His eyes fluttered open revealing a hotel looking building on the other side of the fence as he lay there on the grass motionless. Not one bit of pain invaded his body. Obviously once dead pain was nothing to really worry about. That was a relief. He pushed himself up and looked around, slightly paranoid somebody had seen him fall. Luckily enough where he was nobody seemed to go. One or two horses stood there eating in the paddock he was in. He then looked at the ground half expecting to see his body dented into the grass. Nothing, good.
He stood up and went to dust off his gown, but jumped in surprise. He wasn't wearing a gown. Now he was wearing jeans, black shoes, a t-shirt and a brown jacket on top. Just to blend into modern society. He tried to see his wings but nothing was visible behind him, yet he could feel them. With no wings out in the open he felt more exposed and separated than ever. He washed his hand over the air above his head, wishing he could feel a halo hovering above. There to was no halo.
"Okay lets not panic now". he whispered to himself, his breathing starting to deepen as he walked around on the spot lostly.
Where on Earth was he? The instructions? He began to walk towards the sound of civilisation and stopped as he noticed a paper on the ground. He unfolded the paper causing an angel feather to fall out. He let go of the breath he didn't realise he had been holding in. The instructions written like a scroll were written simply:
1. You shall appear like a mortal to everyone until you have found your purpose.
2. It's important to keep your wings hidden and tell no one what you are.
3. Once you have found your human to guard you will become your new form.
4. Keep your magic hidden.
5. You will know when you have found your purpose.
Once he had finished reading it the paper dissolved to dust in his hands. Well the instructions seemed quite simple. The only trouble was actually trying to find this person he was supposed to guard and what signs?
You will know when you find them.
He looked around for a sign or a feeling. Nothing. He sighed and started to walk off feeling blind. He looked at the buildings he began to pass. Such modernisation it was overwhelming for a war veteran. Then there were the cars that rushed past as he retched the road. How much the style of the era had changed. The clothing, the hairstyles. He looked confused at the little objects people held in their hands as they walked by. Everyone seemed to have them. Various sizes to. He swerved to avoid people on the sidewalk. Even if he blended in the world was still fill of rude people. Wings, halo and gown may have been a bit too strange.
He'd open his mouth to speak, to try and ask for directions, but everyone just walked past as if he was non-existent. Some things from the past never changed.
He looked in the windows of shops and managed to spot a poster advertising a huge annual event. "So I'm in Malibu". Steve tilted his head to the side "That's different".
At that moment a prickling feeling traveled up his body, causing him to spin around on the spot. It felt like static, making the hair on his arm stand on end. Across the street a woman walked out of a cafe, coffee in hand, talking into something she was holding to her ear. There seemed to be a glowing aurora around her that almost seemed to drag Steve towards her. That was his purpose.
"It's her". he muttered, his instinct kicking in.
His mind was centred on her as he began to walk towards her. Narrow minded and focused like a bug to a light.
Don't loose her.
Mind a focused mess he didn't register the fact he was walking in front of people that knocked into him, looking hugely disgraced with his rudeness. In fact he even walked across the road without paying attention to the cars. That was the woman he was supposed to guard. Just then there was a screech of breaks and Steve broke from his trance just to see a car slam into his side. Steve hit the bonnet before being thrown across the road, knocked out.
...
Luckily once again there was no pain. At best he probably would have broken a dozen bones, or cracked his head open, broken neck even, but he hadn't. All of a sudden he felt grateful for being an angel. As his eyes flickered open they revealed a blurred world of light and smudges. On the corner of his eye he saw blurred movement.
"Oh shit I've got to call you back, I think I just killed someone" said one shocked voice that slowly became close beside him.
"YOU FRACKING IDIOT YOU JUST HIT HIM". a new gruff voice snapped.
"CALL AN AMBULANCE!". a female voice demanded.
A sudden blurred image of a person leaning over him slightly, nudging his shoulder. "Please be okay". the male voice whispered
"He's waking up".
"Talking while on your cellphone, typical hero dumbass".
"Woah I've right here buddy, it was a collect call alright? This guy should check both ways before crossing".
"Cant charm your way out of this dude".
"Shut up the hell up both of you".
The voices he could hear sounded like a women and two men. The sound of cars slowing driving past, with a few distant voices, obviously spectators. His vision started to clear more, now not as blurred. He squinted his eyes. No it couldn't be the guy staring back at him, unless he hadn't aged in 70 years. Was he even alive? Howard Stark? It just couldn't be he thought.
"Howard is that you?" Steve croaked, squinting more looking up at the figure.
His vision cleared and sharpened. With vision now settled it revealed a guy that was not Howard at all, but there was no way he was not related to him. That face and clothing style even if he was wearing sunglasses. The look on the guy's face was of shock as soon as he'd mentioned the name.
"H-howard….no…." the man looked almost scared, dropping the device he was holding in his hand.
"Dude are you okay?". The other guy said, looking terrified. He looked like the type of the guy that lived at the beach and was fussing over Steve in a mess "That jerkward hit you" he nudged his head towards the Howard look alike who had now gone silent and still "Just because he owns Stark Industries he thinks he can knock people off".
"Stark…." Steve's eyes were huge as he glared at the silent man "Then you do know Howard".
The Howard look alike just blinked with a blank expression. What was his problem?
"That's his son dude. Howard's long dead".
The man keeping silent cringing at the word 'dead'. Well it had been quite a few years. Most of everyone he ever knew would be long dead or close enough to it. Steve's mind was now reeling and he pushed himself up, ignoring the slight jab of pain in his side. That had been hell of an impact. He stumbled back looking at them and the other onlookers watching from the sidewalk.
"Woah dude you just got hit by a car, wait for an ambulance".
"No no time" Steve said slipping on his words slightly and looking around in alarm.
Where was that woman? She was no where. No he couldn't lose her. He'd now have to find her again. He put his hands to his head in panic. She could be anywhere. What if she was an out-of-towner?
No no no this can't be happening?
"Where did that girl go?" Steve asked desperately, eyeing them all up.
"What girl?" the woman asked giving a confused look.
"She was over there, I have to find her".
"Bro you just got hit by a car, I think you hit your head".
"No I'm fine". Losing every ounce of his mind, but fine.
"What's your name?"
"Steve Rogers".
A weird strangled sound came from the silent guy who now looked twice as terrified. Steve looked towards the silent man who was slowly taking his sunglasses off, revealing wide brown eyes. "He….died" the silent guy said "Long ago. He was Captain America. You can't really think you are him. Sure you have the uh…." he trailed off squinting his eyes "Hair and possibly build but thats about it".
Steve studied the man who was now staring at him in equal curiosity. The son of Howard Stark. He wasn't surprised about it. More amazed with how much they seemed to reflect each other. The past and future creating a full circle. He went to speak again to the man, but was interrupted by the sound of a approaching siren.
"That's the ambulance thank god".
Steve yelped "No no ambulance" and without another word that they could speak he began to run down the road. His speed increased faster and he quickly looking around as he ran, trying desperately to find the woman. This had to be some cruel test. It was near impossible. He quickly looked behind to see if anyone was following him. Nope coast was clear thank god. He jogged into a alley and stopped to lean against the wall in the shadows. He took a deep breath and looked around before continuing to explore. He had no idea where to go, who to talk to. He was indeed lost and doomed.
"Okay just stay calm Steve, take it a step at a time". he took a breath and kicked the trashcan with such force it bent and flew across the alley.
All he could really do now was hope the angels had hooked him up with money, find the nearest hotel and try to figure out exactly what he was going to do. The thought made him sick to his stomach, but this was his life now figuratively speaking. What else could go wrong?