Angels and Memories

Why does one believe? Simply for sanity? Something to grasp and use to explain life and reality?

The life I knew before now was nothing that I ever thought I would miss; I died before I knew what mortal life was. Barely twenty-three and the world was just a blank canvas for me to paint my hopes, dreams, and my achievements on. My family gave me everything though they could barely afford it. I was their precious daughter. Their baby. Their sweet and unjaded princess.

My mother gave me my name. Melinda Elizabeth. Though she died when I was nine, but I still retain the fond memories of her. Her ebony hair and the sea green eyes that sparkled in the sun. I got lucky when I inherited her beauty. My father was a man of honor and respect, worked his days at the docks or in the vendor courtyard down the street, making an honest living for me and his new wife. She would never be my mother but she tried. She loved me like her own and she always made sure that I knew that. That time is now long gone.

In the year of 1745, things were tough. Money was hard to come by and class meant everything. If you didn't have beautiful clothes or a fancy house or that scullery maid who cleaned up after you everyday, then you weren't going to fit in with the upper class. I never had that but my parents raised me right. Showed me what I had to do to catch that eye of a nice man that would take me to be his wife, give me the world and make me a happy woman. But as waited, I grew older and started working to help ends meet and making sure that we had food on the table for my younger siblings.

I took for granted working in that humble little pub. Bussing the tables for meer pennies, putting up with the drunken men who insisted that they should take a feel at my arse, and dealing with a boss who didn't care if I made money or not. All he wanted was something for his patrons to be entertained by.

I remember that night like it was yesterday. Never forgetting the dark brown eyes that seemed to pierce my soul or the flawless skin that radiated youth and yet had signs of wisdom and age. If I had known what I do right now I wouldn't have walked home alone that night. I saw him sitting by himself in that corner booth... Staring. I finished my shift and prepared to make my late night walk home to my family. I never made it.

It was a cold night. The rain had just died down and the pavement still glowed wetly from the warm light of the houses that lined the street. The dim lamps lit part of the way but slowly died out to nothing as I reached the vendors court. I felt a little uneasy listening to my own footsteps as they hit the cobble stone, with a steady yet hard tapping. But what made my uneasiness turn to full fledged fear was the second sound of footsteps that began to come from behind me.

I turned around to find no one in sight but when I turned back around to continue home, I found that man right in front of me. He had dark eyes which reflected nothing but the moonlight and skin that glowed as if it were ethereal.

"What is a lovely girl like you doing out here alone?" He'd asked in a hushed tone that sounded like silk against my skin. His head tilted a little as he took a step towards me.

I stumbled backwards, startled a little I guess. I couldn't answer him. I didn't know what to say.

"At a loss of words are you, pretty? Can you speak?"

"I-I- I can. What do you want from me? I have nothing but a few dollars. You can have it if that is what you're looking for."

"No, no love. I was looking to give you a better life. One of adventure and beauty," he offered out his hand. I took it but gasped as I pulled quickly away. He was cold, so smooth and cold like the richest of marbles. He grabbed my arm and pulled me to my feet. He pushed me into a wall.

I suppose he saw the fear in my eyes as he pushed my hair back. He sighed a little.

"I don't understand. You want to give me a life? Sir, this is a weird way of proposal. I don't have the slightest clue as to how to answer."

"You could say yes and find out," he said. His icy touch and deep gaze had me enthralled. I couldn't motivate my legs to run. I feared what he would do to me if I said no. I was frozen with fear.

What happened next would have made anyone panic. My world went black with the faint echo of this mystery man's voice in my head. My brain was compelling me to sleep but my thoughts were fighting to keep me awake. An all out battle lost to the darkness and any thought that I had dissolved into oblivion.

* **