Wings of Destruction (8 page)

Sarah began to fade. "Will I see you again?" She looked down at her hands as they slowly disappeared.

"We’ll be watching over you," Anael said. "I promise."

Martin nodded. Sarah disappeared from view and Anael took Martin’s hand, guiding him into his first flight. They flew up towards the clouds, saying a short farewell to the world below as they disappeared above the sky, the sunlit gates of Heaven opening for them.

Martin was tending his garden when Anael stepped out of the small home they had built for themselves upon an island in Heaven. He stopped watering the plants and looked up at his angelic partner with a happy twitch of his wings. Twenty-five Earth years had passed faster than they could have imagined, but they’d had enough time to build a life. They watched the world go by through their television set, protecting their earthly charges the best they could without physical interference.

There were still some gloomy days for Martin, moments when the darkness seemed to blot out even the light of Heaven, but Anael made a point of complimenting him every day. With Martin’s growing self-esteem, the little voice in the back of his mind that had tormented him for so many years was growing quieter. He was learning to enjoy life, one day at a time.

"Tim’s going to tell Sarah." Anael’s hand squeezed Martin’s shoulder. "I know you’ve been waiting for this moment."

Martin smiled, getting to his feet and brushing the dirt from his hands. He looked up at the sun before following Anael into the house. The television was on, showing the angels the ins and outs of the human lives they were watching over like a soap opera.

Martin took his place next to Anael on the sofa as Sarah invited her boyfriend into her studio apartment. Paintings lined the walls, oil artwork depicting an imaginary dystopian world she had named Ragnor. A comic and animated series were being made depicting her world, and so she had been able to afford the well-lit New York apartment.

"It’s good to see you, Tim. Come on in." Tim was wearing a suit, the neat folds and crisp shirt a sharp contrast to his round face and wide eyes. Downy brown hair hung into his eyes and he seemed to be hiding behind it as he perched himself on the edge of Sarah’s couch. An ambulance sped by and Tim waited for silence before he started to speak.

"Sarah, we’re getting serious. Really serious. That’s why I had to come here and talk to you,” Tim said.

Sarah walked across the apartment in a satin Chinese dress and sat down next to Tim, taking his hand in hers.

"If we’re going too fast, I can slow down. I never meant to make you feel uncomfortable." Sarah shook her head. "I never meant to push you into intimacy..."

"No. It’s not that. I want it, but there’s something you have to know first." Tim scratched the back of his neck, trying to ease the hairs that were standing up on end with nervousness. "I never meant to deceive you or anything. I want you to know that."

"I do know that. Come on, Tim, talk to me. What makes you think there’s anything I couldn’t understand?"

"I’m transgender. I was born in a female body." Tim blurted out his secret and averted his gaze. Sarah’s lips curled into a thin smile.

"I know." She squeezed Tim’s hand gently. “I figured it out a while ago. I just wanted to hear you say it. I knew you would tell me when you were ready."

"You’re okay with it?” Tim asked, his eyes wide with joyful shock.

"Of course. Why wouldn’t I be?"

"People usually freak out." Tim smiled. "You’re the first person who hasn’t taken it negatively. Do you already have trans friends?"

"Not really." Sarah stood up and walked to the window, watching the rain beat against the large window pane. "I just... I don’t have a problem with it. You are you. You are Tim. I love Tim. Why should the shape of your body matter to me?" She looked up at the clouds. She had no memory of her former life, but there was something that felt familiar to her about their discussion. As if she could somehow walk in Tim’s shoes and understand where he was coming from without even having to struggle with it.

Tim joined her at the window and turned her face to his, drawing Sarah into a gentle kiss. Sarah kissed back, drawing Tim into her warm embrace and whispering into his ear.

"God doesn’t make mistakes, you know.”

*~*~*

Anael turned off the television, reaching for a tissue. Martin was tearing up as well, trying to hide the water welling up behind his eyes but failing.

"I think it’s best we leave them alone." Martin nodded at Anael’s suggestion.

"They can find their own way from here. They don’t need us anymore."

"That’s right." Martin stood up and offered Anael his hand. He led Anael out into the garden where a gentle rain was starting to fall. Sarah had found her way and so had they, granted togetherness and fulfillment in God’s kingdom.

He pulled Anael into a gentle kiss. Anael wrapped his wings around Martin as they embraced and Martin could almost forget the acid rain that had eaten away the body of his love and the entire human race. It seemed almost like it had been a bad dream, an alternate timeline that had never occurred as far as God was concerned. They were happy now, together in a place where nothing could ever tear them apart.

Martin lingered, resting his head on Anael’s chest and listening to his angelic heart beat. He closed his eyes and a smile crossed his face.

"Is everything okay, love?” Anael asked.

"Yes, everything’s fine," Martin whispered. "Everything’s just fine."

The rain came to a stop and the clouds parted, letting the sun shine down on them. A rainbow appeared in the sky and they watched it together, hand in hand.

All was right in Heaven and on Earth.

Victoria was born in the United Kingdom but emigrated to the United States at age 21. She’s bisexual, happily married and still shouts in a British accent. She lives with her husband in Pennsylvania where she spends a lot of time playing and talking about video games, especially Japanese role-playing games. She has an author website at
http://victoriazagar.com
and is active on Twitter at
@landale
.