Two days later
"And when refusing to free the enslaved Jewish slaves, Moses warned the Pharaoh of the final plague that would fall in his kingdom." Shilo wrote the lesson on her chalkboard as she discussed the history of Moses for today's topic.
She was a little slow right now, not because she was lacking sleep or too busy with Michael, but because she felt a loss of motivation. It had been two days since the meeting with the archangels, and their words still lingered in her mind. All her hopes of ever going to earth have turned to dust. But she can't show that to her students, so she has to keep it all in and pray for the day to end.
She faced her students. "Can anyone guess the last plague?" she asked them. No one raised their hand or spoke up to answer. She let out a sigh. "Anyone?"
A tiny angel, a little owl kid, raises his hand. "Uh..death?" He answered in a questionable tone.
"You're almost there," Shilo commented. "Death of what?"
"Of..kids?" He added.
"You're almost correct, Aaron. It was the death of the firstborn." Shilo informed, writing down the tenth plague next to the plagues she had written during. "Moses, in time, gathered every enslaved Jew to warn and instruct them on protecting their firstborn. They used the blood of lambs to mark around their doors, and it worked, saving the young Jews." She added. "But sadly, the Egyptians could not be saved from this horrible miracle."
"If only the Pharaoh did what God and Moses told him." A little angel girl implored.
Shilo let out a small chuckle. "Well, he got a rude awakening when his son died," she told her.
In the back of the group, an angel boy leaned close to Marcus and whispered in his ears. "That's what I call 'Karma." Marcus giggled.
Only for the two to hear Shilo clearing her throat loudly, getting their attention. They faced her with her arms crossed and glaring at them.
"What did I say about muttering in my class?" She scolded the two, her voice harsh, like a mother catching her children being troublesome.
"Sorry, Ms. Winterstone." The two apologized with their heads down.
Shilo rubbed the bridge between her foreheads. They are just kids, little angels that don't know right and wrong as they age. "Anyway. When allowed to leave, Moses led the freed Jews away from Egypt and to the land God had promised." She returned to her lesson. "They faced many challenges, such as a lack of food, water, and doubt."
"Did they make it?" Lily asked.
"Hard to tell, Moses died before he could see the promised land," Shilo replied to Lily's question. "But I can assure you, his people live happily, and their descendants celebrate their freedom."
The school bell rang. "It seems our adventure with the Exodus has ended, and so has a school day." She smiled. "Sleep well, young angels."
The students cheered, grabbed their bags, and left the classroom, leaving Shilo alone.
She gathered their papers and placed them inside a folder. She huffed out, "Another busy day." She sat near her desk and began to grade their papers, one by one, until the folder was empty. She let out a yawn, feeling tired and a bit overworked.
A knock was heard. "Come in." She called out.
The door swings open, and an angel with two wings in light yellow and green steps in. His hair is orange. He has yellow eyes and pale skin with freckles on his cheeks. He wears a green and white suit and a yellow halo over his head. "Hello," he greets her.
"Camael." She greeted him back, knowing him. He is the principal of this school.
Camael was close to her desk, looking over her shoulder. "Busy?" He asked her.
"Just grading. All A's." She replied, not taking her eyes off the papers.
"Perfect." He smiled, approving. "You did a wonderful job keeping the kids in line." He added.
Shilo let out a sigh. She rotated herself to face Camael. "I am just doing what I am told to do," she exclaimed." And keeping the angels in line sounds forceful. I don't order them like little servants." She pointed out.
Camael looks away. "Sorry. You're right; that was out of line for me." He apologized. He faced her. "So, how are things between you and Mikey?" He asked, referring to Michael.
"Good. He was a little late on our date; his duty kept him too busy." She answered. "But he always has time for me." Michael often arrived late on their planned dates, barely an hour late. But he makes it up to her by letting her choose their desserts. She never minded as long as it meant she could keep him all to herself.
Camael grinned. "Lucky. Glad you two are keeping it strong." He beamed.
"Yeah. Together in a million years. " Shilo mumbled under her breath, looking down with a sorrowful expression. They have been together for so long, yet Michael never took the next step in their relationship.
Camael noticed it. "Something up?"
Shilo blinked, the sorrow in her look fading and turning into a neutral expression. "No. I'm done for tonight." She disclosed it, standing up from her chair. "I'm done for tonight. I'll see you tomorrow."
"Wha? Shi, what gives?" Camael blinked.
But she didn't respond; she just took her purse and walked past him, leaving her classroom. She headed down the hallway and focused on leaving the building—anything to avoid letting another angel get concerned over her.
Camael stands in the room, looking out the entrance, confused. "Was it something I said?"
