New prompt for this week!
prompt: spring
The park was empty, dark grey clouds looming overhead scaring away people with warnings of showers soon to come. Small chunks of grey-white snow remained, dotting the newly growing grass hap hazardously, now forgotten as the weather began to grow warmer. Near the pond sat a being, still and unmoving as it scanned the world around it. He was perched on the old, small wooden bridge, feet dangling just above the surface of the water. Below his feet young fish darted about, and the being watched them with careful eyes.
It was calming, only the distant song of a sparrow faintly heard as the birds began to return back. The Archangel enjoyed this peacefulness that reminded him of the old days before humanity when the earth was still young, life just beginning to form and live.
Contrary to the persona he put forth while on earth, spring was his favourite season out of the four humans had.
Gabriel found summer was too loud and jarring, full of warmth and celebration, of long days and short nights. It was like fire, hot and wild, moving quickly but once gone, it left sorrow in its wake. Life was at its peak at this point, not yet aware completely that this would be over far too soon, and that winter would arrive to claim all of this.
Winter, on the other hand, was cold and barren, the end of life. It didn't have the peacefulness that spring held. There was silence, heavy and unwelcoming as it took away life and left behind a bare landscape of frost and ice. It held death, despair, hardships yet to come and seemed endless. Winter lacked the joy of life and Gabriel felt lonesome during those winter months, grace unfamiliar with the chill winter it brought. He was never designed for the cold, nor was he designed for the extreme heat.
Fall wasn't horrible, in Gabriel's opinion but it was the middle, the slow trickle of death approaching as summers days turned into winter days. The wind soon turned bitter, the leaves fell, and it was over so quickly. Fall was unpredictable, both warm and cold, unable it seemed, to choose a particular one.
That was why spring was Gabriel's favourite. It meant a new beginning, a new chance for the world to be reborn once more.
The world was a dark, twisted place at times with wicked people. Corrupt law officials, killers, liars and thieves to name a few and at first, in the beginning, all of that had caused the Archangel to grow bitter along with the world. He focused too much on the negative that thrived in the shadows of others, not appreciating the good humanity held, only the bad. He had looked rapists in the eye, seeing the lust that never quite died out and the power they felt in humiliating and overpowering others, he had invisibly sat in dark kitchens, gold eyes following the purple-blue pattern of bruises on wives' arms, taking in their lowered gazes and flinches at any sound in fear of their lovers returning drunk once more.
All of that had altered Gabriel's perception of the world but moments like this revealed the other side of humanity he was missing.
That was why he had found himself sitting in the park, alone. Even Archangels needed to take a step away from all the horrors the earth held. Spring brought hope, a new life, and chance for change, a chance for humans to do better. The ex-Messenger felt drawn to this season over the others, and perhaps that was due to his old job of delivering messages, of delivering good news and hope, or maybe it was something else completely.
A low rumbling could be heard and a raindrop hit his nose, shaking Gabriel out of his thoughts. Looking skywards, gold eyes stared back at the dark clouds as more raindrops fell to the earth. Gabriel hardly felt compelled to move from his spot and instead sat there,, letting the cool water wash over his face and body, grace humming just below the surface. Moments like this brought comfort to the celestial being. He felt closer to his absent Father this way, through nature – or at least as close as he could without returning to his home – and eyes slipping shut, he willed his wings to appear on this plane. They stretched outwards before arching lazily above his head like an umbrella. Listening to the soft pitter patter of raindrops, the Archangel hardly heard the sound of another moving toward him.
A small, soft body bumped against his and opening one eye, Gabriel lowered his head and turned to catch a glimpse at the creature. To his surprise, it was a small yellow duckling, fluffy feathers damp from the rain.
Poor thing must've wandered too far from the nest, Gabriel mused, a soft smile appearing on his face.
"Hey there little guy," he said, reaching towards the little duckling and it shied away from his touch, nervous. "Don't worry, I won't hurt you."
The duckling's tiny dark eyes watch him carefully before giving a quack and taking that as an okay, Gabriel scoops up the little bird, one hand holding it while the other stroked it gently.
"You lost?" He asks it and the duckling gives him another quack, which causes Gabriel to chuckle. "Just because I have wings don't mean I'm a duck, bucko," Gabriel teased, earning another response from the feathered creature. "You can stay with me right now, but we'll have to find your family later."
The duckling doesn't seem to mind and Gabriel brings it closer, letting it rest inside his jacket. His wings shift slightly, fanning out more to keep too much water from soaking the little duckling that was now snuggled against Gabriel's neck, sitting in the space between his jacket collar and neck.
The two sat there as the rain continued to fall, slowly coming down harder but neither seemed to care. The duckling was now fast asleep where it was curled up in Gabriel's jacket and the Archangel merely enjoyed sitting in the rain. It wasn't until a short while later did the mother duck approach the bridge where the Archangel sat, searching for her missing duckling with four others right behind her.
Gabriel could sense her worry and reaching out with both a wing and grace, coaxed her near, promising her that her baby was safe. The aquatic bird waddled towards him, eyeing him carefully and the other remaining ducklings followed at her tail, each soaked from the rain.
Pushing aside the collar of his jacket, the celestial being allows the mother duck to see her sleeping duckling and she checks him over before giving a quack and climbing onto his lap, setting in his jacket. The four ducklings follow their mother, settling into the warm jacket and the Archangel chuckles, reaching down to scoop up one of the ducklings and putting it in his collar to join its sibling. Once all the ducks are cozy, they start to drift off and a smile grows on Gabriel's face.
It is a rather odd sight, should another angel happen to stumble upon him sitting in the rain with a family of ducks asleep on him but Gabriel doesn't mind. This is another reason why he likes spring. Giving a content sigh, he closes his eyes once more and the ancient being tilts his head back, allowing the rain to wash away the darkness and sins humanity had, instead enjoying the earth being reborn.
Yeah, don't blame me for the descriptions of the seasons, kinda was writing this while doing english homework and kinda liked how it went.
Let me know what you think!
-Ally