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Poet deVine
Administrator
Member Seraphic
since 1999-05-26
Posts 22612
Hurricane Alley

0 posted 1999-07-28 10:38 PM


She hovered outside the hospital window, waiting for the sun to set. She hated this shift, after sunset was the busiest time for her. But to graduate up one level to the Celestial Choir, she had to finish two more years as the Angel of Death. And most of her work was done after the sun went down, when the soul was relaxed and serene and was ready to be removed.

She moved closer to the window, the sun reflecting a brilliant orange fire in the glass. Her wings gently brushed the pane and inside the hospital room, the baby in the bassinet stirred. The Angel knew that when humans were close to death, like this child, they were given another sense; whether it was a sense of their pending death or the presence of the Angel, was not known. God had told them, ‘never ask questions…just accept what is’.

The Angel sighed. The door of the room opened and a couple walked in. The parents. A young couple in their late twenties, looking drained from the strain of sadness. Behind them, a nurse and a doctor walked briskly into the room, and began looking at tubes and charts, checking the monitor that blipped continuously to the beat of the baby’s heart.

For the first time, the Angel focused on the small body in the bassinet. A girl. Tubes in her nose, a small white cap on her head....she looked only days old. Sometimes, she thought, this job was almost unbearable. But all Angels had to do a rotation on the Death Watch. Angel Gabriel said it built Angel-character and made Angels appreciate Heaven. She knew, when this was over, and she was in the Celestial Choir, her voice would ring the loudest to rejoice about the joy of being in Heaven. Perhaps one day, this babe would be one of the many cherubs that flew around, fanning the Angels as they sang.

The sun was almost fully set. The Angel drew back slightly, preparing to enter the human space. Head bowed, she suddenly raised her wings to their full span and was gone, leaving the child to live a few more hours.

On the other side of town, in a convalescent home, an old man lay dying; no family or friends to stand by his side. The Angel drew herself into the room. No doctor hovered, no nurse bustled in to check his heart rate or pulse.

The Angel knew this man was very old for a human. Almost 90 years old. He could no longer function in life, therefore, it was God’s will that he come home to Heaven to free his soul. The man stirred as the Angel drew closer to the bed. She bent over him and placed her mouth onto his, drawing his soul out of his body with his last exhaled breath.

The soul, captured in her mouth, felt tingly and warm….a good man would cause this sensation. A bad or evil man would cause her to feel a cold, oily sensation. She left the man’s body and opened her wings. In an instant she was at the entrance to the Pearly Gates. She expelled the man from her mouth into a box, waiting outside the Gate. Turning, she left quickly. Angels were not allowed to witness the transformation of the soul. Around her, the other Death Angels flew in and out quickly.

The Angel went about her job throughout the night. One thousand, seven hundred ninety nine souls. Taken and deposited. Tonight only four were distasteful to her. Finally, she returned to the hospital room where she started. She had allowed the child to live a little longer, perhaps to allow the young parents time to accept the inevitable.

She entered the room and again the baby stirred. The parents stood holding hands, sobbing openly. A priest stood behind the father, his hand on the young man’s shoulder giving him what comfort anyone could. A nurse stood silently in the background….waiting…..in her mind, already preparing to wrap the child in a blanket and have it taken to the morgue after the final moment.

The Angel stood over the bassinet and lowered her face. The child stirred and opened her eyes briefly. A glimpse of me, the Angel thought….God had given the babe a glimpse of the Angel of Death to lessen the young soul’s fear. The baby, quiet now, lay relaxed…waiting.

The Angel placed her mouth over the child’s. Never before had a soul tasted so sweet! Amazed at the flavor of the soul, the Angel opened her mouth in wonder. The sound of the heart monitor droning the heart’s death was the only sound in the room. Suddenly, the mother fell to the floor, wailing inconsolably, rocking back and forth. The father raised his hands and covered his streaming eyes.

The flavor of the soul increased in sweetness! The small soul escaped from the Angel’s open mouth and flew unerringly back into the child….the babe stirred, then whimpered.

The mother quickly rose and reached out to touch the baby. The monitor beeped in rhythm to the beating of the small heart! The nurse stepped forward in amazement, felt the baby’s neck then rushed from the room, calling for a doctor. The priest crossed himself.

The baby cried once then opened her eyes, looked fully into the face of the Angel of Death, and smiled. The Angel, knowing she would be reprimanded, moved away from the bassinet. The sound of wings unfolding were covered by the grateful sobs of the father.

