The Angel

By

Michelle Naylor

Part 5

The sound of the radio alarm clock startled Ezra out of his deep sleep. He shot up out of bed, flinging pillows and covers around, and let out a sharp cry.

It wasn't the incessent beeping that shocked him so, he was used to that, it was the loud sound of a fiddled being played at top speed, accompanied by the sung story of the devil visiting Georgia.

He quickly pressed the button that shut the contraption up, then sat there in the middle of his rumpled sheets, trying to bring some sense into his muddled brain.

Since when did he have his radio set to a country station? He usually liked to wake up to easy listening.

A beam of early morning sunlight traced a path across this bedroom floor. He blinked, and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes.

Morning, it was morning, and it was (he looked at the clock) 8:30 am. Time to go to work.

As he swung his legs over the side of the bed, and his bare feet touched the hard wood floor, the memory of the night before assaulted him.

"Oh no." he moaned, and fell back onto his bed. He curled himself up into a ball, wishing he could curl so tight that he would simply disappear. That would be better. Then he wouldn't have to face the world anymore, wouldn't have to face the others knowing that they blamed him.

He should just disappear.

"Ezra Standish, you stop thinking that way right this instant!"

He screamed and bolted upright. A very angry looking woman stood beside his bed. She looked familiar, something about last night…

"You. I thought you just a dream."

"I normally am, but I made a promise to you. I'm going to stay by your side for the rest of the day." She grabbed his hand and pulled him to his feet. "Get up."

"What for? I rather doubt I am welcome anymore."

She sighed, a long, exasperated sound.

"I thought we went over this. Today is Thursday the 18th, same was what for you was yesterday, but as far as anyone else is concerned, it's today. Get it?"

"You are making my head spin."

"I hate having to repeat myself." She muttered. She began to go through Ezra's closet as she talked. "Today you are being given a chance to correct what went wrong, to change both the past and the future. By assuring that Chris remains alive, you will therefore set the world back on its correct course."

She pulled out a dark gray suit, the same one, Ezra noted, that he had worn yesterday. Or was it today?

He shook his head. Oh good god.

"So, Ezra Standish saves the Earth. I suppose I should go out and invest in a pair of blue tights and a red cape."

She grinned at him. "That might be a good look for you. For right now, just go put this on. We have a full day ahead."

Ezra grabbed the suit pants and jacket from her hands. "I will tell you this right now. If, when I get to the office, I find this has all been some sick joke, there will be hell to pay."

"Hell always makes people pay, Ezra. It's only heaven that will give something for nothing."

He made a 'hump-ing' sound and went into the bathroom to change.