1 Sixteenth Birthday

I looked out at the rain falling outside in a continuous, endless rhythm as I sat on the window sill. I looked back at Luke as he slept, deciding to take the opportunity to fill my day's journal report.

I've been filling a book with insights on Earth ever since I was stranded here. The memories, still fresh in my mind, replayed themselves over and over.

It was about 2 years ago, me and my squadron were on a special mission, to eradicate the army of demons in this city and vitalise it's residents.

The hordes of demons were overwhelming and the lower ranked angels started falling. I called a retreat to save the lower ranked angels but I was left behind while trying to save an injured angel.

The angel, Matt, ending up dying due to lack of proper medical attention. I was an Angel but I couldn't heal him, you see, all angels rely on each other to survive, that's why there are squadrons. Each squadron is made up of at least one of each rank of angels.

Archangels. Ruling angels. God's emissaries. Protectors of human life.

Cherubim. Angels of harmony and wisdom. Guardians of spiritual sanctuaries.

Seraphim. Angels of love, light and fire. Protectors of The Divine's throne

Thrones. Angels of will and justice. Givers of positive energy.

Dominions. Angels of intuition, the leaders. Give advice to lower angels.

Virtues. Angels of choice and motion. Provide enlightenment.

Powers. Angels of power and defense. Keepers of history, the warriors.

Principalities. Angels of time and blessing. Guardians of countries and cities. Educators of the Earth.

Angels. The messengers of mankind. Guardians to humans and nature.

Virtues are usually the best healers. I still vividly remember calling out to the Virtue on my squadron to save him, but it was all in vain. And that's how I got stranded on Earth.

I woke up from my thoughts and saw another of my feathers fall off. They've been falling pretty quickly recently. I inspected the feathers then just closed my eyes in wait for the next day.

...

Today was finally the big day. I've been waiting for this for a few months. I've been on Earth for more than 2 years but I still haven't revealed myself to anyone, I just collected data on Earth. But today this was going to change, I was going to reveal myself to Luke.

Today was his sixteenth birthday so I decided I was going to do it today.

It started out as just a normal day. I followed Luke around and floating beside him and observing everything.

This school thing still seems useless to me. I don't get why they don't just do moral training for kids then actually teach teens what they want to study instead of just bombarding them with absolutely useless information.

I followed him as he entered the bus but just got lost in thought on the ride.

I just followed him around school helping him in some classes and tests until it was time to go home.

I flew home ahead of him to see what his mom planned for him. Luke lived with his mom and she typically celebrated his birthday well. His mom really cared for him and loved him and vice versa. I reached his house and saw his mom preparing some decorations. I helped speed things up a bit. She actually planned to eat cake with him then watch a movie and end it with gifts.

I went to Luke's room and looked around the familiar room with the rock band posters, the untidy bed and cluttered desk.

I sat down on the bed then prepared my gift before turning off my invisibility and lying down, waiting for him.

I couldn't help but feel weird, I inspected my wings and noticed a few whiter-than-the-rest feathers and they were from the spots where I lost feathers previously. Then it finally clicked...I was moving up a rank!

By now it was already past eight. I heard the door handle shift and I braced myself. I was starting to get cold feet but it I was already in too deep to quit.

The door opened and Luke was standing there.

"Hey." I said with a small wave.

"....." Luke was simply shocked, he slowly made his way to the bed and laid down beside me. "Who are you?" He asked, his initial shock washing off.

"I'm an angel."

He burst into laughter, then tried to pull off my 'fake' wings. He moved back in shock.

"Yo..your real?!" He asked.

1 hour of explaining later

"So, you're saying your stranded on earth for further notice?"

"Yep"

"Could you at least lose the wings, they're a bit...what's the word...bold." he asked, pointing at my even whiter wings.

"Don't worry, no one else can see me, but I think I can hid them." I said flapping them, trying to get them into the right position, "It's been a while since I did it last, so it might take some time."

Fastforward a few minutes later and they finally disappeared in a puff of white feathers.

"Finally." I said falling with my back to the bed. I looked over and saw Luke already sleeping, he was probably exhausted from today so I tucked him in and went to rest.

I watched his mom enter to give him a goodnight kiss with a small smile flashing across his face then I jumped through the window, spreading my wings at the same time and soared through the sky with the cool night breeze.