Author's Note: Here we are with Miranda. At first, I didn't know what I was going to do with her this time. As I wrote it out, the idea either came to me last night or today. Either way, I like how it turned out. I can't wait to write more with Anne. I think I will have the season filled out before we get to that special angel on the season finale. On Monday, I will the Christmas special ready. Then I will have the next key for you on the last Friday of 2023. For now, enjoy this week's key.
Key Seventeen: Miranda:
They are starting to ask questions. No, they have been asking questions. Miranda is running out of ways to dodge them. It didn't help that she had a nervous nature. She tried the deep breathing exercises suggested to her.
That's not the only thing she has to worry about.
Something hadn't been right for weeks. Everyone in Heaven had pretended that nothing was happening. Now, there were whispers going around. Miranda had been too busy with her mission to listen. However, that might cross into her path.
Miranda made her way to the cafeteria. She kept her eyes to herself as made it to the line. The chef pretended to gasp.
"Miranda! Aren't you a sight for sore eyes? What brings you by with the rest of us peasants?" they asked. The angel looked confused. The chef laughed.
"I'm just messing with you," they said. "What can I get you to eat?" Miranda blinked for a moment.
"Hm? Oh! Sure," she said. She ordered roasted pears. Miranda ate by the window. She went over everything that she had learned so far. That flash drive had many short strange clips on it. Most of them lasted for five to ten seconds. Most of the folders were locked. Locked with a password. One that she did not have.
"Hey."
Miranda jerked her head upward. An angel with red hair sat across from her. The German woman stared at her.
"Can I help you?" she asked. The angel grinned at her.
"Do I know you?" Miranda asked.
"No," the other woman said, shaking her head. "We've passed each other in the hall though."
"Okay… And you are…?" the German angel asked. The other woman threw back her head and laughed.
"Oh," she said. "Sorry about that." She held out her hand.
"I'm Anne," she said. Miranda blinked for a moment.
"Um… nice to meet you?" she asked. Anne had a huge smile on her face. The German angel thought about jumping up and running away. This could be a problem.
This was never easy. But now, things have gotten worse. Miranda still had to get to work. It's another day at the office. She sat at her typewriter, filling out her report. Things have been uncomfortably quiet lately. It was like they were waiting for the other shoe to drop. What would be the first vision sign anyway?
"Hey! Hey!"
Miranda looked up. Anne stood on the other side of the desk, grinning. The German angel jumped back.
"Gah!" she shouted.
"Oh sorry, did I scare you?" Anne asked. Miranda stared at her dumbfounded for a moment.
"I'm sorry, do you work in this division?" she asked.
"Oh, no! I just wanted to come up for a visit," Anne said. Miranda had a dumb look on her face.
"Why?" she asked. Anne gave her a little shrug. This was another problem on her hands.
Anne was a special case. She just came out of nowhere. It wasn't like she was exactly stalking her. Anne would go out of her way just to "bump" into Miranda. The German angel couldn't figure out why. Anne would never exactly say what she wanted. She wasn't threatening either. Anne was just… there.
Miranda tried to look up information about Anne. Here's the thing. She couldn't find anything about her. Did she just transfer here? That wasn't possible. Miranda would've heard something by now. Was Anne even real?
The German angel reached out and touched her on the cheek.
"What are you doing?" Anne asked. Miranda quickly drew back her finger.
"Oh, sorry," she said. The German angel cleared her throat. They sat there awkwardly for a long moment.
"Miranda!" someone called to her. "There's a package for you in the lobby!" The German angel quickly stood up.
"Coming!" she shouted. Miranda quickly dashed out of the room. She was just happy to have an excuse to get away from Anne and that situation.
The lobby looked uncharacteristically empty. Miranda looked around from the doorway. Only the receptionist sat at the desk. A box and letter sat in front of her. However, the receptionist looked like she was staring out into space. Miranda walked over to her. She waved her hand in front of her.
"Hello? Hello?" she asked. Miranda kept waving her hand. She shook the other angel on the arm. The receptionist snapped out of her trance with a gasp.
"Huh? What? Oh, Miranda. It's you," she said. Miranda kind of frowned at her. Her eyes trailed over to the box and envelope.
"Is that for me?" she asked. The receptionist looked at the box.
"Oh that," she said. "I guess." Miranda gave her an odd look as she picked up the box.
"Thank you," she said. She turned and walked out of the lobby. Miranda had questions on the way back. What was wrong with the receptionist back there? Where was everyone? The German angel looked down at the box and letter in her hands. They were both addressed to her. There was no return address. Somehow, that didn't surprise her. Still, she would have to brace herself for what was coming next. Miranda didn't have a good feeling about this.
As she walked down the hall, the German angel happened to turn her head and look out the window. A confused look washed over her face.
Since when does it rain in Heaven?