alalalalala~~

The guitar is resting on my hands, as my fingers strum the strings producing a playful tune. It isn't really a song I'm trying to play, just a random melody from the random notes my fingers press. I'm alone right now, sitting on the edge beside the clock of the Big Ben. There are still minutes left before my work, before I collect what needs to be collected. The souls of humans that are due at 18:00 hours, giving me enough time to enjoy the stringed instrument on my hands. This is one of the few times I could relax. Angels may never feel tired but we do know the feeling of extreme boredom. Who wouldn't? Humans think it's great to be immortal. They don't know the half of it.

My playing suddenly is interrupted when a flying shoe just hit my head, making me pissed at the same time. A face was already inches away in front of me after blinking for a few times. Recognizing who it is, my hands move automatically to pinch the other's nose. "Damn it Gilbert, what's with the shoe?"

"You looked so serious, looking at the horizon with a guitar. Oldies."

"We are old dipshit, we're over a hundred!"

"Doesn't mean we need to act like one. Whatever let's go. Work's waiting…" I wasn't acting like one! I was being cool! I meant to tell him that but I'll just keep it to myself, or else I'll never hear the end of how much cooler he is. Standing up, I put the guitar down, not intending on bringing it to work. I wouldn't want that precious thing get in the way. Some souls run away from us and it is hard to chase them since they are very fast at escaping.

Gilbert stretches his arms and his wings follow. They remain hidden in sight unless when needed in use. I do the same, my back curling a little and let my wings free.

Slowly, we jump off the building and glide at the air, feeling the breeze past our cheeks. I am behind Gilbert since I let him lead the way. We are so high up under the clouds making the world beneath us seem so small. The people the same size as us look like ants, the cars only a little bigger than them. Everything is so small, even the establishments. It's like you're peeking on a doll house from the top view.

We land inside the emergency room of some hospital, entering through the window that is open widely enough for our size. Our wings fold back again now hidden in sight once more. The whole room is busy. Nurses and doctors are running around the whole place, cries of children and parents echoed inside out. All of them completely oblivious of our presence as they run here and there. This is where our work will take place.

There are newly brought people here, and most of them are from a car accident that just occurred on the nearby street, a few blocks away. While the others are busy praying, crying, and catching their breath, there are those who are looking our way. Their eyes narrowing to take a better look on us, wanting to see if we're real or just hallucinations. Humans cannot see us unless they're dying or we intentionally make ourselves visible to them. Little do they know that we intentionally came for them.

"You take the children Al, you're better at dealing with them, I'll take the adults." I nod my head before turning on my heels. I walk towards the very last bed on the room where a kid is breathing the lasts of his breath. The sounds of the machines and the doctor's stressed out orders combined with his parents screams, it is almost unbearable. This is why I don't like taking souls in hospitals. You would see people suffering around you. They wouldn't just sit there motionless, quiet and patiently waiting to die.

Hopefully, it doesn't take long. The Heart Monitor beeps flat and slowly I can see the kid's soul rising from his body. He leaps down his bed and watch the people cry for him, watch the doctors try to revive him. Confusion is obvious in his face as his eyes dance back and forth from the people, and to his body. Then at long last he finally considers my presence and asks. "Why is there two of me?"

"That is…your body kid. You are a soul now." I hope that information is enough for an 8 year old.

"Can mommy come?"

"No."

"Why?" He tugs the edge of my shirt, his eyes are looking at me questioningly. "Why can't she come?"

"Because Mommy is still busy, she ain't done with her work yet." The kid pouts. I reach my hand to him, waiting for him to hold it too so we may walk away. But he just shoots it a glare before looking up at me again.

"Mister, are you an angel?" Here we go again with this question. No matter how old the client is, they would never fail to ask me that. Don't I look like an angel to them? I see myself at mirrors and I don't look demonic or monstrous at least. "You do not have wings mister; you're not an angel are you?"

"I am an angel kid." Can't you see how angelic I look? His eyebrows are now meeting at the top of his nose, with his eyes looking at my hand bitterly. I think I already know what's going to happen next. Before I even got a hold of his arms, he is already running pass the beds, out the emergency room.

"Alfred! Catch that brat!" I hear Gilbert cry out loud. He doesn't really need to tell me that. I know what to do.

