Fallen Angel - ANDA

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She is looking at a mirror as if she is trying to check if her make-up is still on point but in fact she was lost in her own thoughts. She eventually snapped out of her thinking and decides to take a walk.

She straightens out her black pencil skirt as she steps out of her office. People are bustling around. The company is launching new game software so everybody is extremely busy. In fact, some of them have spent sleeping in the office. She too, had to spend the night in the other day just to finish helping the visual presentation committee.

Miranda Schwartz or Anda for short, went back to her office to finish the product report analysis for the new software. Not only that, she’s been researching about fallen angels ever since she met this otherworldly being named Nox. As she sat down in her plush office chair, she smiled at the memory of her last meeting with the fallen angel. She visited him in that rooftop which she calls “Angel HQ” with a picnic basket. Nox finds it annoying that she calls that certain rooftop Angel HQ.

“Please stop calling this Angel HQ. It is not appropriate.”

Anda merely smiled at Nox’s reply when the fallen angel found out the name she has given the place.

Upon presenting the picnic basket and asking Nox to have a picnic with her, she found that fallen angels don’t eat but rather feed on energy. Nox explained that they get to eat every time there is a full moon. Despite this information, the fallen angel agreed to have a picnic with her.

Anda admitted that she enjoyed the company of Nox. Ever since that day she tried to kill herself, she wanted to get closer to the said angel whom she can only see. Their meetings gave Anda an idea where to start her research about Nox.

Fallen angels doesn’t really forget everything once they’ve fallen. They still remember snippets of their past. Nox told her that the only thing he could remember is a memory snippet of a girl who has light-brown hair and clear blue eyes. According to Nox, the girl is definitely human. This made her hypothesize that Nox was formerly a human being. Can a human being be turned into a fallen angel?

She looks at the clock in her computer and noticed that it was time to go home. She stretched her arms and lazily gazed at her computer screen. No way in hell she can finish the report but the deadline is today at seven. Looks like she has to work overtime.

She mentally cursed. The last time she met Nox was during that picnic and that was like a month ago. She was too extremely busy with her work and she didn’t have enough time to visit the handsome fallen angel.

“Miss Schwartz, we’ll be going now.” Her secretary replied. She looked up and she saw most of the employees through her glass window are packing and ready to go home. She nods her head and smiled.

“You’re working late?” her secretary asked.

Anda shrugs her shoulders and said, “The report is not yet done.”

“Are you gonna be okay here alone? It’s pretty dark after six.” The secretary replied her voice laced with concern.

“Don’t worry about me, I’ll be safe. Like there’s someone going to harm me here.” She replied knowingly. The secretary sheepishly smiled and said, “Ahaha, you see mam, there are stories going around that there is a ghost haunting this place.”

Anda raised her eyebrow at her secretary and said, “That is nonsense. Anyway, I’ll be fine. I don’t believe in ghosts.”

Her secretary curtly nods her head and went off. Anda sighed and looked at her computer screen. Time to finish the report.

⧪⧪⧪⧪

Send.

Finally, she finished the report and had sent it to her boss via e-mail. She checked her computer clock and noticed that it’s seven already. What do you know; a buzzer beater. She shut her computer down and started fixing her things. It’s time for her to go home and rest the night away.

She is about to pick up her bag when she heard something scuffling. She froze. She looked up and could see that the whole office is drowned in pitch black darkness. The only light is coming from her desk lamp.

“Must be the janitor” Anda thought as she picked up her bag. She heard the scuffling again. The sound didn’t sound like scuffling of feet. She gulped as she remembered what her secretary told her about a ghost haunting the place.

“I don’t believe in ghosts.” She said out loud standing up.

“But you believe in angels.” A voice exclaimed through the darkness.

Anda frowned. She knew that voice. From the darkness, she saw a pair of pristine white wings. She heaved a sigh of relief and exclaimed, “Damn it Nox, you scared me! It was your wings that I was hearing!”

Nox scratched his chestnut colored hair and said, “Sorry. They were brushing against some potted plants near the window.”

“What are you doing here?” Anda asked seating down again. The fallen angel is now standing before her. She could outline the handsome features of Nox through her desk lamp. She inwardly blushed. He may be a fallen angel but damn, he is so ethereal and he is beyond handsome.

Nox smiled softly at her and said, “Visiting you. I haven’t seen you for a month. I kinda missed you.”

Now isn’t he a sweet talker. Anda couldn’t stop the blush forming in her cheeks. Nox telepathically moved a chair and sat himself besides Anda. The fallen angel then brushed his right hand at Anda’s hair saying, “Your new hair looks good on you.”

“Thanks.” She replied blushing even more. “I decided that to change my style. Being blonde is kind of boring already.”

Anda decided to ditch the long blonde hair and had it dyed light brown. She also had it cut into a stylish bob. She is really not bored with being blonde. It was one those things she does when she is heartbroken. The last time she was heart broken was she was in college, she had her hair curled at that time.