Shilo was on the sidewalk, pasting angels as she stared down. She tilted her head up, seeing the gates of heaven from ahead and new angels entering with open arms from St. Peter. She could remember times she would go down there and meet them, back when she was so full of life and still young. She wanted to understand humans until Raphael had to keep her from going near the gate and teach her about the possibility of falling—a real chance she would end up like Lucifer, fallen.
She feared being fallen. Because when you have fallen, you will lose your angelic powers and be trapped in hell for the rest of your eternal life. Shilo doesn't want to end up like Lucifer, so she maintains a safe distance from the gate and avoids it. She softly sighed in a sad tone and resumed walking.
On the way, she saw an angel who was quite familiar to her. He was looking over a book and reading it. He was a principalities angel, a rank-one angel tasked with protecting and guiding a nation and a group of humans to God's rules. His skin was a fresh tan; his eyes were green, and his hair was blonde. He also had a scar on his left eye; luckily, it didn't damage his left sight. He wore a white robe, a belt with a sword to his waist, golden sandals, and golden wristbands. His wings are a pair of two in rainbow colors, and the halo over his head is rainbow, too, in a crown shape.
"Zephyr?" Shilo whispered. The two were good friends; he was her best friend back in the day. Sometimes, they would come across each other and spend time talking about their duties and their jobs.
Zephyr turned his head and saw Shilo staring at him. He put the book down and approached her. "Shilo. What are you doing here?" He asked her, stopping two feet away from her.
"Just...on my way home," Shilo answered.
"Shouldn't you be doing your duties?" He questioned her, placing his hands on his hips. Careful not to get close to his sword.
"I just did," she replied. "Did the grading and got an assignment planned out for tomorrow." She added.
Zephyr chuckled. "That's way faster than I am!!" He joked and let out a laugh. He stopped and frowned, seeing the unapproved expression on her face. "Uh," he cleared his throat. "I'm sorry about what happened with Lucifer." He mentioned it.
Shilo huffed out, "It... was a long time ago. I moved on; I got Michael now, and all is good," she added, her eyes cast down.
Zephyr has his arms crossed, staring into her eyes. "Are you sure? You look gloomy." He pointed out.
"me? Gloomy?" Shilo pointed at herself and quickly pulled a fake smile nervously. "Why would I be gloomy? I have a great life here."
"You lied so bad, Shilo!" Zephyr chuckled till his voice went severe. "You are not doing well."
"I am!" Shilo denied it.
She could see that he was not buying it, which made her nervous. "You know, Shilo, lying is bad." He raised an eyebrow.
She groaned; he knew her better than herself. "You're just like Uriel."
"Well, he is my superior after all." He smirked.
"Of course," she grumbled. Uriel is Zephyr's superior, and he looks up to him.
"So please tell me," Zephyr spoke in a concerning voice. "You are not happy?"
"I AM HAPPY!!!" Shilo shouted at him. That shout released the frost under her heels, sensing her anger.
Zephyr sighed, clearly not believing her. "If you aren't telling the truth, I shall be on my way." He turned himself around and was about to return to his position.
Shilo frowned, watching him go back to his job. "How... How's your job?" She asked him.
That caught his attention, forcing him to stop and turn his head toward her. "My job? I guide people." He replied.
Shilo nodded. "Right. At least you get to go down there." She mumbled under her breath, her voice disheartened.
"I do." He nodded, arms crossed. "Why, you ask?"
She froze, and the frost increased as it sensed her nervousness. "I'm just ensuring you are doing your part," she nervously replied.
Zephyr gave her an extraordinary look, almost like she was turning into someone he had never seen before. It was a little out of character for her. "You're acting strange, Shilo. You never even asked me how I was doing my job all those years ago." He informed her.
Shilo took a step back, head down, and hands behind her back. "I...I'm sorry. I was being selfish." She apologized.
Zephyr sighed. He took a step forward and placed a hand on her shoulder, which caused her to look up at him. "Shilo, the best I can give you is to try to lessen a bit. Our creator gives us will. We take our roles seriously, but the father doesn't want us to be burdened. It's fine to take breaks; even the father takes breaks every Saturday." He explained.
Shilo nodded, understanding him. "Thanks, Zephyr." She thanked him, and a smile formed on her lips.
"Don't mention it." He gave her a huge grin in return. "I must return to my duties." He pulls his hand away. "Take care, Shilo." Soon, he left her side, returning to his duties and leaving her behind.
Then, too, she resumed her focus on getting home. Along the way, she was happy for Zephyr; he could go down to Earth and help humans better themselves and guide them to a more robust path. Unlike her, who hasn't visited Earth in eons.