I try my best to catch up on him, the chase isn't suppose to be this hard if it weren't for the numerous rooms he keeps on going through. He goes through walls. We pass the ladies' comfort room but
I don't have time to enjoy the view really because of the kid. I sigh.

He keeps running, and when I turn on the corner he is already gone. There are only a few rooms for this corridor. Maybe around 6? I walk quietly, hoping to get any sound or voice. I peek my head through doors to see if he's there trying to hide from me. I go from one door and another until I reach the last door. If he isn't here I'm screwed. I take a deep breath before peeking in.

"Are you an angel sir?"

Gotcha… It is the kid's voice. I finally found him. I let my whole body slip through. But he didn't seem to notice my presence. "You look like an angel!"

"Well sorry lad, I'm not." He is having a conversation with a man. A take a few more steps nearer, curious about what's happening. The kid is dead, and yet he's having a proper conversation with him. Does this man know?

"Who's there!" The man's head swung to my direction and now I find myself become mute and frozen. His eyes are directly at mine. Green eyes for the matter. It is so bright like true emeralds, it is the first time I see someone with such eyes. I know it myself that I am taken aback by it.

But what makes me frozen in this spot is that he is looking at me, his eyes straight at my own eyes, when I am not supposed to be seen anyone except of course fellow non-human beings. He could see me and that is something that I should be bothered about.

"Is there someone there? Hello?"

I jump from surprise at the sudden pull of my shirt. I look down and saw the boy below me and looking at me. "Mister, he's blind!" He whispers.

I take those back. He couldn't see me and I also think he couldn't hear me too. I look back at him, his eyes are still in mine and for some reason I could feel my body tense up. He may not see me but he knows I am here. He could feel me. I look away back to the kid who is still looking up at me with pleading eyes, telling me not to take him away yet. I shook my head. "We need to go."

"He's an angel mister; I want to stay with him!" He tells in a whisper. I'm a freakin' angel too! I sigh. I frown at him and glance back at the unknown person whose eyes are now on another direction. Gladly he isn't looking our way anymore; I could admire him much more without getting bothered.

This guy has very beautiful eyes, it's a given. Ridiculously captivating. His lips are slightly pink and his skin is pale. His eyebrows, well it's not that perfect but it suits him. His expression may be blank but it doesn't ruin anything.

He has a pretty face, angelic. No wonder this kid here mistakes him for an angel. Add wings on his back and he's perfect. I think I will mistake him for one as well.

"He's an angel right? Right?"

But then he's not, and we got to accept that fact. I kneel down face to face with the kid. "No kid, he's not an angel."

"Maybe he is! He is just pretending not to be an angel!" He insists and I shake my head. Maybe…but no.

The child's grip on my shirt is shaking, he's about to cry I know it. There are soft but audible whimpers beginning to come out of his lips. I am about to speak when he talks suddenly. "Joshua? You're still here, are you crying?"

The kid ran to the edge of the bed, now clutching the sheets. "He said you're not an angel!"

"He?" The guy turns his head to where he could feel the kid's movements and gives a questioning stare.

"Yes, him!" Joshua points at me. "But you are an angel! I know it! And I don't want to come with him! I want to come with you! You will bring me to heaven right?"

He freezes for a moment. "Heaven?…" He pauses. "What do you mean?"

"I don't want to come with him. He will not take me to heaven!"

His shoulders calm down immediately after. Has he realized the situation already? He doesn't look afraid though. "I don't know who he is but, give him a chance maybe" He speaks of me ."He will definitely take you to heaven because you're a good boy. And then you will see a lot of angels up there and surely they'll take you for a ride in the clouds. You're going to finally feel the cotton like clouds. You're going to love it there!" He smiles. "Right sir?"

What! He isn't looking at me but I am taken aback from what he said. He really knows I am here, that someone other than them is here. I don't know if I should answer though, also it seems my tongue lost its confidence to speak. The only thing I could do now is nod my head.

"Really?" The child's head perk up to look at him. "They will?"

"Of course they will, because that's what angels do right? They make people happy." Joshua finally smiles again and he runs to my side.

"You will do that won't you?" I look at him without uttering a word and despite me trying my best to focus at the kid (which finally runs to me), my eyes are forcing themselves to return back at him. I nod my head without looking back at the little fella and the next thing I know is I'm being pulled out the door by this kid. It's rare for souls to be so eager! This man…This beautiful man in front me…. He's wonderfully amazing.