”Your friends did tell you that cutting your hair and dyeing it, is therapeutic.” Nox replied eyeing her.

Anda playfully slapped the angel in the shoulders and said, “Hey, no peeking through my head.” She then asked, “So, were you able to ask Midnight?”

“Yes. Midnight told me that human beings can be turned into fallen angels.” Nox replied. Anda’s eyes lit up and exclaimed, “Really? How?”

Nox smiled ruefully and said, “Well, when a soul who dwells in purgatory or you can say a lost soul can be turned into a fallen angel depending on his or her deal with the Angel of Death.”

“You mean, they made a deal with Death? Like the dude with a scythe?” Anda clarified.

The fallen angel sighed. He doesn’t understand how humans managed to imagine the Angel of Death as a skeletal being in a black hooded robe with a scythe.

“Usually these are the souls of those who committed crimes that before they died, they decided to repent. In order for them to enter the heavens they work as Fallen Angels for God.”

Anda looked at Nox deeply and said, “I don’t think you’re the type who’ll commit a crime Nox,”

Nox chuckled and said, “Anda, I can’t remember my past. I could be a murderer and killed that girl and repented killing her.”

“Pif. My gut feeling tells me otherwise. Besides, how can you be sure that Midnight is not telling you bullshit?” Anda exclaimed.

“Because, Midnight was once human, he thinks and that is all he can remember. He doesn’t know what crime he committed. It was explained to him why he is a Fallen Angel and that is how he knew he was once human.” Nox explained. “He has short recollections of his past, lots of blood and gunshots. He doesn’t want to remember fully. I think he’s afraid that whatever crime he committed he’ll bring it to heaven if he remembers.”

Anda sighed and said, “Okay, let’s say you were human before. I mean you had memories of a girl with light-brown hair. I mean if you were an Angel of God, you won’t have memories of that human girl. Probably your memories would be I don’t know, being holy and stuff?”

“Probably.”

“In that the case, what crime could you have possibly committed?” Anda wondered.

Nox closed his eyes and said, “There is something I remembered from the girl.” He the opened his eyes said, “She was dying.”

Anda stared at him in utmost surprise.

“I think I killed her Anda.”

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What followed next was unexpected. Anda had invited the fallen angel into her apartment. Nox is seating down on her living room, looking so forlorn as he stares at the window looking at the rooftop below him.

“What made you think you killed her?” Anda questioned as she placed a hot cup of coffee on the living room table.

“It was her sad and pleading eyes. She was looking at somebody, probably me. Those eyes were calling out to me as if she was asking for mercy.” Nox explained. Anda bit her lips and said, “I still don’t believe you killed her.”

Nox looked at Anda and smiled. “You are too kind Anda.”

“Don’t tell me I’m kind. That is utter bullshit. It is just I don’t believe any of that shit you said. You didn’t kill her. PERIOD!” Anda exclaimed stressing the last part out.

The handsome fallen angel then asked, “Then what if I did?

Anda brushes her hands into her scalp and said, “Look, I’ll investigate about this mysterious girl. If she was really dead or has been killed, there would be some old news about her.” With that she stood up. She grabs a pen from her bag and a paper and said, “Can you draw her face to me?”

Nox stared at the paper and pen and asked, “What for?”

“You don’t know her name but with a picture we can find who she is.” Anda explained. She approached Nox and asks, “So, can you draw her?”

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The following morning, she called in sick. She is going to spend the whole day investigating about this mysterious girl. She looked at the drawing that Nox had drawn for her. The girl looks suspiciously like her as if younger. In fact younger. The girl was in her teens.

She took a last bite of her bacon and eggs and grabbed her cellphone. She dialled a phone number and waited for a ring.

After a few seconds, it rang and somebody answered the call. Anda perked up, “Hi! Winston?”

“Anda? Is that you?!” a male voice exclaimed at the end.

“Yeah it’s me. I know it’s been awhile but I need a favor.” Anda replied looking at the drawing.

“What did you do? Killed somebody?”

Anda rolled her eyes and said, “No Officer Winston. However, it’s related to that. You know what? I’ll meet you at a café down town around brunch. I believe the café’s name is Doll Kiss.”

“Of all places you want to meet in a maid café?” Winston replied almost laughing.

“Shut it. It’s the nearest and the most innocent place I could think off discussing this matter with you.” Anda exclaimed in an irritable tone.

Winston sighed and said, “Fine don’t get your panties in a bunch. I’ll meet you there.” with that the phone call ended.

Anda shook her head. She sometimes wondered how on earth her gay friend Winston ended up as a police investigator. They met when Winston saved him from a perverted guy in the club she went to. She was with her group of friends and this creep came up on her and tried to cop a feel. Winston swooped in to save her.

