Night Angel
Night Angel
She stared at the moon as tears ran down her cheeks, the light of the candles turning them to gems. Lowering her head, she looked at her father, his cheeks glowing and his eyes hollow. Then she looked at her mother standing next to her, bathed only in the moonlight; she could hear her crying. Seeing the red flashing of the TSO pin she had stuck to the black three foot sheet-metal rose, she turned left to look at Crunchy, a small stone gargoyle curled in a ball at the foot of the rose. He was covered in small ice crystals, dust-like snow sitting in the crevices. He looked serene, as though in a deep icy slumber, a small animal who had come to take refuge from the cold.
It was the first time she had gone to visit him in months; more than she would like to admit. But tonight was special; it was Christmas Eve. She wasn’t as excited as usual, she was lost without her brother, her Squishy. Decorating the tree had been hard on her this year; usually they’d dance around, putting on ornaments and chattering away while their parents watched. It never mattered how old they were, they would’ve done the same this year, even if he was nearing eighteen and she just barely fifteen, they were always small children at heart.
She snapped out of her reverie at the sound of snow crunching as her parents started to kick up snow crust around the cranberry ice bowl her mother had made so the three red and white striped candles cradled in the bottom wouldn’t blow out. Deciding to help, she kicked up her own chunk, standing it up when it came loose, building a small circular wall. Standing back, she looked back up to the sky, this time seeking out Orion the familiarity calming her. He always reminded her of her Squishy, both looking over her, protecting her.
The tears ran faster down her cheeks as everything faded out, only the pale silver light of the moon remaining and she felt perfect. Perfect despite her purple mohawk hat, her puffy blue coat and her black cargo pants; perfect despite her imperfections, her plain tan face and her short stature; perfect as the candle and moonlight rested upon her cheeks, her tears pure gold, her eyes emeralds, for they must’ve been the brilliant green she woke to every morning. For in that one moment, she was a Night Angel.
It was the first time she had gone to visit him in months; more than she would like to admit. But tonight was special; it was Christmas Eve. She wasn’t as excited as usual, she was lost without her brother, her Squishy. Decorating the tree had been hard on her this year; usually they’d dance around, putting on ornaments and chattering away while their parents watched. It never mattered how old they were, they would’ve done the same this year, even if he was nearing eighteen and she just barely fifteen, they were always small children at heart.
She snapped out of her reverie at the sound of snow crunching as her parents started to kick up snow crust around the cranberry ice bowl her mother had made so the three red and white striped candles cradled in the bottom wouldn’t blow out. Deciding to help, she kicked up her own chunk, standing it up when it came loose, building a small circular wall. Standing back, she looked back up to the sky, this time seeking out Orion the familiarity calming her. He always reminded her of her Squishy, both looking over her, protecting her.
The tears ran faster down her cheeks as everything faded out, only the pale silver light of the moon remaining and she felt perfect. Perfect despite her purple mohawk hat, her puffy blue coat and her black cargo pants; perfect despite her imperfections, her plain tan face and her short stature; perfect as the candle and moonlight rested upon her cheeks, her tears pure gold, her eyes emeralds, for they must’ve been the brilliant green she woke to every morning. For in that one moment, she was a Night Angel.