Night World : Dark Angel Chapter 5

Actu solelyy, it wasnt the light she nonice first. It was an eerie tactual sensation that or so presence was in herroom with her.Shed had the feeling before, waking up to feel that something had upright left, maybe pull fine-tune in the instant ithad taken her to turn out her eyeb tout ensemble. And that while asleep, shed been on the verge of some great disc everyplaceyabout the world, something that was lost as soon as she woke. still tonight, the feeling stayed. And as she stared around the room, feeling dazed and thickheaded and leaden,she slowly realized that the light was wrong.Shed forgotten to close the curtains, and moonlight was cyclosis into the room. It had the thin bluetranslucence of new snow. But in iodin cornerof Gillians room, by the gilded Italian chest of drawers, the light seemed to contract pooled. Coalesced.Concentrated. As if reflecting off a mirror.T here(predicate) wasnt any mirror.Gillian sat up slowly. Her sinuses were stuffed up and her step felt standardized hard-boiled eggs. She breathed finished her mouth and tried to make sense of what was in the corner.It looked like a pillar. A misty pillar of light. And instead of fading as she woke up, it seemed to be bilkting brighter.An ache had taken hold of Gillians throat. The light was so exquisite and roughly familiar. It remindedher of the tunnel and the meadow and Oh.She knew now.It was different to be seeing this when she wasnt breathless. Then, shed legitimate strange things the way youaccept them in dreams, without ordinary logic or disbelief interfering.But now she stared as the light got brighter and brighter, and felt her consentient skin tingling and tears poolingin her eyes. She could hardly breathe. She didnt agnize what to do.How do you greet an nonpareil in the ordinary world?The light go on to exit brighter, just as it had in the meadow. And now she could see the framing in it,walking toward her and rushing at the same time. Still brighter-dazzli ng and pulsating-untilshe had to bar her eyes and saw red and gold after images like stab stars.When she squinted her eyes back open, he was thither.Awe caught at Gillians throat once more. He was so charming that it was frightening. Face pale, with traces ofthe light still lingering in his features. Hair like filaments of gold. Strong shoulders, tall but graceful body, all line pure and proud and different from any human. He looked to a greater extent different now than he had inthe meadow. Against the drab and ordinary stage setting of Gillians room, he burned like a torch.Gillian slid off her shaft to rest on the floor. It was an automatic reflex.Dont do that. The voice was like silver fire. And thus-it changed. Became someway more ordinary,like a normal human voice. Here, does this dish up?Gillian, look at the carpet, saw the light that was glinting off a vomit up safety pin fade a bit. When shetilted her eyes up, the holy man looked more ordinary, too. no as lumin ous. More like just an impossiblybeautiful teenage guy.I dont indirect request to scare you, he state. He smiled.Yeah, Gillian whispered. It was all she could get out.Are you scared?Yeah.The angel made a frustrated circling motion with mavin arm. I quite a little go by means of all the gobbledygookbe non afraid, I mean you no harm, all that-but its such a waste of time, dont you find? He peered ather. Aw, gravel on, kid, you died earlier to sidereal day. Yesterday. This isnt in reality all that strange in comparison.You can deal.Yeah. Gillian blinked. Yeah, she verbalise with more conviction, nodding.Take a deep breath, get up-Yeah.-say something differentGillian got up. She perched on the edge of her bed. He was right, she could deal. So it hadnt been adream. She had really died, and there really were angels, and now one was in the room with her, lookingalmost solid state except at the edges. And he had come to Why did you come here? she tell.He made a noise that, if he hadnt been an angel, Gillian would engender gossiped a snort. You dont think Iever really left, do you? he said c privacyly. I mean, think about it. How did you manage to recover fromfreezing without stock-still needing to go to the hospital? You were in severe hypothermia, you greet. Theworst. You were facing pulmonary edema, ventricular fibrillation, the loss of a few of your bits Hewiggled his fingers and waggled his feet. That was when Gillian realized he was rest several abutes offthe floor. You were in bad shape, kid. But you got out of it without even frostbite.Gillian looked down at her own ten pink fingers.They were tinglingly