"Thank, God! Thank, God!" he cried joyously.

The Angel moved slowly to the side of the room. A doctor rushed in and examined the tiny body. Shaking his head, he turned to the parents.

"Even doctors can be wrong sometimes." he said. " She seems so much stronger now. I think she’s going to make it!"

The mother, unable to contain her tears of joy, stood touching the child’s cheek tenderly with one finger.

The Angel sighed and the baby turned her head as if to say goodbye.

"Now we can give her a name." the father said with confidence.

"Yes," his wife replied. "Her name will be Angel."

And the Angel of Death sighed. The sun began it’s cycle of a new day. And God smiled.




[This message has been edited by Poet deVine (edited 07-29-99).]

© Copyright 1999 Poet deVine - All Rights Reserved
DreamEvil
Member Elite
since 1999-06-22
Posts 2396

1 posted 1999-07-28 10:42 PM


I am in awe of this, dear Lady. You have a magnificent talent. Thank you for sharing this.

------------------
Shall I indulge in flights of fancy hampered by clipped wings?
DreamEvil©



leelew
Member
since 1999-07-10
Posts 89
highmount,ny,usa
2 posted 1999-07-28 10:50 PM


Beautiful! You are truly the best! Such a heart wrenching story.Thank-You

------------------
quote:
There are none so blind as those who see only with the mind and not the heart

Nicole
Senior Member
since 1999-06-23
Posts 1835
Florida
3 posted 1999-07-29 01:32 AM


Poet deVine, When my daughter was in a coma I can only hope she was met by your sweet and compassionate Angel. Your talent is incredible, and this was very moving. Thank you very much for sharing.
fjones
Member
since 1999-06-07
Posts 98
MS
4 posted 1999-07-29 09:07 AM


My only reply-THANK YOU

azblond
Senior Member
since 1999-07-01
Posts 637
The Steamy Desert
5 posted 1999-07-29 07:18 PM


My cheeks are moist, and tears are still falling. What a truely beautiful story, I loved it heart and soul.

------------------
For sometimes when the Darkness falls, we must surrender, take what is ours, and give what we can, and always remember love is somewhere waiting...


Craig
Member
since 1999-06-10
Posts 444

6 posted 1999-07-29 08:50 PM


Some angels write in poetry AND prose.
Poet deVine
Administrator
Member Seraphic
since 1999-05-26
Posts 22612
Hurricane Alley
7 posted 1999-07-30 07:27 AM


Thank you all for your kind comments. This story floated in my mind all day - don't know where it came from!
hoot_owl_rn
Member Patricius
since 1999-07-05
Posts 10750
Glen Hope, PA USA
8 posted 1999-07-31 11:41 AM


Wonderful, I got both goose bumps and tears reading this.....thank you. You are a terrific writer!
Poet deVine
Administrator
Member Seraphic
since 1999-05-26
Posts 22612
Hurricane Alley
9 posted 1999-08-05 12:54 PM


It amazes me that so many of our poets also write such good prose! May I suggest that you all volunteer to write for the Passions Newsletter? It won't cut into your time..may just be a piece now and then. Please see the Q & A Forum!

Sunshine
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-25
Posts 63354
Listening to every heart
10 posted 1999-08-05 01:15 PM


This was truly wonderful. Thank you for such a beautiful piece.

------------------
© KRJ 22 Jul 99
Sunshine
Words will always express our feelings true. ~~~ KRJ
Look, then, into thine heart, and write ~~~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow



JP
Senior Member
since 1999-05-25
Posts 1343
Loomis, CA
11 posted 1999-08-05 02:07 PM


It is work such as this that remind me that: Dum spiro, spero.

JP

elvira
Senior Member
since 1999-07-06
Posts 936
California
12 posted 1999-08-20 07:47 PM


deVine, thank you for the delightful shivers...such an exquisite goosebump story !
Christopher
Moderator
Member Rara Avis
since 1999-08-02
Posts 8296
Purgatorial Incarceration
13 posted 1999-08-20 10:23 PM


I too got shivers. You have such a beautiful talent!
(side note, you might be interested in Piers Anthony's version of "Death." Though written toward a teen audiences, I think his Incarnations Of Immortality series raises some provoking thoughts as to the afterlife!)

Absolutely beautiful once again!

------------------
Sanity is the playground for the unimaginative.



[This message has been edited by Christopher (edited 08-20-99).]