As she walked down the sidewalk, her eyes were drawn to a paint store. She changed her direction and went inside the shop. The store inside was filled with endless rows of canvas, paintbrushes in different sizes, paints of colors, and the occasional accessories artists used for their creations. She heard the ringing sound of a little bell as the door opened.
Then the storekeeper came in. He was a tall angel dressed in a beret hat, an apron over his blouse and pants, and wings covered in paint. "Welcome to Heavenly Canvas!! " he greeted her warmly. "Are you here to check out our new section of paint?"
"Just here to grab some new paint and canvas," Shilo told him.
He nodded. "Wonderful! Let me know when you are ready to check out." He left her side and stopped by the countertop with a cash register.
She returned the nod. Then she started shopping. She picked out the enormous canvas in the shop, and then she selected her paint choices, ten each. She had to be careful with how much she spent.
After making choices, she approached the countertop, where the storekeeper was waiting for her. "Ready?" He asked.
She nodded. "Yeah." She reached into her purse and took out her wallet. She handed the money to him, paying for her purchase.
"So, do you have any new ideas?" He asked, taking the money and opening the register.
"Sorta," Shilo replied. "Just don't tell the Archangels; they'll think it's stupid." She added, gripping her purse strap.
The keeper scoffed, "Oh, please. No ideas are stupid here." He gave her the chance and a receipt. "Here you go! Enjoy!"
"Thank you." She took the chances, slid them inside her purse, and grabbed her materials. She then headed out of the store, returning to her primary focus.
Shilo landed on a balcony with wide open doors, stepped inside, and placed her purchase on the bed. She sat down and removed her shoes, setting them on the floor.
The room around it is pale blue. It has a bed, a desk with a computer, and a pile of folders. There is a white rug on the floor, a nightstand with a lamp, and a dog bed. There is also a dresser, a closet that holds her clothes and shoes, and a door leading to her bathroom. It was her room, her home. It is a lovely apartment that is generously paid for by the archangels and cared for in her every need.
Then Shilo heard a sound—a bark. She turned her attention to the doorway leading to the living room, and running in was a miniature Schnauzer with light blue fur, short ears, and a long tail. And almost have three eyes, the third on the forehead.
"Nicholas!!" She picked him up, holding him. "How's my favorite little angel?" She hugged him close, letting herself get licked on the cheek. She let out a giggle. "Are you hungry? I bet you are." She slowly set him down on the floor and watched him take off.
She followed him, leaving her room. Her living room is pretty big, with a sofa, a coffee table, a small table that holds a plant, and the TV on the wall. The wall was decorated with picture frames of Shilo's experiences. She also got a large lamp, shelves that hold the belongings she collected, and a huge rug in the middle. And by the huge window is a harp. It was a gift from Michael, but truth be told, she was never fond of the harp. She would like to learn how to play the violin; just how the strings played was more heavenly than a meek harp.
The kitchen has a clean oven, countertop, fridge, sink, dishwasher, and a small oven next to a mixer. It also has a spice cabinet and jars labeled flour, sugar, and coffee. And, of course, her coffee maker that brews cold coffee just as she likes it. There is also a pantry to store her dry ingredients and food, and a bag of dog food next to two bowls on a mat.
She looked down to see Nicholas waiting for her. She smiled, opened the bag, scooped up a cup of dog food, and poured it into one of the bowls. She grabbed the other bowl, filled it with water from the sink, and set it back down.
She watched Nicholas eat from his bowl. "Guess you were." She softly chuckled, only for that smile to slowly fade into a frown.
After she was finished, she returned to her bedroom. She opened her closet and pulled out some clothes: a light blue off-shoulder short-sleeved shirt and comfortable shorts. She makes her way to the bathroom and closes the door behind her.
Five minutes later, she left wearing them while her work clothes were in a laundry basket to be cleaned and prepped for tomorrow. She reached out her hand, grabbed a string hanging in the middle of her room, pulled it down, and revealed a set of stairs leading up to the attic.
Shilo picked up the canvas and the paints and walked up the stairs.
The attic is spacious, big enough to fit another room. The wall is covered with paintings Shilo made over the years; it has paintings of gardens, rivers, and buildings that she imagined, as well as characters from various books and movies. Most of her paintings have Lucifer in them. There is also a standing easel in the middle, a stool for her to sit on, and a table with brushes, paints, and a palette lying on it. A row of clean canvas was against a painting of a garden. The attic has a roof window, and under is a giant bean bag chair, strings of fairy lights, and a small table with books and plants. It looks like Shilo's little hidden room, where she can be whoever she dreams of being.
Over the centuries, Shilo has had several hobbies she wanted to try, such as cooking, baking, music, art, literature, and clothes making—anything she feels connected to. She fell in love with traditional art. She always loves the smell of paint, the feel of the canvas against wet paint, and what she can do with only her mind and hands. But she feared the archangels would find it silly and not approve of it since art is not for angels like her. So, she would turn her attic into her little art studio, her sanctuary.