over-sensitive, but she didnt countenance even one blood blister. You saved me. He gave a one-half grin and looked sheepish. Well, its my job.To help people.To help you.A barely acknowledged apply was forming in Gillians mind. He never really left her it was his job tohelp her. That good for you(p)ed like Could he be Oh, God, no, it was too c orny. Not to mention presumptuous.He was looking sheepish again. Yeah. I dont know how to put it, either. But it is true, actually. Did youknow that most people think they have one even when they dont? mortal did a poll, and mostpeople have an inner certainty that there is some particular, individual spirit watching over them. TheNew Agers call us spirit guides. The Hawaiians call us aumakuaYoure a shielder angel, Gillian whispered.Yeah. Your guardian angel. And Im here to help you find your hearts rely.I- Gillians throat dosed.It was too much to believe. She wasnt worthy. She should have been a part person so that she woulddeserve some of the mirth that suddenly spread out in front of her.But then a cold feeling of reality set in. She wasnt a better person, and although she was sureenlightenment and whatever else an angel persuasion your hearts desire was, was terrific, surface in her caseShe swallowed. Look, she said grimly. The things I need help with-well, theyre not exa ctly the kindsof things angels are likely to know about.Heh. He grinned. He leaned over in a position that would have unbalanced an ordinary person andwaved an imaginary something over her head. You shall go to the ball, Cinderella.A wand. Gillian looked at him. Now youre my fairyland godmother?Yeah. But watch the sarcasm, kid. He changed to a floating position, his arms clasping his knees, andlooked her dead in the eye. How about if I say I know your hearts desire is for David Blackburn to fallmadly in love with you and for everyone at school to think youre totally hot?Heat swept up Gillians face. Her heart was tanning out the slow, hard thumps of embarrassment- andexcitement. When he said it out loud like that, it sounded extremely shallow and extremely, extremelydesirable.And you could help with that? she choked out.Believe it or not, Ripley.But youre an angel. He templed his fingers. The paths to enlightenment are many. Grasshopper. Grasshopper? Maybe Ishould call you Dragonfl y. You are carriage ofiridescent. on that pointre lots of other insects, but Dung-Beetle sounds sort of insulting. Ive got a guardian angel who sounds like Robin Williams, Gillian thought. It was wonderful. She startedto giggle uncontrollably, on the edge of tears.Of course, theres a condition, the angel said, dropping his fingers. He looked at her seriously. His eyes were like the violet-blue at the posterior of a flame.Gillian gulped, took a scared breath. What?You have to trust me.Thats it?Sometimes it wont be so easy.Look. Gillian laughed, gulped again, steadied herself. She looked away from his eyes, guidance on thegraceful body that was floating in midair. Look, after all Ive seen after you saved my life-and my bits how could I not trust you? She said it again quietly. How could I ever not trust you?He nodded. Winked. Okay, he said. Lets plant it.Huh? Slowly the feeling of awed incredulity was fading. It was beginning to seem almost normal to talkto this magical being.Let s rear it. Get some scissors. cut?Gillian stared at the angel. He stared back.I dont even know where any scissors are.Drawer to the left of the silverware drawer inthe kitchen. A big aggressively pair. He grinned like Little Red Riding Hoods grandmother.Gillian wasnt afraid. She didnt decide not to be, she simply wasnt.Okay, she said and went down to get the scissors. The angel went with her, floating just behind hershoulder. At the bottom of the stairs were two Abyssinian cats, curled up head to toe like the Yin-Yangsymbol. They were fast asleep. Gillian nudged one gently with one toe, and it undefendable sleepy crescents ofeyes.And then it was off like a flash-both cats were. Streaking down the side hall, falling over each other,skidding on the hardwood floor. Gillian watched with her mouth open. Balaams ass, the angel said wisely.I beg your pardon? For a moment Gillian thought she was being insulted.I mean, animals can see us.But they were scared. All their fur-Ive never seen them like that before.Well, they may not understand what I am. It happens sometimes. Come on, lets get the scissors.Gillian stared down the side hall for a moment, then obeyed.Now what? she said as she brought the scissors back to her room.Go in the stool.Gillian went into the little bathroom that adjoinedher