Guardian Angel (9 page)

“Dear Jasmine

I hope you and your charge are well. I know your situation is difficult, but I have faith in your ability and you will adapt and change.

Everything happens for a reason. Michael will soon ask to help in the wider world. Do not discourage him, merely stand by him and keep him safe, for the darker forces seek to influence him.

  In addition, keep an eye on Jazen. His charge is close to your own which will allow you to mind your friend and watch him for signs of the fall. He is a passionate angel and it would sadden us all to lose him. Do not let him directly contact her anymore; he has been warned. Also, keep in mind the lesson that Jazen represents to us all.

Remember Jasmine
“There is no coincidence, only certainty in action”. These events occurred due to the actions of others, on high and the pit and the universe at large. You will always have the power to influence the world around you.

I have faith in you

Metatron.”

The scroll shut and fluttered off, its contents erased now it had been read. Jasmine felt a little flustered after reading it. She had felt hot, her cheeks turning red from the line about the lesson Jazen represented. Jasmine shut her eyes and took a deep breath her emotional suppression kicking in to relieve her troubles. She opened them again and felt better, the worry now pushed to the back of her mind for contemplation on a calmer level.

After reading the scroll, Jasmine decided to return to earth. She had spent more than enough time away from her charge. It was part of a Guardian’s make up to miss their charges, but this was something more. Again, she ignored her feelings, remembering the scrolls words. She opened up her wings and returned through the circle of light, manifesting herself back onto the mortal plane to find Michael sitting by his computer looking up at her in wonder as she emerged.

***

“And…any news?” Michael asked again as Jasmine stared at him for a long moment. She shook her head slightly, as if a cobweb had been caught on her face, before smiling. She seemed a little ditzy and absent for an angel.

“
No nothing new really. My friend is ok. As for our situation no change, or new information,” Michael got the impression Jasmine was not saying everything.

“
Oh...well, that’s good I guess. They say no news is good news.”

 
Jasmine flexed her wings, letting the feathers unfold like a bird preparing for flight, before gently tucking them back. It reminded Michael of a small cockatiel he had when he was a child, who used to stretch her wings constantly, loosening her feathers and shaking off any excess dust.

“
So Michael, any news for you? Anything interesting going on the internet?” Jasmine asked settling down on the couch. The sunlight caught her hair and the outline of her wings giving her a beautiful glow, just as Michael had always pictured an angel to have. Although this time purely through earthly means.

“
As it goes yeah. A work colleague called Claire emailed me. She said she had a dream about what happened to me, but knew I was going to be ok. She even loosely described you. The whole thing seemed a little weird, but what with everything that has gone on, I can believe maybe she did see something. She also said she wanted to meet up to talk about it. Do you think I should?”

“
I think you should. It is possible she has some kind of connection to you or a special gift. Either way it would be worth looking into.”

“
Somehow I thought you would say that.” Michael stood up and picked up a pen and paper from a small table. He noted down Claire’s phone number from the email before turning off the computer.

 
“You know, Jasmine I’ve been thinking…since I saw that mugger’s angel. I cannot stand seeing things like that. People suffering and stuff you know. I mean I’ve always felt a bit powerless, like I couldn’t help. Now I have a gift, something special. Maybe that means I can do something to help those around me. Maybe I can save a few people. After all the rules that prevent you from interfering don’t apply to me” Michael paused feeling embarrassed “I don't know I‘m rambling.”

 
Jasmine smiled widely again thinking back to Metatron’s letter. Then Metatron’s words pushed their way back into her mind. “There is no coincidence, only certainty in action”. She felt another emotion push up inside her with such force she could barely contain it. She felt pride in her charge. She had felt pride when he had taken his first steps, when he had won his first sports game, but never anything as strong as this. Without thinking, she kissed him on the cheek and hugged him.

“
I am so glad I was chosen to become your guardian Michael,” she whispered into his ear.

  
Michael stood frozen, embarrassed and started squirming. Why did he feel this way? He had been hugged and kissed by plenty of girls. However, with Jasmine, it felt different. He coughed to clear his throat and pulled back a little, not wanting to break the embrace but at the same time too uncomfortable to maintain it.

Michael noticed Jasmine pull back a little, a single tear in her eye. He saw a brief flash pass over her face as she seemed to struggle with something, and then her expression returned to its normal warm but controlled smile. Jasmine avoided direct eye contact with him though and Michael wondered what had happened.

 
“I think it’s a good idea. You weren't rambling…well a little bit maybe, but your goals are good ones. I don’t see any reason why you can’t do a little good with your ability. I mean you have it for a reason, and I will be right there with you to help you out.”

Michael smiled feeling stronger and more confident.“I think I know just where to start. Let me find the phone...” Michael said grabbing the piece of paper with Claire’s phone number on it.

Chapter 4: Claire and Jazen

   Claire had taken a few days off work to concentrate on her meditation. Ever since she dreamt about her co-workers accident, she hadn't been sleeping properly. She kept seeing visions of the event, replayed over and over. Claire always took notice of her dreams; it was part of her beliefs that they were important windows to the past, truths in the present and events in the future.

