boy? Again, I cursed Big Papa and his rules; or was my hesitance my own?
What it must be like to experience such an exquisite creature, take him in my arms, pull him to me, share warmth and love in nature’s most glorifying act… I could only dream as I studied those perfect hands imagining them roaming over me as mine basked in the feel of his exquisite flesh.
“I’m just saying—”
“I don’t care what you’re saying!” With his outburst, this time he spun my way. “Can’t you see? I have no one! There’s —?”
His clouded gaze drank me in, from my toes curled over the edge, upward and over my tensed thighs. Hesitating on my face, he assessed me; and, I was hopeful, my intent.
Can you see you in my eyes?
I prayed for him to see me, to read me, to know my longing, as, his footing more unsure with each shift in the breeze, he continued to study me, seemingly entranced with the view.
With curiosity and surprise, I’m sure he’d meant to hide, he asked, “A-an angel?”
“Zagzagel. But friends call me, Zag.” As I spoke, I made an effort not to move, not to startle.
“Heh.” Expression hardening again, he pulled away, stepped back. “Here to see me off? Make sure I end up where I belong? ”
His parents’ words, I was certain. More to myself than to Bret, I said, “Awful bitter for one so young,” then chastised myself for speaking my thoughts when he turned away. I liked knowing his eyes beheld me. Damn me and my big mouth.
“Whatever. You don’t get it.”
Oh…but I did.
Only, my being immortal, I didn’t have the luxury of taking my own life, or I might have—tens of thousands of years ago. Truly, he hadn’t a clue to whom he spoke to with such condescension.
“Ever heard of Jagniel?” A chill raced through me as the name of my fallen beloved tumbled from my lips—even after all the millennia. I stopped myself from saying more, wanting to know if Bret had heard me—really heard me.
A slight shrug and a quick roll of his eyes skyward informed me, he had. Though he’d probably never heard of Jagniel —not many had— I was playing up the point more for effect than for detail.
“Try living, banned for eternity from the one you love.”
His shoulders shook as his tears multiplied into a river. Maybe I’d do better to simply shut my mouth—
“At least…” Choking, he covered his face with his hands, drawing into himself, as his wailing picked up on the wind. “You had love—”
I leapt with the untimely gust, following his panicked scream. He hadn’t meant to let go—he slipped. That’d be the story I’d recount to Big Papa, anyway.
Rendered invisible in flight, inches beneath him, I considered how truly alone he must right now feel. Legs kicking madly, arms outstretched, reaching, hoping, praying, and for the first time in his nineteen years, truly finding the nothingness he once only thought consumed him—he fell.
We passed the thirteenth story, the twelfth. Just a few more seconds, I’d torment. Precious seconds needed to help him never forget the feeling of true despair. Tenth story. Ninth….
Impact.
The remaining air rushed from his lungs as I embraced him, held him to me and redirected our flight. Wings spread, I swooped upward, supporting his weight. Bared skin from his uplifted
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