Gabriel's Fall

~Gabriel~ 1




The ball of light pulsed in my hand, flickering, expanding. It was beautiful. New souls always were, and this one was mine to care for. I would nourish it, care for it and, when it was time, let it go.

I’d done it a thousand times, but this one — this one felt different. There was no voice to it, just thought. It had questions, lots of them. Where would it go? How long would it be there? Would I always watch over it? I held something precious in my hands and I would do anything to protect it. The thought of sending the precious soul to Earth made my gut clench in fear. Would it get hurt? Fall in love?

Again, I looked at the beautiful sphere of light in my hand and felt… Well, that’s just it, isn’t it? I felt.

I didn’t know cold, hot, or hungry — not really, not like humans do. I had empathy, I guess. We love everyone, but for us that just means no judgment. We never really fall in love.

The little soul was restless. I had drifted off into my own thoughts and hadn’t heard its question. It was a little scared of the unknown. Wasn’t every human? This soul, at one point, would be sent down to Earth and be reborn in a human baby. I would spend its lifetime caring for it.

My name is Gabriel. No, not that one. But I was named after him. I was one of the keepers of souls, and I did my job with a song in my heart.

I’d only screwed up big time in my job once, and that had been a little while back. Time moves differently up here; what seems like minutes in heaven translates to years down on Earth.

But I digress.

I had decided to watch the 49ers vs. Broncos Super Bowl from the Eighties. I know, but I do love football, so the perks of travelling back in time are really nice. One of the other angels-in-training — who I was supposed to be supervising — made a big mistake and their charge on Earth died. I had to clean up that mess and thank God true love found its way back.

I continued my walk and thought about the beach. I was there with my little ball of light in seconds. I loved the beach — the color of the sand, the texture, the feel of it passing through my fingertips. Well, what I’ve read of it, anyway. I apply that to my mind’s eye when I let it sift between my fingers. Then there are the sights and smells, and the taste of salt on the tip of your tongue. The rolling waves caressing the skin of your feet as the tide rolls in. My little precious soul asked me how I knew what it was like.

“I don’t,” I said. “Not really.”

Then how do you imagine?

“I just do. I read books, I watch people on Earth, look at their faces so full of joy with the simplest things in life. Most of them know that it’s not meant to be forever and they cherish everything — from the sunrise to the sunset, the full moon, the wind, the rain.”

Will you ever be human?

“No. I am an angel of God. My place is here.”

But…then I won’t see you when I am reborn?

There was a slight hitch of nervousness in that little voice. Again, I felt a pang of something, and an ache in my chest. This was new to me. I didn’t know how to process it. I needed help.

“I’m going to take you to Raphael, all right?”

You’ll come back for me?

I brought the little sphere up to my face and peered at it closely. In all my time, I had never seen anything but pure light — until now. I could swear this time I saw pale blue-gray eyes and blond hair. Oh, heaven help me.



~*~

I found Raphael with Michael. Yes, that Michael. They were both looking with serene calm at the clouds. Heaven is beautiful. Everything you wish for is here. I smiled at couples strolling by — those who had found each other on Earth and were reunited up in heaven. They would stop and look at my little sphere. I held it closer to me, shielding it. Michael saw me first, and a wide smile graced his lips. His large frame dwarfed mine as he came closer. As Michael was brawn, I was smaller. Where Michael had long tendrils of raven hair framing his strong face and blue eyes, my blond hair was long and curly and my eyes were golden. Michael reached out to my sphere and I gripped it tighter.

“Gabriel? Is something wrong?” Michael inquired.

“I — yes, I need to speak with you.”

Michael motioned to Raphael, and then turned his attention back to me. He studied my face closely, making me squirm a bit. Yes, angels squirm. Especially if Michael is looking at them the way he is looking at me right now. My little sphere felt my uneasiness and heated in my hands. A sense of peace washed over me that I’d never felt before. Michael’s brows rose and he gently touched my bicep. Raphael smiled at me as he approached and I tentatively smiled back. He would be in charge of my sphere for a while. Raphael’s skin was golden copper and it glowed in the lights of heaven. His dark eyes were friendly.