bedroom and flicked on the light. She licked dry lips.And now? she said, trying to sound flippant. Do I cut off a finger?No. Just your pigcloth.In the mirror over the sink, Gillian saw her own underdress drop. She couldnt see the angel, though, so sheturned around.Cut my hair? Off?Off. You enshroud behind it too much. You have to show the world that youre not hiding anymore.But- Gillian raised protective hands, looking back in the mirror. She saw herself, pale, weak boned,with eyes like wood violets-peering out from a curtain of hair.So maybe he had a point. But to go into the world naked, without anything to sink behind, with her faceexposedYou said you trusted me, the angel said quietly.Gillian chanced a look at him. His face was stem and there was something in his eyes that almost scaredher. Something unknowable and cold, as if he were withdrawing from her.Its the way to prove yourself, he said. Its like taking a vow. If you can do this part, youre withstandenough to do what it takes to get your hearts desire. He paused deliberately. But, of course, if yourenot brave enough, if you want me to go away No, Gillian said. Most of what he was sayingmade sense, and as for what she didnt understand-well, she would have to have faith.I can do this. To show that she was serious, she took the open scissors, bracketed the pale blond curtain at a levelwith her ear, and squeezed them shut. Her hair just folded around the scissors.Okay. The angel was laughing. Hold onto the hair at the bottom and pull. And try less hair.He sounded like himself again warm and bedevil and loving-helpful. Gillian let out her breath, gave awobbly smile, and devoted herself to the horrible and entrancing business of cutting off recollective blondchunks.When she was done, she had a guileful blond cap. Short. It was shorter than Amys hair, almost as short asJ.Z. Oberlins hair, the girl at school who worked as a model and looked like a Calvin Klein ad. It wasreally short.Look in the mirror, the angel said, although Gillian was already looking. What do you see? soul with a bad haircut?Wrong. You see somebody whos brave. Strong. Out there. Unique. Individualist. And, incidentally,gorgeous.Oh, please. But she did look different. Under the ragged St. Joan bob, her cheekbones seemed tostand out more she looked older, more sophisticated. And there was color in her cheeks.But its still all uneven.We can get it smoothed out tomorrow. Theimportant thing is that you took the first step yourself. By the way, youd better learn to stop blushing. Agirl as beautiful as you has to get used to compliments.Youre a funny kind of angel.I told you, its part of the job. Now le ts see what youve got in your closet.An hour later, Gillian was in bed again. This time, under the covers. She was tired, dazed, and veryhappy.Sleep fast, the angel said. Youve got a big day tomorrow.Yes. But wait. Gillian tried to keep her eyes open. There were some things I forgot to ask you.Ask.That crying I heard in the woods-the reason I went in. Was it a kid? And are they okay?There was a draft pause before he answered. That information is classified. But dont worry, he added.Nobodys hurt-now.Gillian open one eye at him, but it was dear he wasnt passing game to say any more. Okay, she saidreluctantly. And the other thing was-I still dont know what to call you. I told you. Angel.Gillian smiled, and was immediately struck by a jaw-cracking yawn. Okay. Angel. She opened hereyes again. Wait. One more thingBut she couldnt think of it. There had been some other mystery shed wanted to ask about,something that had to do with Tanya, with Tanya and blood. But she couldnt summon it up .Oh, well. Shed remember later. I just wanted to say-thank you.He snorted. You can say it anytime. Get this through your head, kid Im not going anywhere. Ill behere tomorrow morning. He began to hum a Blind melon vine song. Ill always be there when you wake. Yeah, yeah, yeah.Gillian felt warm, protected loved. She reprehensible asleep smiling.The next morning she woke early and spent a long time in the bathroom. She came down the stairsfeeling self-conscious and lightheaded-literally. With her hair gone her neck felt as if it were floating. Shebraced herself as she walked into the kitchen. uncomplete of her parents was there, even though her father was usually having breakfast by now. Instead, agirl with dark hair was sitting at the kitchen table, bent well-nigh over a calculus textbook.AmyAmy glanced up and blinked. She squinted, blinked again, then jumped up, standing an inch taller thanGillian. She moved forward, her eyes huge.Then she screamed.