A Journey Like No Other

The morning air is crisp, the sun barely peeking over the mountains and the city is about to come alive. I exhale cigarette smoke, letting out a cloud that encircles my head like a halo before dissipating in the slight breeze coming in from the east. It’s been another long night of staring at the clock and willing myself to sleep, sleep doesn’t come easy, not since the cancer all but robbed me of a pain free night, not since my wife left. But I am alive all the same and today, like every other day, will be different. I’m going to keep telling myself that until it happens, I start back into the apartment, flicking my cigarette into a storm drain.

I’m not in the mood to be talking to the neighbors this morning but Robert from 258 says hello and I’m not such a callous asshole that I’d ignore him. We make idle small talk about his daughter, Katie. She just started the 4th grade, and I can’t help but smile at his enthusiasm for father-daughter day next week. The guy is wrapped around her finger and he’ll never be able to help it. After my brief chat with Robert I’m starting to feel better, not great, but better. Today might be different after all, my mom is at work and my sister is in class, looks like the apartment is mine for today.

I’ll be starting at the same University in a few months and after the divorce it made sense economically to move back in with the family for the time being. Now before I give you the idea that my life is all doom and gloom I’ll pump the brakes, I’ve had my rough patches and come back strong every single time. There’s just always been this nagging in the back of my mind, like a pebble in my boot, this not quite clear sense of wrong. I’ve been to shrinks and traveled across the country in search of answers, I’ve tried college and blue collar work, nothing sates the urge to run; and to not stop until I feel like I belong again. I suppose some questions have no answers.

I fumble for my key, sliding it into the lock. The door opens as it has every day for six months, but something is different; I can feel someone in the apartment. Without a sound I draw my Glock 26 from under my coat and make my way towards the living room, a quick step around the corner brings me face to face with the intruder. For a moment my brain switches off as the muzzle of my weapon slowly drifts towards the carpet, any thought of a threat forgotten.

Standing before me is a woman, I say woman, but “Angel” would be far more precise. She’s over six foot tall if she’s an inch, her hair, tied back, is a rainbow of pinks, greens and blues, her perfect alabaster skin and flowing dress serves only to enhance her breathtaking features. It was her eyes, however, that made my heart skip a beat, they were the largest I’d ever seen but not unpleasantly so, and a beautiful shade of pink. It took me a second to realize something was desperately wrong as she gasped, a beautiful hand covering her mouth as she took in my shocked self, those beautiful eyes filling with tears. When she spoke, it was akin to wind chimes on a spring day  as she struggled to hold back a sob. Her words cracked through me like a shot nonetheless.

“After all this time…. Is it really you?”

I’m just staring like an idiot, the rational part of me is wondering who this woman is, a larger part that I’m unable to quantify is filled with joy at her presence. I stifle my internal dialogue as she takes a step towards me. The muzzle of my weapon snaps up and the front sight comes to rest on the bridge of her perfect nose, I fall into cop mode; “Ma’am, I need you to keep your hands where I can see them and stay right where you are” my badge comes off of my belt in a smooth motion; I hold it up so she can see it clearly. “Sheriff’s Department, how did you get in here?”

I expected anything other than the small smile that graced her lips for a brief moment before another tear made its way down an alabaster cheek. When she spoke I had to fight to stay focused.

“I can’t imagine you remember me, and to say that we are old friends would not nearly do the matter justice. I will say that I am no threat and you may lower your weapon”

I came back to my senses against the warmth that threatened to take me over at hearing her voice a second time and scoffed. “Ma’am I-“

“Celestia”

I shake my head against a fresh wave of something at hearing her name, what the fuck is going on?  “Excuse me?”

More tears fell as her voice turned almost desperate “My name is Celestia Everfree, and I’ve been searching for you, Daniel, for the last thousand years”