We head for the door, and just before I finally leave, I take one last look at him. He isn't looking our way anymore, but thankfully I decide to glance back. He is smiling, looking at particularly nothing with a piece of yellow rose in his hands that I hadn't noticed before. He seems contented and happy. I let a small smile creep in my face as well.

Thanks…

Since that day, I never fail to visit him. Every time I would be free, when there is no work I fly here in his room. I always enter through his window since it's always left open. But there are times when it's close and I have no choice but to enter through the doors.

How many days have I been visiting him? 7 days? Oh wow, a week already. And within this week I had known a lot about him, like his name. His name, I like his name so much. It's Arthur Kirkland. Sounds a bit elegant for me.

Arthur has brothers, and he's in the middle. He gets visitors a few times too. Actually, just a while ago some of his friends came.

He's been blind for 6 years already, and he's currently 23 now. I feel so old being alive for more than a hundred years already. Whatever, it's no big deal.

Arthur loves to read, and his blindness won't stop him. He reads through brails, and there are a pile of books just beside his bed.

Today as usual, I enter through the window and look for Arthur. But Arthur isn't here. My heart slightly panics when I see his empty bed. Where is Arthur! I immediately go for the door to look for him in this entire hospital. Gosh I don't know what to do when he suddenly disappears like this and I don't find him. I just want, need, to see him.

I am about to touch the door knob but it surprisingly turns and the door opens. I step a few steps back as a nurse rolls in a man on a wheel chair with his eyes covered with bandages. Pale skin, sandy blonde hair… It's Arthur!

They slowly put him in bed and I watch the doctors and nurses make sure he feels comfortable. The doctor gives him a few reminders and fe nods his head several times and smiles before the other people go out..

And then there's silence.

"Brother!"

Or not…

A child with blue eyes, and with the same hair as Arthur barges in running straight by his side. "2 more days! 2 more days!" It's his brother.

"Peter! I told you not to run!" Another man enters the room. He's tall, taller than me. He has red hair and green eyes like Arthur. But no one still can match Arthur's eyes. It's a pity I can't see them today with those bandages covering them.

"Brother 2 more days!"

They must've operated him.

"And then you will see us!"

I'm right!

Arthur chuckles as the kid approaches his bed. His hands find their way to his brother's hair and ruffles them slightly. "Don't be so sure Peter, it may be a failure."

"No it's not! You're going to see us!" He exclaims. "I'm sure of it! I know it brother!"

Arthur sighs. "I hope so…" And then he turns his head at some part of the room, and it lands on me to surprise. "Brother? Scott are you there?" He feels me again, though he mistakes me for the wrong person.

"You're facing the wrong way, I'm right here."

"Oh…" He turns his head towards his brother's voice. "Please take Peter home now. It's quite late already."

"It's only 3 in the afternoon."

"You can't fool me" Arthur frowns.

"Of course I can't." Scott chuckles and pulls Peter to his side. "Bye then lad. Sleep well."

"Bye bye!" Peter waves at Arthur with glee. "See you in 2 days!"

Arthur lets out a heavy sigh and smiles. "Yeah… 2 days."

The door shuts close leaving Arthur alone in this room, with me.

I remain standing still across his bed. His fingers clutch the sheets and they were slightly shaking. He seems to be nervous about this whole operation. In two days, he'll finally be able to see, but then it's better not get your hopes up. I know he can't help but wish that it's successful.

He slowly leans back his bed and remains motionless. I think he fell asleep already. His breathing is calmer now and his hands had stopped from shaking. His lips are slightly apart and his breath escapes smoothly. He must be tired after the operation.

I approach his bed and sit on his side. I observe his chest rise up and down slowly. His skin is paler than before, must be from exhaustion. This is not the first time I see him sleeping, but it always makes me want to touch his sleeping form. My hands always find their way in his cheeks to feel his warmth. His skin is so smooth. He looks like a doll.

I lean down to put my nose in his hair and inhale his scent. He smells like roses, so sweet and hard to pull away from despite his long stays here in the hospital. I close my eyes and let myself drown in the scent of roses.

Oh god, Arthur….