She remember laughing so much when Winston rejected her advances of taking for a dinner thinking she was hitting on him for saving her. She laughed even more when he outright told him he was gay. It was cute. When the misunderstanding was cleared up, both of them hanged out in a diner with her ditching her friends at that time who were too drunk to care what happened to her.

They hit off immediately.  Winston was an easy guy to be friends with. He is very pretty handsome if you may say. One look, you would be smitten with him because of his looks. No one would think he is gay less a police officer, an investigator too boot. He is stationed at Precinct 12. The infamous Precinct 12. Apparently, he is quite know and one of the best. Ain't she lucky huh?

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Winston is a 5’7 silver-blonde guy who wears an eye-patch over his left-eye. He smiled cheekily at Anda as the girl sat down in front of him. Anda frowned at the eye-patch and asked, “What happened to your eye Winston? Don’t tell me it’s for the sake of fashion.”

“Nice to see you again Anda dear and no it’s not for the sake of fashion. I got my eye hurt because of a drug bust last week.” Winston replied.

“Sorry.”

“Don’t be. It will heal though, my eyesight will not be the same.” Winston replied touching the eye patch. He smirks and said “This injury did get me a lover.”

Anda’s jaw dropped. Winston has a lover. Her friend has someone special in his life and she only knows now.

Winston chuckled at the reaction of his friend. “Remember my partner Markle? He’s the one. I injured my eye because I was trying to save him.” He then sighed dreamily and said, “I know he was gay but he was like my partner and best friend in the academy. I never thought I would be liking him this much."

“Well good for you Winston. You finally found someone” Anda replied smiling at her friend.

“True, true, by the way, how are you and Ray?” Winston asked with a raised eyebrow. Anda smiled weakly and said, “We broke up. He said he doesn’t love me anymore and I presume there is another woman.”

Winston shook his head and replied, “I always knew he was an ass. Such an egoistical bastard. I wish his new relationship doesn’t work out.”

Anda giggled and said, “Now, now, I didn’t come here to rant about Ray. In fact, I don’t care about him anymore. I’m here to ask help from you.”

“Okay you did mention it on the phone earlier.” Winston replied getting serious. Anda took the drawing out from her bag and showed it to Winston. “Can you investigate about this girl?”

Winston looked at the drawing and frowned. “Anda this is you.”

“No. It’s not me. I might have blue eyes but I don’t have light-brown hair. I wasn’t even born with that kind of color of hair. I’m a natural blonde.” Anda replied shaking her head.

“What about her?”

“I think she died years ago. I want to know who she is. She’s still in her teens when she died.” Anda explained. “A friend of mine has some sort of amnesia and that girl is all he can remember. The thing is, he thinks he killed her but I refuse to believe that.”

Winston looked at her and asked, “And why is that?”

“I don’t know. But my gut feeling tells me he didn’t kill that girl.” Anda reasoned out. She then grabbed Winston hands and said, “Please help me. I’ll pay you whatever amount there is.”

“Wow Anda, you’re doing all of this for a guy friend. Are you sure he is not just a friend?” Winston asked coyly.

Anda rolled her eyes and said, “Oh shut it, I just came out from a relationship.”

“Hey so what? Anyway, you don’t have to pay me. It’s what I do. Winston replied pocketing the drawing in his coat.

Anda beamed and exclaimed, “Are you sure? Thanks Winston!”

“You’re lucky that you’re my friend however, in one condition Anda.” Winston replied.

“And what that would be?” Anda asked raising an eyebrow. Winston grinned like a Cheshire cat and said, “When I see Ray, can I beat the daylights out of him?”

Anda laughed and said, “Be my guest Winston, be my guest.”

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She returned back to her apartment past lunch time. She and Winston had a lot of catching up to do. The last time she saw Winston is when she got together with Ray. Winston had been her college friend. The guy was taking up criminology at that time and while she was in game developing. Two entirely different people but became the best of friends.

She noticed that someone was in the living room. She smiled. Nox visited her pretty early today. She walked towards the living room and exclaimed cheerily, “Hey there Nox! You’re here pretty early.”

“So is that the new name of your lover?”

Anda froze. There, stands her ex-boyfriend, Ray Mario Sanchez. He still adorns that handsome black tousled hair and clean-shaven face. He is dressed in a very formal corporate suit.

“What are you doing here? And how did you get in?” Anda demanded breaking away from her stupor.

Ray tosses the keys towards her saying, “I wasn’t able to return you the spare keys that you gave me.”

Anda caught the keys with ease and said icily, “Okay, you’ve returned it. You can go now.”

Ray chuckled a bit and said, “How unfriendly Anda.”

“It’s Miranda to you Ray, Miranda.” Anda spat crossing her arms. Ray chuckled a bit as if he didn’t get that he is not welcome. He took a step and said, “You didn’t answer my question while ago, Miranda. Is Nox or whoever he is, is your new lover?”

