Creative Writing
9.8.06

Hello gentle reader. I welcome you to this journey you and I are about to take. You will find some things to your liking and some things you may not. For instance, our adventure starts in a cloud. Yes, dear reader, a cloud. Now, you may not like this idea for you may fear heights, but, unfortunately, that is how things are. Well, as our adventure starts, you may or may not guess what is in that puff of white. To keep things moving along, I will tell you that a small, somewhat awkward, angel is in that cloud, just about to wake up. Yes, she was very sleepy, having had very little rest the night before. She rubbed her little green eyes and stretched her arms in a big yawn. Then, she brushed out her black hair and tied it in a blue ribbon (pink wasn’t exactly her favorite color, like all of the other girls, you see).

Straightening her long, white dress, little Rhaine (for that’s her name) tentatively peeked out of her cloud. She could see all of the other angels starting off towards a very big, golden cloud where Mr. Sun was just about to show his rays and wake those still sleeping.

Looking over her shoulder, the little angel examined her wings. They weren’t very big yet like everyone else’s, and she had a hard time flying with them. Once, she’d accidentally bumped into the oldest and wisest angel, Gabriel.

“I’m s-sorry, Mr. Gabriel, Sir,” she had managed to squeak. “My wings don’t work very well.”

Gabriel had just smiled and with a soft and caring voice said, “Do not fear, little one, your wings will come when they are ready.”

Now, as little Rhaine hesitated to fly to the big cloud, she wondered when her wings were going to come. They might not come at all and when she was old and wise like Mr. Gabriel, they would still be small and not able to hold her up. Completely frightened, Rhaine huddled back into the comfort of her cloud, hugging her legs and letting her chin rest on them.

Mr. Sun shone brightly upon the little angel, illuminating her white dress and seeming to make it glow, but poor Rhaine didn’t notice. She was too busy worrying about her wings, knowing they would never come.

Hours later, when it was almost sunset, a brunette head and big, blue eyes appeared curiously through Rhaine’s cloud.

“Whatcha doin’ Rhaine?” the little boy (who we will call Tommy) asked, planting his chin in the palm of his hands.

Tommy was a little older than Rhaine, though he didn’t act like it all the time. His favorite thing to do was to get in trouble, and get in trouble he did.

Rhaine looked up and saw through the misty white that his wings were fully grown. She looked back down at her bare feet.

“Nothing,” she replied sadly.

He came all the way into the cloud and sat cross-legged in front of her, folding his wings behind him.

“Why weren’t you at class today?” he asked innocently.

“Because I… I just couldn’t come.”

“Oh... Well Mr. Gabriel taught us how to make rainbows. He said that as soon as we got good enough, we could use them down there.” He pointed down at the sky to the Earth below. “Rhaine?” he looked at her, concerned. “What’s wrong?”

The little angel wiped tears from her eyes. “N-nothing,” she choked.

At a loss for what to do, Tommy looked around for some tissues. Finding none, he moved over to her side and awkwardly placed an arm around her shoulders.

“It’s okay,” he soothed, not sure he was doing it right. This was probably the most grown-up he’d ever been… and he wasn’t sure he liked it.

Soon, Rhaine’s storm subsided, and she lifted her head and looked at Tommy, her eyes red, along with her nose.

“Thanks,” she whispered, a wan smile across her face.

Seeing that tears weren’t coming anymore, Tommy quickly pulled away (thankful to be out of that predicament) and resumed his place across from her.

“Why were you crying?” he asked.

She bit her lip. “Because… I don’t know when my wings will come… and I’m afraid they never will.”

“Afraid? You’re afraid?” The little boy was in shock. “I’ve never seen you afraid before…”

“Well I am,” she huffed angrily. Tommy was starting to get annoying, but there was nowhere to go to try and get away from him… she couldn’t fly; she was too scared.

“My wings held me up…and I’m a boy and a lot heavier than you are!”

The small girl thought this over. It could be true. She just might not fall.

“Maybe,” she said hesitantly.

The little brown-haired boy cheered up. “Come on… try it. I’ll help you just in case you do fall.” He winked.

“I don’t know Tommy… I might die or something.”

Tommy, who was already out of the cloud and with his head once again poking through, laughed.

“Angels can’t die,” he stated matter-of-factly. “You know that. Now come on.”

He held out his hand and Rhaine looked at it. What could it hurt? He was there to catch her, and who knows… he might actually be right.

She took the hand and stood, unfolding her small wings. Something like hope bubbled up inside of her, along with excitement.

“Ready?” Tommy asked. She looked at his blue eyes. There was no fear in them; not even a hint.

Taking a deep breath, she nodded, shut her eyes tight, then stepped out of the cloud, working her extra limbs.

Mr. Sun chased away the dark from her eyelids as she tightly held on to Tommy’s hand. She opened an eye, but just a crack. Everything was still. Nothing was moving up and she wasn’t moving down. She opened the other eye then looked at Tommy. He was smiling.

“See,” he said triumphantly, “I told you you wouldn’t fall. Now let go of my hand, it’s starting to hurt from the way you’re holding it so tightly.”

Obediently, she removed her hand. She smiled as she still seemed to float steadily.

Tommy rubbed the hand, looking at it remorsefully.

As he was busy, Rhaine secretly grabbed a wad of cloud, making it into a ball and hiding it behind her back.

“Tommy! Guess what?!”

She didn’t wait for him to reply and, as he lifted his head to speak, his face was greeted with a puff of white. Surprised, he uttered a small, “Wha…?” and toppled backwards.

Her laughter filled the evening air as Mr. Sun started sleepily to his bed.

As the two playmates laughed and giggled, something bright appeared in the sky, just as Mr. Sun set and Ms. Moon came out…

It was filled with many colors and many who saw it in the earth below would think it strange at that time of day. But, those who did see it would stop and stare, for it sparkled brilliantly with joy and happiness…

It was a rainbow.

The (happy) Ending

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Now, gentle reader, you may be wondering, "Did poor little Rhaine ever get her wings?" Although not told in this story, another time, not long after, her hope did come true. As soon as she got her wings,Gabriel apointed her someone to guard (like he did most fully winged angels -almost all, Tommy still hasn't gotten his yet, much to his dissapointment-) and that little someone was a newborn child by the name of Kelly. Many adventures beheld little Kelly and Rhaine, but those are stories for another time. Now, as you leave, I hope that you'll soon find your wings, and not be afraid to fly... for who knows what surprises await for you?