The One Who Walks With Angels
Chapter 1:
Love Conquers Death
(AN- this I another one of the three new stories I mentioned in my dead world story. Please enjoy)
Lilly's POV:
On my shoulder rests the arm of the bestest friend I'll ever have. Humphrey smiles along with me as the camera flashes. "Next!" I hear, and Humphrey and I step off of the picture stage. By Tuesday next week I will be able to pick up those pictures in my home room class.
Humphrey pulls on my arm, "Lets dance." He grins to me as he twirls me to the dance floor.
I laugh. "Of course." I dance with my date for this dance. Three days ago I am sitting at my table with my friends when Humphrey walked up and asked me to this dance. I was thrilled, and here I am now. Having the time of my life with this amazing guy. The way his smile sparks this fire in my chest makes me feel alive, and when we hear the Dj say it is time to slow things down for a bit, electricity pulses through my hips as Humphrey rests his hands on them. I put my arms around his shoulders and look into his eyes, like, really look into them for the first time. As I gaze into the deep blue eyes I see happiness. I see warmth. And, I don't know if my wishfulness is tricking me, but I think I see love in them too.
Is it love? How can it be. I've never had anyone love me, ever. I've been single for as long as I can remember. But then this galliant knight comes riding along, and I wonder if he is the one destined to save me from this lonely prison.
I shake my head slightly, ashamed at my little girl fairy tails and fantasies. This is the real world. The cold grasp of society making love only look good in movies. But I focus my thoughts back to Humphrey, and I find myself not caring. Society can kiss it, I want Humphrey. Right there is when it clicks. The sparks he has been sending me is returned with a flame. The flame grows, and I press closer to Humphrey as we dance. There is nothing in the world that could pull me away from him as of right now, and the night slips through my fingers.
And I feel like crying as I hear the Dj say that the last song for the night is currently playing. But I don't. I squeeze Humphrey tighter and make it last. Then as the end comes way too soon, I look up and see Humphrey lean in. I lean in with him, and make this the greatest moment of my life. Slowly closing my eyes I feel his lips press on mine and I feel flooded with emotions that have never before been uncovered. I pull away and gaze into his eyes. Then as we hear the rustling of couples leaving the dance floor, I rest my head on his shoulders and try to force in a few more precious seconds. Seconds that are snuffed away like a blown out candle. This is when Humphrey's hand grabs mine, and our fingers lace together.
He guides me to his car, his thumb running up and down the back of my hand. Unlocking the car, he walks to the passenger's side and opens the door for me, like a gentleman. I step in and smooth out my dress as he walks around and climbs into the driver's seat. He looks at me, "Did you have fun?"
"Of course I did! You were fun." I smile at him. We go in for a kiss, but this time, I leaned in first. Our lips connect for the second time this night, and I hope not the last.
He drives down the highway, and I can tell he is forcing himself to look at the road, because every now and then he will sneak a glance. I grab his right hand and he steers with his left. Five minutes in the drive I hear a metallic bang, and before I can react I see a SUV flipping. Right at our car. I scream, loud. Humphrey spins the wheel, and we avoided a head-on hit. But that doesn't stop the vehicle to get nailed in the back. I am too shocked to do anything as our car spins, but I can tell my hand is bleeding from broken windows. I notice us heading straight at a light pole, then whiteness. Pure light envelops me, then recedes. I glance over at Humphrey and he is bleeding badly over his right eye. He looks at me and his eyes grow wide. "Lilly." He croaks at first. Then he grabs my hand, but I don't feel a thing. He screams my name.
"I'm right here." I say. But I don't. I can't move, can't speak. I start to panic, but I don't feel that emotion. The only thing I can feel is love when I see Humphrey. But he starts to cry.
With this I feel a warm hand on my shoulder. I spin around, which is possible because I am no longer in the wrecked car. My hand isn't bleeding, nor can I feel where it was cut. I look at my hand and nothing is there. Almost not even my hand, because I can see through it. When I spin I see a man in a white robe resembling a toga, with one long, purple cloth hanging from his shoulders. "Welcome, Lilly." He gently says.
I know who he is instanly, and it all peices together. "I'm.. Dead?" I ask him.
"Yes." He smiles. It is a warm smile, like he is glad to see me.
"But.. Humphrey?" I ask.
"As of right now he will take his own life soon. With the guilt of thinking he was the cause of your death, he makes it to a point where he believes there is no hope for him. He dies thinking he killed his love." His face is sad, like he will never see him.
"No.." I can't cry, but I feel like it. "You can't let that happen. He is a good guy, please!"
"I can't do anything about it. But that is where you come in." He takes my hand and leads me to the scene of the crash, where ambulances speed to the destination. I see a paramedic pull my limp body out of the car, then sets me on a gurney. Then I see Humphrey follow, his leg clearly broken and bleeding and there is his own blood covering half of his face. A nurse is trying to help him, but he is still screaming my name in the dead of night. Pushing the nurse aside he grabs onto my arm, and no matter what the emergency service people tell him, he doesn't leave my side.
"Sir! You will only injure yourself more!" They say. But he yells through the pain and when they put me in the back of an ambulance, he jumps in.
When I witness this a tear does slide from my right eye. "What can I do? I'm dead." Another tear, from my left this time.
He extends his hand and catches my tears, which turn into two gold earrings. Then he grabs my halo, at this moment I realize I had one, and squeezes it with one fluid motion and it turns into a necklace with the smooth, gold ring. "You, Lilly, have been given a second chance of life. These tears of an angel," he holds the earrings up to me and effortlessly slides them in my ears, "and your halo," he slips the necklace aroung my neck. "you must wear them at all times. If at one point all three peices are off at one time, you are transported back here. Therefore you die again." I nod, happy at this. "But you must understand this. When you go back, it will hurt. You will be in much pain from these injuries." He points at my hand, and translucent blood flows from a gash. I see that my leg is looking riddled with glass also.
"I understand." I say.
"I love you Lilly." He says, as a father would. "Now go, Humphrey's guardian angel." He waves his hand at me.
"Thank you!" I say. I look at Humphrey, who is desperately trying to get a response from me. I turn and look at the man one last time, and a bright flash of light takes him away, and I feel myself being pulled back to my broken body. I let it pull me.
I wake up scared. My head feels like it has been hit with a ton of bricks, and searing pain envelopes my thoughts. I can't move my left arm and feel numbness in that area. I breathe short, panicked breaths. Then I look over and see Humphrey. Some pain is forgotten when I see his eyes light up. I touch his face. "Lilly," he whispers.
"Shh." I calm him. "Let the paramedics help you." My voice sounds raw and shakey. "For me, please."
"Ok." A doctor shoos him out, while two others lift him under his shoulders. His face twists in pain, but I hear him yell to me. "I love you."
"I love you too." I whisper. I reach up and feel my earrings, then my necklace. They are very warm and comforting to the touch, despite the pain I am in. I smile, but then the pounding in my head becomes unbearable and my vision blurs and I eventually pass out.