Prophet
Gabriel
Sadie’s thinking of the visions, the vivid ones she felt compelled to write down. Her lower lip is shaking, because not all the things she saw were good. She’s not quite sure she likes this, having no choice to be different. Being chosen by Death to stay with him had been special, a choice, but this archangel went rummaging around in her life and then left her behind.
“This isn’t okay.”
“I know.”
Death’s tone is guilty, and she looks towards his voice with surprise. “It’s not your fault. I still like you.”
“Good.”
Sadie leans forward, feeling overwhelmed and slightly ill. “I thought angels are supposed to be nice.”
“To be honest, most of them are awful,” Death admits and she laughs, a little bitter but still beautiful.
“What’s his name, then? My archangel.”
“Gabriel.”
“I want to see him.” Death should tell her that she can’t, that Heaven will provide, but he’s not exactly obedient to God, so he nods.
“Alright. Call him.”
She makes a hand gesture, like holding a phone. “You mean...?”
“No. Just ask him to come see you.” Sadie nods, fixing her eyes upward.
“Ahem. Gabriel, my archangel, please come here.” She waits for a moment, head tilted to the side. “Is he...”
There’s the sound of feathers and Gabriel is perched near her on the couch, cocktail in hand. He looks the same, grinning and mischievous and jerky, but he can make God laugh, so Death tolerates him.
“Your archangel, pet? I don’t think so.”
Sadie turns her head towards him. She’s suddenly furious and it lights her up, fascinating Death. She’s a strong one.
“You messed up my head,” she says flatly, looking solid and innocent next to Gabriel’s smirk.
“Yeah, but think of all the cool stuff you’ll see...uh...” Gabriel trails off when she gives him a look, pointing to her eyes. “I mean, cool stuff you’ll hear.”
He smiles at her, carefully this time, and drapes a wing over her shoulder. Sadie relaxes against him, smiling again. Death is a little jealous, but he knows what angel wings feel like, all comfort and warmth and safety.
“I’m not mad, mister, really, but I want to be told things. He tells me things.”
She nods her head towards Death. Gabriel chuckles, pinching her cheek.
“Aren’t you just adorable? Please, don’t be so formal, Sadie. Call me Gabe.”
“Gabriel. I like that better.”
He shrugs, folds his wings away. “Look, kid, I hear ya. You feel all lost and confused, all the myths are coming true, and you’re just a blind chick with weird visions.”
She nods slightly. “But you’re special, Sadie, cause I picked you.” Gabriel leans forward to tap the tip of her nose. “And sweetheart, I don’t pick just anybody.”
The sound of feathers are back as he disappears. Sadie sags against the couch, eyes closed. She pats the spot next to her.
“Death, come sit with me.” He does, letting her arm bump into his, head on his shoulder. “That shouldn’t have been so exhausting.”
“Angels do that. They’re like comets, really.”
He can feel her dropping off to sleep again. It’s too early, but she’s drained.
“Death?” Her voice is sleepy.
“Yes?”
“Thanks for not lying to me. I know you could have.”
“I won’t lose your trust, Sadie.”
“I know,” she murmurs, dropping off to sleep.
Death has to leave for work eventually, but he presses his thumb to her forehead, whispers goodbye. Sadie smiles in her dreams.
“This isn’t okay.”
“I know.”
Death’s tone is guilty, and she looks towards his voice with surprise. “It’s not your fault. I still like you.”
“Good.”
Sadie leans forward, feeling overwhelmed and slightly ill. “I thought angels are supposed to be nice.”
“To be honest, most of them are awful,” Death admits and she laughs, a little bitter but still beautiful.
“What’s his name, then? My archangel.”
“Gabriel.”
“I want to see him.” Death should tell her that she can’t, that Heaven will provide, but he’s not exactly obedient to God, so he nods.
“Alright. Call him.”
She makes a hand gesture, like holding a phone. “You mean...?”
“No. Just ask him to come see you.” Sadie nods, fixing her eyes upward.
“Ahem. Gabriel, my archangel, please come here.” She waits for a moment, head tilted to the side. “Is he...”
There’s the sound of feathers and Gabriel is perched near her on the couch, cocktail in hand. He looks the same, grinning and mischievous and jerky, but he can make God laugh, so Death tolerates him.
“Your archangel, pet? I don’t think so.”
Sadie turns her head towards him. She’s suddenly furious and it lights her up, fascinating Death. She’s a strong one.
“You messed up my head,” she says flatly, looking solid and innocent next to Gabriel’s smirk.
“Yeah, but think of all the cool stuff you’ll see...uh...” Gabriel trails off when she gives him a look, pointing to her eyes. “I mean, cool stuff you’ll hear.”
He smiles at her, carefully this time, and drapes a wing over her shoulder. Sadie relaxes against him, smiling again. Death is a little jealous, but he knows what angel wings feel like, all comfort and warmth and safety.
“I’m not mad, mister, really, but I want to be told things. He tells me things.”
She nods her head towards Death. Gabriel chuckles, pinching her cheek.
“Aren’t you just adorable? Please, don’t be so formal, Sadie. Call me Gabe.”
“Gabriel. I like that better.”
He shrugs, folds his wings away. “Look, kid, I hear ya. You feel all lost and confused, all the myths are coming true, and you’re just a blind chick with weird visions.”
She nods slightly. “But you’re special, Sadie, cause I picked you.” Gabriel leans forward to tap the tip of her nose. “And sweetheart, I don’t pick just anybody.”
The sound of feathers are back as he disappears. Sadie sags against the couch, eyes closed. She pats the spot next to her.
“Death, come sit with me.” He does, letting her arm bump into his, head on his shoulder. “That shouldn’t have been so exhausting.”
“Angels do that. They’re like comets, really.”
He can feel her dropping off to sleep again. It’s too early, but she’s drained.
“Death?” Her voice is sleepy.
“Yes?”
“Thanks for not lying to me. I know you could have.”
“I won’t lose your trust, Sadie.”
“I know,” she murmurs, dropping off to sleep.
Death has to leave for work eventually, but he presses his thumb to her forehead, whispers goodbye. Sadie smiles in her dreams.