Lech

High up in the realms of heaven, invisible to the eyes of Humans, an Archangel lay on his stomach on one of the lowest viewpoints of Earth that they had – the clouds.

He sensed someone approaching but did not look away from the Human woman he was watching.

The Angel stood next to him now, following his gaze to the woman below. He let out a sweet laugh that sounded like wind chimes.

“Perhaps you are falling in love, Myalechier.” The Angel said, with a smile so kind it almost glowed.

“Yes, perhaps I am.” He replied, careful how he worded the phrase. The Angel then left him in peace.

The others had not noticed how sharp and pointed his tongue had become in his mouth, nor how the fine, silver, skeletal bones of his wings had turned thick and leathery. They had not noticed his feathers moulting, the roughness in his voice or the new twitchiness in his movements. They had not even noticed his once sunny, golden hair turning darker.

He was falling. Fast.

He was the Archangel of selfless love. That was the job bestowed upon him. Contrary to the Human’s beliefs God did not stay on Earth to watch people. No, he left to make other solar systems; other galaxies. He left his angels to watch over the planets and people he had created. He trusted them to maintain the welfare of the worlds he left behind. Trusted them with the job for an eternity. Surely if there was a purgatory this would be it.

God thought he had it all planned out. As long as they did their job they were kept in a euphoric mood. A blissful existence of which no Human happiness could compare.

He stared at the woman with hungry eyes, watching her hips sway as she walked and her hair flutter with the breeze and as he did so his mood darkened and some feathers fell from his wings. Soon, it would be noticeable and he would be cast out. But he despaired of love.

The feathers that fell from his wings had a grey tinge and they fell from the cloud down to earth. As he watched them fall he felt bitter. Bitter towards the Human temptress he would never be allowed to have and bitter towards God who had left him to rot until the end of time. And time never stopped.