Monday, November 17, 2008

Where Aren't They Now: 23

Karen saw an angel once.

She was 14 when it happened, but she never bothered to tell anyone. If someone had told her the same story, she would not have believed them for anything. But Karen wholeheartedly believed herself; she had definitely seen an angel, and she was content to keep the vision to herself.

14 is a scary age, and Karen had taken to spending time solo. She hadn't called upon the angels, hadn't been praying or even deeply reflecting at the time. Karen had been writing things in the gritty sand at a park, scrawlings that expressed things she would never say aloud. An androgynous figure approached her-- not closely enough to make her nervous, but near enough that Karen could see a humming glow around its skin. Karen's head ached when the angel smiled, and it left as quickly as it had come.

There was a new message etched in the sand when Karen's head cleared, but she will take those words to the grave.

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