Fan Fiction ❯ Angel of Death ❯ The beggining ( Prologue )

Angel of Death.

November. A dark, cold night. The roof of multistory apartment complex. The wind howls like a hungry wolf, and tiny snowflakes dance around caught in the gusts. A middle aged man hurries home, shivering from the cold as snowflakes set on his skin and steal the precious heat. The streets are deserted, everybody is home with their loved ones. It's thanksgiving, the time when family shares food and thanks God for his bounty. Indeed, its time for celebration, and happiness for everyone. Well, maybe not everyone. A lone figure stands on the edge of the roof. Wearing just a pair of pants and a long-sleeved T-shirt he ignores the cold wind that ravages his body. A silent look of determination, a made up decision. Today its going to end. Today the pain will stop. A tear rolls down his cheek and freezes instantly.

No regrets, no apologies, no more lies…

A last look at cold stars…

No turning back now…

A jump into abyss...

A fall seems to last forever and then…

Warm darkness envelopes him and he find himself on the same rooftop.

-Is it what you really want?- A heavy hand rests on young man's shoulder.

-But, I just… I should have been… Am I…?- Angelo stammered.

-Dead? No, not just yet.- Stranger answered.

Slowly Angelo turned around a looked at the man. His heavy coat was well worn, with quite a few patches covering the holes. The strangers face was not in any way remarkable or familiar, but Angelo felt that he knew this person.

-Wh, who are you?- Angelo asked staring at the man.

-I think you know the answer, you should know me very well.

A sudden realization.

-God?!

A gentle smile to confirm the guess.

-Angelo, you don't realize how important you are, do you, silly boy?

-Why? Why didn't you let me die? Why do you keep torturing me?

The smile fades.

-You can't die yet. You have a role to fulfill.

-Role? What fricking role?

-I'm sorry child, but it's time for you to find out. You see Angelo Roe, you are my Angel of Death.

Angelo froze not knowing what to do.

-I know, it's hard for you to apprehend all of this right now, my poor child. I'll give you some time to think it over. And remember, I'm always watching you.

Then just like that, the man disappeared into the night.

The stranger was long gone, but Angelo was still unable to move. His mind feverishly tried to sort things out, to make sense of the recent events, but it couldn't handle it. The stranger claimed to be God, but for some reason Angelo believed him. Suddenly Angelo realized how cold he was. His half-frozen limbs refused to bend, and by sheer willpower alone, Angelo made it inside. He slowly stumbled down the stairs towards the ground floor. His bare feet left bloody footprints on the steps, and his fingers refused to move as he tried to get a hold of a guardrail. Each movement was agonizingly painful, yet slowly and steadily, Angelo made his way down the stairs. It took him two hours to go down the 3 flights of stairs. Then without a warning Angelo's strength abandoned him and he collapsed in a staircase corner. Angelo just wanted to go home now, but he had no home to go to. His thoughts were in disarray and his normally keen senses were practically nonexistent. It took him a while to notice a young girl standing on top of the stairs. Her mouth moved, but Angelo could only hear low buzzing. Slowly, the words, strangely muffled, began to make sense.

-Mommy, Mommy, there is a man lying down there!!!- She yelled pointing at his lifeless body.

"Don't you mean dying?"

-He is just a bum, get inside now!!!- Her mother said angrily.

"That's right, I don't have a home anymore".

-But Mommy, he looks really hurt!!!- Girl cried out.

"My physical wounds are nothing compared to my soul ache".

-I told you, he is just a nobody, a bum who wasted his life!!!- Strict mother screamed, as she dragged the Girl inside the apartment.

"A nobody who wasted his life, describes me pretty well".

The door slammed shut and the bolt turned over cutting Angelo off.

"Happy thanksgiving to you too…"

"I came here to die, so why am I clinging to life now?" Angelo wondered as his tired mind trailed off into unconsciousness.

A quiet noise pulled Angelo out of his feverish slumber. Through his half-opened eyes, he saw the Girl as she closed the apartment door and then heard the sound of bolt turning. His gaze shifted to a turkey sandwich in his hand, and a small blanked covering his feet. Tears filled Angelo's eyes as he wolfed down the sandwich. This was the only good thing that happened to him in forever. Feeling a little bit better, Angelo fell asleep again.