Chapter 1 - What are you?

The Story of an Angel
By Amanda Giannetti

Once upon a time there was a girl who came down from the heavens above. With hair like gold satin, lips like red roses and eyes of a shallow, pure blue. She had on a pale blue dress made with the finest velvet satin. Cuffs that drooped from her wrists, hung down and swayed in the wind’s grasp. She came down from the heavens one day, to return to the village that was once her home. And still is.
The young girl smiled as she descended onto a bustling street, full of children and parents. She waved to people as she landed. Though no one even gave her a passing glance, the girl didn’t seem to mind.
Turning her head to a commotion behind her, she saw a group of young people talking amongst themselves. She smiled, and walked over to the group, listening to their conversation with acute hearing.
“ Did you hear the news?”
“ I did, but I didn’t find it very interesting.”
“ That’s you, I can’t wait for the new amusement park to open!”
“ Oh whoop-dido another kiddy place.”
The group of kids went on about the amusement park, even as the girl drew closer. The girl drew breath in, and let out a shy “Hello” in a soft but sweet tone.
“Hey did you hear that?”
“Hear what?”
“It sounded like a bell but only faint.”
“You must be hearing things, because I didn’t hear a thing.”
The girl stood puzzled, wondering why they didn’t seem to hear, or notice her, standing right beside them. She shrugged and stepped away from the group as they continued to talk amongst themselves.
Just then a boy was shoved and fell, falling directly through the girl and landing on the ground where her shoeless feet stood. The girl stood in shock even as the boy rose to his feet and started walking, as if nothing had happened.
She finally understood why no one noticed her, or heard her words. “ No one knows I am here. To them I am nothing but thin air, and a helpless whisper in the wind.” Tears were forming in her eyes as she realized why no one took notice of her.
Barely able to take the pain any longer, she started running in some unknown direction, letting her feet take her far from the busy streets. As she ran her feet barely touched the ground, as her wings helped her to fly.
The girl soon stopped short, her feet firmly on the ground. She was standing on a path that led into an orchard; the fragrant scents calmed her some. The orchard held a wide range of fruits like deep red apples to pale green pairs, to the ripest cherries to the softest peaches. The girl stood amazed at how many trees grew in a single place, and somehow, it reminded her of home.
She then looks down to the path she was on. Her feet began moving without command as she walked deeper into the rich orchard, staying on the smooth path that had a neat inlay of small tiles.
She soon came to a bench that rested between two rose bushes. Two cherry trees, still in blossom, stood next to each other just behind the bench.
Gentle leaves swayed in as a light wind rustled the petals, making some lose their grip and flow freely down onto the path, where petals have already collected in bunches around the bench legs.
The girl saw this as an invitation to come and sit, and to let the orchard sooth her troubles. She did just that, taking a seat on the bench.
Although she was relaxed she couldn’t shake off the event that had happened in the village just moments ago. The girl brought her hands to her face, covering it up as she spilled more tears that ran down her soft cheeks.
“Uhm, hello.”
The girl lifted her head, her tear stained face met a boy’s face. Who stood just a length from the bench. She looked around, wondering if the boy was talking to her. She saw no one else so she turned her head back to the boy, staring at him for a moment.
The boy looked to be about her age, maybe a year older. His hair was a light brown and came down past his shoulders a little, tucked gently in a loose ponytail. His eyes blue like hers but deeper, with a soft touch of green just around the center. His face had a soft gentle look, almost angelic. He had on a cream top that was neatly buttoned all the way down, and wore black pants.
The boy’s face flushed as the girl continued to stare. He shuffled his feet nervously, while running a hand through his hair, and then lets it fall into place. He had to look away as his face reddened more from embarrassment.
The girl gazed at the boy for a few moments longer. Then she turned her gaze to the gap where sky could be seen. The sun had started to go down as evening came, but that didn’t stop the sun’s rays from turning the leaves golden and the face of the girl, pale and gentle.
She closed her eyes for a moment; soaking up the warmth the sun gave her. Forgetting about the boy’s presence, and all other troubles, pretending that it was all a bad dream. Until she heard his voice again.
“I’m sorry to disturb you, but may I sit here?” The boy asked in a polite manner.
She looked at him again, noticing how his voice also seemed angelic, a soft sweet mild voice. She nodded her head and slid to the left of the bench, pulling her knees up and tucking in her chin.
Out of the corner of her eye she saw that the boy was still looking at her, and with such a gentle look as well. She listened as he cleared his throat. She turned her head to him, lifting her head up from her knees, wondering if he was trying to get her attention.
“I’m sorry to be a burden, but what happened that made you cry so much?” His tone was soft and sweet.
The girl had forgotten that her face was tear stained. She did her best to wipe it away with her left sleeve. Looking at the boy again she shook her head, not wanting to speak for fear that more tears would come.
“ Don’t want to talk about it? Well that’s fine with me, I don’t need to hear what happened. But I can tell it really bothered you.” He tried to smile, but it was so small and barely a grin.
Not wanting to be impolite, she did her best to force a smile but it faded just as quick.
“This place is beautiful isn’t it? I come here all the time when I want to get away from things. But it really surprised me to see you here.” He said as he looked from the girl to the sky.
She nodded, his small talk started to relax her, feeling more comfortable with him near her. She held up her hands, looking at the smooth fine lines of her palms. Turning her hand over she admired her smooth skin, a soft, pale complexion with a peachy tint that made her appear innocent and sweet. A thought rose in her mind as her thoughts bring attention to the boy again.
“How are you seeing me?” She spoke in a tight soft voice, half expecting him not to be able to understand her like the rest of the people she tried to talk to.
“What do you mean?” The boy asked, truly puzzled and for a second her thought maybe that this girl was only an illusion, a trick his mind was playing on him. Yet, she appeared real enough, “You look to real to be a figment of my imagination.”
The girl looked slightly surprised, but then smiled slightly at his comment. Her smile faded, “Apparently no one else can see me, and when I tried to talk to them they just say they are hearing bells.” Her eyes welled up as she recalled what happened back in town, a small tear trickled down her face.
“Well, your voice does have a very pretty sound, soft and sweet just like bells.” He smiled in attempt to make her smile again. When she didn’t look up his smile faded, he goes to move his hand to touch hers but as he does, his hand goes through hers. Astonished, he pulls his hand away.
Looking at him, and seeing him have fear in her eyes made her feel even worse. “Why did I come down here?” She mumbled quietly to herself as more tears fell from her eyes. She rose to her feet and was about to leave but the boy made a sudden noise of protest.
“No, don’t leave, and what do you mean ‘come down here’? Where are you from?” He looked at her in confusion as he tried to understand. Slowly he asked, “What are you?” He knew the question sounded awkward but it needed to be asked.

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