Breathing deeply, Claire tried to relax. She closed her bright green eyes and removed an irritating strand of long dark brown hair from her forehead. She placed her hands in her lap and tried to calm her mind, replaying the dream she'd had the previous evening. It still disturbed her, no matter how much she meditated.

At the same time, she felt thrilled by the dream. It had such force, that whenever she went to sleep, it truly felt she had achieved a real connection with the other side. Outside influences were trying to tell her something; she just had to work out what it was. She had already spoken to her co-worker Michael and asked to meet. Hopefully he would be able to shed some light on what was going on.

 
During her meditations, usually after about ten minutes, she felt a presence near her. It always spoke to her, but she couldn’t make out the words, slightly too quiet to be heard. However, the presence always made Claire feel safe and comfortable. She imagined it was her Guardian Angel watching over her.

While at work and during the day, Claire went through the routine she required to put food on her table and a roof over her head. She worked with Michael at the publishing firm and, even though the work could be boring, sometimes it did bring a small sense of satisfaction. She wore smart clothing, short skirts (but not indecently so) and blended in with the crowd.

 
In the evenings or in her free time, though, Claire practiced altogether more esoteric arts. She was a modern-day Witch. Some people had tried to class her as a “Wiccan” or “Goth” on various forums and occult chat sites, but that had just made Claire laugh. She didn’t believe in female empowerment, wearing black clothing or rituals in graveyards. In fact, she wore a t shirt and jeans during her occult dabbling, and often practiced alone at home.

Claire practiced spiritualism and attempted magic to enrich her life. She believed it would help find a connection with the universe at large and escape the mundane of a normal life. Deep down, Claire’s choices stemmed from years of loneliness and difficulties.

Realising her focus had drifted, Claire began a low murmur and tried to bring her meditation back on track. The dream she was trying to replay eluded her, shifting like a snake, just out of reach. Claire became more and more irritated; she did not like being out of control or able to order her thoughts. Her meditation slipped away further as her frustrations grew.

Her heart quickened again as her feelings rose to the surface, her breathing becoming fast and shallow. Claire began to sweat, but she was shivering at the same time. She knew what was coming but tried her best to push it aside. She was in no mood for her body to throw a temper tantrum.

“
Ohh…no not again, not now…” Claire pleaded.

She kept her eyes tightly shut as her heart raced as she shook. Panicked thoughts raced through her mind. What if her practice caused something to go wrong? What if she accidentally stepped into the path of a car in the busy London roads?

She knew the thoughts were irrelevant and unlikely to happen, but they still would not abate, forcing their way into her mind. She had pushed herself too hard. The meditation was to calm her and relax her not bring on a panic attack. In fact her doctor claimed it was the need to be in control constantly that contributed to her episodes.

Claire’s breathing came in ragged gasps as she fought the panic attack that gripped her, until calm came over her, soothing the fears away. She finally succumbed to the temptation to open her eyes, and for a moment she thought she saw a nimbus of light around her, a faint caress on her cheek as her panic melted away. Strength spent, Claire lay down on her bed and tried to relax. She would be meeting Michael tomorrow and knew she badly needed to get some rest.

“
I guess I’ll just have to rely on you, then, my guardian,” Claire said to the ceiling as she fell asleep.

***

Jazen hated to see Claire push herself too hard. A lot of the time she could cope and she was fine, but sometimes when things got on top of her, her anxiety would return. Jazen had watched Claire since she was a little girl growing up, observing the trials she had endured and finally seeing the cold sometimes distant young woman she had grown into. Jazen knew that was just a façade, a shield to protect her from the world.

 
He had watched as she meditated, trying again to force the dream she kept having to the surface of her mind. She always had to be in control, she always had to confront bad things in her life, it was just her way.

 
During one of Claire's spell-castings, an imp had been summoned. It was ironic that one of Claire’s greatest fears had come to pass yet she had not even been aware of it. It had been when Jazen was back on high, summoned to be chastised for his direct interventions in his charges life. However Jazen knew the pain Claire had been through, he couldn’t just stand by while he had the power to help the one he cared for.

The Imp had implanted the dream of Michael’s accident in Claire’s mind in order to feed on the terror it elicited. Jazen had luckily interrupted the Imp before it could complete the dream. Had he been any later it would have entered her mind to corrupt her soul directly. He had banished it with a brief song of purity but by then the dream had already been deeply rooted in Claire’s soul. Knowing her, she would focus on it, thinking it had some deeper meaning.

Did the dream have some hidden purpose?. The Imp had manifested due to some infernal design rather than Claire’s spell-casting, but he could not be certain of the intention behind it. Whatever the case, he had to watch her even more intently now and take care of her all the more. The choir would not stop him from keeping her safe, even if he had to break their mandates. Claire seemed to sense him on some level, know he was there...maybe even share his feelings, if only on a subconscious level. There was no way he would ever let himself be parted from her.

Claire’s meditations weren't going well. The dark dream played havoc with her mind and disrupted her calm. She was having a panic attack, she was suffering. Jazen did the only thing he could; he manifested his wings and wrapped them around her humming a soothing song. One of the wingtips accidentally brushed Claire’s cheek while Jazen sang and she opened her eyes. For a moment, Claire’s dazzling green eyes seemed to meet Jazen’s, and he gasped thinking. Could she see him?