Awakening (Children of Angels) by Jessica Gibson

failing her. Perhaps, she thought to herself, I just want it to be true, and that’s why I can’t shake it.

    That was all it took, that tiny chink in the armour of Mia’s logical resolve. At last, Leonara felt as though a huge weight pressing down on her had been lifted. It was effortless then, to simply be in Mia’s bedroom.

    “ Finally, ” she said, her tone betraying her impatient exasperation “ I thought you ’ d never come to your senses! ”

    Mia whirled around and her eyes widened in shock, because standing there before her, in the same corner she had stood on the night of the dream, was an Angel.

    “ Surprised to see me? ” she asked, with a playful smile “ you shouldn ’ t be - I have been trying to get in touch with you all week. You shut me out - I couldn ’ t get back into your Truth. ”
    “ I … what? ” Mia forgot whatever it was she had been planning to ask, as something had stirred in her memory. “ You said only Angels can change Truths. ”
    “ That ’ s right ” smiled the Angel again “ and you, my little mini-Angel, have juice in you to make me disappear - that wasn ’ t very nice of you Mia, I only came here to help you. ”
    “ I … I made you disappear? ” she asked, astounded.
    “ Of course you did. I told you how Truth works. And after what happened, you got scared, and in your new Truth - I didn ’ t exist. Something like that could really hurt a girl ’ s feelings you know ” she said, in a mock hurt tone, but the playful smile had returned to her lips “ I ’ m proud of you Mia - you picked it up fast. Quicker than even I anticipated. ”“ But … I saw you, everywhere! ” Mia replied “ If I ’ d managed to make you … not exist, or whatever, how is that possible? ”
    “ My Truths are stronger than yours, little one. I had the power to override yours to an extent, but you ’ re a strong little thing. Every time I almost made it back, you squashed me back out again. What was that man on the bench all about? I really thought I had you then, that I was back in business - but you managed to slip away again ” she laughed and despite herself, Mia chuckled too.

    Leonara’s expression grew serious then.

    “ But I am sorry, Mia. For what happened. I know it ’ s my own fault you shut me out - I ’ m not surprised you got frightened, after he got in like that. I had no idea he was so powerful already …”
    “ Who is he? ” Mia asked almost breathlessly. She wondered for just a moment if she was dreaming again.

    “ No, you are not dreaming Mia, not this time. ”
    “ MIA! I said are you AWAKE? ” her mother yelled. Mia heard her start to come up the stairs, and hastily replied.
    “ Yes! Just getting dressed - I ’ ll be down in just a minute! ” she quickly and quietly slid off her bed and crossed the room to where her bedroom door hung slightly ajar. She closed it quietly, and gently slipped the latch shut, so that it was locked. “ who is he? ” she repeated, her eyes boring into those of the Angel ’ s.
    “ He is … a problem. A much bigger problem than I had thought he would be. ”

    In less than the blink of an eye, she was sitting on Mia’s bed, and patted the duvet beside her, gesturing for Mia to sit. Mia obliged, keen to know who this strange boy was. Leonara took her hand gently in between her own cool smooth hands, and returned her gaze solemnly.
    “ He is … ..well he is a special creature. A very special boy. Special in the way that you are special ” she focused her gaze on Mia ’ s, willing the girl to understand her meaning.
    “ But I thought … you said I was the only one ” Mia replied, confused and - to her surprise - a little disappointed that she wasn ’ t as unique as she had thought. She had never been one to need to feel important or special or different. But for a short time, she had been. Now it seemed, she was not such a rare thing at all.
    “ You are the first and only of your kind. Of our kind. The