"Who are you?" My eyes open and I sat up with my legs ready to make a run at any moment. "Hello?"

I bite my lips. I want to answer him, I want to talk to him. I want him to hear my voice. Will I let him? Will I let myself be heard? But without answering my own question my mouth opens and I introduce myself.

"I'm Alfred."

There, I said it. Now what? Do I fly away now?

"Alfred? I don't know any Alfred. Have we met before?."

"No we haven't."

He didn't ask any more questions after and remained quiet once again. Somehow I don't want everything to end yet. I scratch my head as I think for any topic. Any would do, I still want to hear him more. I've already started this so why not make the most out of it? "Aren't you gonna ask me why I'm here?"

His head perks up. "Why? Aren't you a nurse?"

"No I'm not."

"Then why are you here?"

What am I suppose to answer now? I made him ask a question I am not really prepared to answer. A question that I actually am not supposed to answer. Do I lie? Do I have the guts to lie to Arthur?

"I am a visitor and uh, got lost and then I ended up here?" Hope that'll do.

"That's a lie isn't it?" I didn't work. He's good at knowing lies from truths. He needed to know lies from truths given his situation. You may never know if a person is already taking advantage of you. It's hard to be blind… I feel bad suddenly.

"Yes it is, sorry."

Arthur laughs a little at me. "So honest…" He stops and relaxes down his pillow. "So, may I know the truth now Alfred?" My name slides from his lips smoothly. I like it, I like it how he says it and now I'm beginning to like my name even more…

But back to my problem. He's asking for the truth now. I have no idea how to answer this question! Lying will not do any good.

I am here because I like you Arthur.

No way, absolutely no way I would tell him that. Dear me, what do I say? What do I tell him?

"I like your eyes. I was passing by one day and then I saw your eyes and it's kinda rare for me to see those eyes with that colour and I come here again to see it!" Words spill out very fast like a machine gun. I tell him that without thinking.

Great, he must think I'm a freak now.

His jaw drops slightly and he didn't say anything. It's like he's still trying to process everything that I've said in his mind. Or maybe he just got scared and thinks I'm a total weirdo! He opens his mouth to speak but I'm afraid of what he might say so I speak again before he could say anything."Don't worry I'm not a stalker or a freak or anything! Damn… You're mad now aren't you?"

He's silent again. I feel totally wasted now. Maybe it was better not to talk to him. I look up the ceiling, hoping this would end pleasantly.

Then I hear laughter.

Arthur's laughing making me confused. What could make him laugh at a time like this?

"Please lad, I'm not mad don't worry."

"You're not? Really?"

"Really. I'm sorry if you thought I was. I frown a lot." I let out a sigh of relief. I was already planning on flying away and let him wonder what just happened on his own. I was about to make this appear all but a dream to him.

"So I can come back here?" I ask with excitement. I know I'm not supposed to but if only for a short while I guess I'm not harming anyone.

"Sure you can Al." I throw a punch in the air and thank him. He laughs once again as if he knows what I just did. That laugh of his really warms my heart.

I would love to stay a little bit longer in his company and talk to him more, but I could sense he's already tired and sleepy. He must be trying his best not to fall asleep because of me. How considerate of him. My heart feels heavy just by thinking I will leave him already.

"Arthur… I need to go now. But I'll be back promise!"

He chuckles.

"Of course. I'll be waiting."

I stand up and walk towards the door. Passing through the window would be suspicious. He's floor is like, far up from the ground. No one would dare climb out from the window.

When I open the door, Arthur suddenly calls me out again. I willingly turn around. "What is it Artie?"

"I..." He sighs as if in hesitation to say what he's been meaning to. "Alfred... My eyes, they're green right?"

I smile at him. "Yes they are..." They're the most beautiful green ever...

He smiles too. his usual sweet smile I grew fond off. "I see. I was afraid I wouldn't see the same eyes if ever..." He runs his hand on his bandages. "They're the only thing that my mother left me with... My only remembrance." His mother? She must be the reason for Arthur's angelic face.

He looks at my direction. "Anyway... Thank you."

"No worries." I say. "Goodbye Arthur."

.

.

"Goodbye Alfred."

Dun dun dun!

I don't know what I just did but I hope you liked it~ (^_^)

Suggestions and criticism are very much welcome! dayum~