Denise
Moderator
Member Seraphic
since 1999-08-22
Posts 22648

14 posted 1999-08-29 11:46 PM


Thank you. What a comforting story. Very touching too.
Christopher
Moderator
Member Rara Avis
since 1999-08-02
Posts 8296
Purgatorial Incarceration
15 posted 1999-12-03 12:50 PM


As a couplet to your recent post, I thought I'd jump this one on up so the newer people would have a chance to read it!
Terrina Kethryveris
Member
since 1999-12-06
Posts 53
USA
16 posted 1999-12-06 01:57 PM


This gave me goosebumps. What a beautiful tale you tell.

"The sun began its cycle of a new day. And God smiled."

Wonderful lines indeed.  

Terri

 Truth be known, fantasy is much more appealing than reality.

Christopher
Moderator
Member Rara Avis
since 1999-08-02
Posts 8296
Purgatorial Incarceration
17 posted 2000-02-05 04:22 AM


Though she visits here infrequently, I wanted to share ms devine's prose with some of our newcomers! By pulling this from the depths, perhaps we can convince her to write us another tale. What think ye Sharon?
Do I hear any seconds???

patchoulipumpkin
Member
since 2000-01-01
Posts 196
Bermuda
18 posted 2000-02-05 09:08 AM


this is absolutely brilliant.  Extremely well written, i was locked in for the whole read.  Thank you.  Wow.
CrEaTuRe
Member
since 2000-01-01
Posts 260
Kuala Lumpur,Malaysia
19 posted 2000-02-05 01:56 PM


Thank you DeVine !
i'm still in tears :~) after your most breath taking work of art...

~~**hats off to you my lady......**~~

Dusk Treader
Moderator
Senior Member
since 1999-06-18
Posts 1187
St. Paul, MN
20 posted 2000-08-11 05:09 PM


*Bump*

I read this one long, long ago, and enjoyed it then, but only now am I replying. Great story Sharon, you weave a wonderful tale!


Abrahm Simons

"Keep on dreamin' boy 'cause when you stop dreaming it's time to die" - Blind Melon

Sunshine
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-25
Posts 63354
Listening to every heart
21 posted 2000-08-14 10:05 PM


Apparently this will be a Passions Classic [hey Ron, another new forum name]... so, Sharon, isn't it about time for another?
Poet deVine
Administrator
Member Seraphic
since 1999-05-26
Posts 22612
Hurricane Alley
22 posted 2000-08-15 08:12 PM


How about a suggestion? Give me a theme!!  
StarrGazer
Senior Member
since 2000-03-05
Posts 679
Texas
23 posted 2000-08-15 10:59 PM


Sharon, this was great! So when do we get to read more???

One Who Understands
Member
since 2000-01-20
Posts 251
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
24 posted 2000-09-02 12:43 PM


How incredibly, incredibly beautiful.  So heart warming.  And you created the scene so marvolously.  Absolutly fantastic.
Deranger
Member
since 2000-05-10
Posts 498
Somewhere, between here and there
25 posted 2000-09-02 06:03 PM


Hey DeVine,

Yummy. This was very good.  It reminded me of a book titled On a Pale Horse by Piers Anthony.  If you haven’t read it, I suggest you do…

Lalablahlala,




---
Spreading insanity, one post at a time

“Writing about darkness comes easily for me. I just close my eyes and write what I

LoveBug
Deputy Moderator 5 Tours
Moderator
Member Elite
since 2000-01-08
Posts 4697

26 posted 2000-11-27 10:40 PM


Just bumping it up so that it can touch others as it touched me.

"Where there is great love there are always miracles" -Cather
"Love heals everything, and love is all there is"- Zukav



serenity blaze
Member Empyrean
since 2000-02-02
Posts 27738

27 posted 2000-11-27 11:02 PM


How do you do it?  Sharon this is amazingly beautiful...I am totally moved by this. I've got tears in my eyes and goosebumps--and, I'm lighting ANOTHER candle.
wonderous
Member
since 2000-02-29
Posts 75

28 posted 2000-11-28 08:16 PM


Beautiful
shira
Member
since 2000-12-12
Posts 88
Hamburg, PA
29 posted 2000-12-12 03:00 PM


This is absolutely stunning... beautiful... so heartfelt. Very, very nice, I enjoyed it immensely.

-Shira

Broken_Winged_Angel
Senior Member
since 2000-04-06
Posts 994
Small Town, Somewhere
30 posted 2000-12-13 11:16 PM


Thankyou.
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