Flash Fiction (3)

Jackie, Blodeuedd, and I are back to working up some Flash Fiction fun. We will do flash fiction posts every two weeks, give or take due to holiday's and such. I will post my complete story here. Jackie will add the beginning and a link to her flash fiction on her Live Journal and Blodeuedd will be posting on her blog.

Enjoy our quick glimpses into worlds of the unknown.

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Rooftop Angel
By:  Melissa Hayden

Adon leaned forward as he placed his hand on the smooth weather rounded edge of the roof top. Running his fingers through the warm flakes and over the sleek perfect surface of the stone, even as the world fell apart around him. It was one of the oldest structures on the city. He remembered when it was built and how time had changed around it. The solid building held together through hundreds of years as the weather beat on it, rounding the edges to give way for nature.

Leaning forward Adon was to the point of gliding from the top of the building to help the few remaining on the streets. He was stopped by a strong hand on his shoulder, pulling him back to the flat walkway of their temple.

“It’s for the best.” The deep baritone voice said.

Adon couldn’t take his eyes from the crumbling world below him. “Is it? How do you know?”

“The world has done this before. It cleanses itself and starts anew.” The calm in the deep voice started to rattle Adon’s thoughts.

It couldn’t be okay, to watch as this happened. It felt wrong. After all the years with these creatures his heart knew a love for them, even if they weren’t perfect. But that was the draw. They weren’t perfect. Not like his kind. Not created in perfection and when they didn’t live up to that impossible expectation, to simply be tossed away. The only reason his kind still lived was in their creation they were born to immortality. A flaw their creature made sure not to repeat. The powers that discarded them to this land know of ways to kill the Fallen. Hunters had been sent over the years to eliminate his kind from existence forcing them to live in hiding while trying to help the world as best they could.

Adon shook the warm ashes from his hair and wings as he turned on the balls of his feet to face the tall brilliant man behind him. “And this is it? This way?” Adon could feel the anger rising in his voice with his heart beats.

“You are young, Adon. You did all you could to help them.” It was acceptance in the deep voice. Acceptance for what they were doing to flesh and bone of mankind.

“It wasn’t enough!” Adon’s temper broke from the cage he was containing it in.

The last hundred years had been his time. He was to help the mere mortals through the changes, to not let them get away from themselves. And he couldn’t do it. Not alone anyway. And Apyon, his father, wouldn’t help. He’d given up on the race after Adon was born, his sweet love dying of the drugs humans gave to their own kind behind barred windows in the place where those that speak of ‘what’s not real’ end up calling home.

Adon turned to look over the edge again, working to his long memory the world when it was at its prime. The gray fluffy flakes thinned as the wind blew up to the sky allowing Adon the view of a woman staggering against the wall stories below him. She coughed as the fires raged through buildings and the streets. Adon felt the earth quake and saw it rip open. He watched as the hungry earth awakened into a predatory monster as its gapping maw grew, reaching to swallow her.

If he had a soul, he was sure what it would tell him to do. The mortals he loves are now dying before his eyes.

This was the last leap of faith for him.

He heard his father call after him as he descended to her. He had to try, even if the hunters saw him fly.


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The Stone Guard, an original short story by Jackie Lester

    He looked down from his vantage point. It was dark now, allowing the light from the penthouse apartment to shine brilliantly. It was made that much more spectacular by the falling snow. The floor to ceiling windows were still uncovered and he watched as the woman moved from her kitchen, cradling a steaming cup in her hands, to drop herself into the plush red sofa in the sitting area.
    Raven tried to pull himself away, knowing it was time for him to rest. He also knew the woman would be safe now that she’d been returned to her home. Returned by him.

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