She set the canvas next to the row and placed her new paints alongside the others. She stepped back, then rubbed her face as she huffed out harshly.
Nicholas barked, climbing up the stairs to join his owner. Only he stopped when he saw her look in distress. He tilted his head to the side.
Shilo started to pace. "Earth is full of death and corruption.' 'Your place is here in heaven.' 'We are trying to protect you, to help you have a better life!" She mocked the archangel's voices, respecting their words as she let out a growl. "Well, what if I don't want to be protected?!! What if I want to prove to myself that I can protect myself from getting sin and show I can do more than just... teaching the same lesson over and over again?!!" She shouted, letting out her anger. "I'm tired of being treated like a weak angel!! I am sick of staying here for the rest of my angelic life!! I am done with being treated like a little child!! I.."
She groaned, kneeling on the floor. She felt Nicholas nudge her, causing her to look down on him as he stared worriedly.
"Why does everything have to be in black and white?" she lamented. "I missed the days when I could see colors like I used to... before." She frowned sadly. "Zephyr is right. I am unhappy. I only wanted to visit the world below for just one day."
Her eyes landed on a painting of Lucifer with a smile. She reached out and placed her fingers on his cheek, slowly stroking. After eons, she was still not over Lucifer. How could she? He was her first real friend, and she would feel like herself around him.
She slowly smiled, inhaling and exhaling softly. Then, slowly, she stood up and looked at her paintings. "I kept part of my heart in a box in the attic." She wrapped her arms around each other. "It's been a while since I looked at it. Tell me if I'm ready now. Trying to find the strength somehow." She sings. "Because I'm tired of feeling black and blue and gray."
She placed her new canvas on the easel stand, ready to start painting. "Carrying my courage in my cup of coffee." She opened her new paints and added them to her palette. "Wonder if my memories even want me. Tell me if I'm ready now. Gotta find the strength somehow." She placed her palette down on the table. "Cause I'm longing for another golden day."
She opens her wings, hovering up, and twirls around, staring at her painted canvas. "All I see is black and white, where color used to be. I'm searching dusty corners for the moments I can keep." She sings, hovering back down with a frown. "See what's worth saving. My heart is caving. Cause I'm just waiting for the day I wake up and remember." She returns to her easel. "In technicolor."
She sat on the stool, picked up her palette, and took out a paintbrush. She carefully dipped the brush in the paint and stroked it on the canvas, making a paint line.
In her mind, the paint changed into Shilo when she was a new angel. She flew to Lucifer, who hugged her. "Used to love when we all got lost in the music." The two then danced together with huge smiles. "Is my voice even there if I haven't used it? Tell me if I'm ready now. Need to find the strength somehow." Then Lilith appeared, and Lucifer flew to her, leaving a broken heart Shilo behind as she cried. "It was good, but it hurts like hell when it's replayed."
The real Shilo looked away from the half-painted canvas as if reliving the pain again. She set the brush and palette down on the table. "Cause all I see is black and white, where color used to be. I'm searching dusty corners for the moment I can keep." She stood up, singing as she stroked her paintings with characters she grew to love. Like the Phantom of the Opera, Quasimodo, Frankenstein's monsters, and Dracula. "See what's worth saving. My heart is caving. Cause I'm just waiting for the day I wake up and remember." She stopped, singing still. "In technicolor."
Nicholas braked at her, wagging his tail. Shilo smiled at him. She picked him up. "All there was were rainbow-colored moments. But a storm can come and strike the beauty from it." She frowned, holding Nicholas in her arms.
She turned her head, facing her canvas on the easel. In it is a half-painting of Lucifer and Shilo herself smiling together. "All I see is black and white where color used to be." She smiled. "I'm searching dusty corners for the moments I can keep."
She then started to approach her bean bag while still holding him. "All I see is black and white, where colors used to be. I'm searching dusty corners for the moments I can keep." She sat on it with Nicholas lying on her chest. "See what's worth saving. My heart is caving. Cause I'm just waiting for the day I wake up and remember." She sings.
She looks up at her roof window, watching the sky turn into night with the stars lighting up. A reminder to her that Lucifer's most fabulous creations never fade away. "In technicolor." She sighed softly, watching while lying down.
"One day, just one day, is all I am asking." She exclaimed. In her mind, she set herself a goal. She is going to go to earth, no matter what.
As she allows herself to relax and prepare for tomorrow, she has no idea that tomorrow will be the start of a discovery that will change her fate forever.
'Technicolor' by Laura Osnes.