Miranda could feel a vein popping. How arrogant. “It’s none of your business Ray! What is it to you?”

“Oh just curious, I was wondering whether you got over me. Glad to hear you have someone new.” Ray replied.

“What the hell Ray! Where is this coming from? You broke up with me and now you are standing here and saying these obnoxious words.” Anda exclaimed getting furious by a minute.

She reached for her apartment door. She flings it open and said, “Leave now Ray before I report you to the security.”

Ray sighed and went out of the door. He then said, “If you need me Anda, you know where to reach me.”

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A loud slamming of the door was heard. Ray shook his head and headed towards the elevator. At the elevator, he sees a tall man dressed in this black silvery trench coat and black tight jeans. His chestnut colored hair seemed to glow under the fluorescent light. The man stared at him as if trying to swallow his whole being.

“What’s your problem?” Ray asked pushing the down button.

The stranger didn’t speak. Ray frowned further and said, “Hey creep, stop staring.”

The elevator opens up and as Ray steps inside, the stranger walks pass him still giving him this icy glare.

As the elevator door closes, he turns to the elevator man saying, “Did you that jerk staring at me? Who the fuck is that?”

“What jerk?” the elevator man asks.

“That guy who walk pass by as I entered.” Ray replied.

The elevator man frowns and said, “Guy? Didn’t see someone walking pass you.”

Ray gave the man a disbelieving look saying, “No way! No way you did not see him!”

“I promise you sir. I did not see that guy you were saying.” The elevator man replied in a very serious tone. Ray rubbed his eyes with this hands saying, “Fuck it! Are you saying I saw a ghost?”

The man did not answer him and Ray decides to drop the topic. He knows what be saw. That stranger was no ghost and he was solid real.

“Who was that guy?” he wonders.

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Nox found Anda curled up on her bed. She is crying. An unsuspecting encounter with you ex-boyfriend is not some girl would want. He carefully seats himself near her and places his right hand on her head.

Anda opens her eyes and meekly looks up at Nox. The white-winged fallen angel gently smiles at her and starts caressing her hair. She didn’t have to tell Nox what happened. The fallen angel knew. She bit her lips to stop herself from crying. However, the tears just kept on falling. It still hurt to see Ray. That bastard.

Nox bend his head down as his forehead touching Anda’s forehead and said, “Shhh… the pain will go away soon.”

“I wish you’re not a fallen angel right now. I heard angels can take away pain.” Anda mumbled closing her eyes. She could feel Nox smile widening.

“These human presumptions about Angels is astonishing.”

“Huh? Are you saying, they can’t?” Anda asks opening her eyes.

Nox sighed and said, “The pain you are feeling is an emotional one. Angels can’t heal that. Physical pain yes but an emotional one? I’m afraid not”

”What do you know, I learned something new today.” Anda replied slowly seating on her bed. “Did you see Ray outside?”

Nox nods his head and said, “I did see him and he saw me.”

Anda’s eyes widened. Nox can see the question that she would be asking him. Before Anda could even ask, he exclaimed, “We can be seen by mortals if we want to. I chose to be seen be Ray.”

“Why?”Anda asks.

“I want him to feel uncomfortable. He felt creeped out when I was staring at him.” Nox answered standing up. Anda stares at him and he is internally wishing that Anda won’t ask for an explanation. Fallen Angels can’t lie and at this moment, he does not want to explain to Anda, the reason he did it because Ray made her sad. Again.

Anda just merely sighed and plopped herself back on her bed again. “Well, thank you for that. I know you did it for me. Thank you.” she replied giving Nox a knowing look.

Such a clever young woman. There is no fooling Miranda Schwartz. For a human, a mortal, she can read straight through him.

“Anyway, forget about Ray. I met up with a friend. He is a police officer. He agreed to investigate about, you know, the girl.” Anda replied.

“How fortunate.” Nox replied averting his gaze.

Anda raised an eyebrow at him and said, “You sounded sceptical.”

“I still don’t think it’s a good idea digging into my past. There is a reason why those memories were erased. Some are not worth remembering.” Nox replied moving closer to the window.

“But some memories are worth remembering.” Anda replied standing up. She moves closer to the fallen angel and said, “Look, I understand why you are sceptical. That memory… it might be a happy one but don’t you think it’s worth a try to remember?”

Nox let out a sigh and said, “I guess…”

“Think of it as closure Nox. “Anda points out.

Nox closed his eyes and said, “Anda, just promise me one thing.”

“Hmm? What?”

The fallen angel then takes Anda’s right hand, held it tight and said, “Promise whatever we learn from my past, don’t hate me.”

Anda smiles a bit and squeezes Nox’s hand saying, “I promise on my mortal soul.”

⧪⧪⧪⧪

“What you are doing Nox?” Midnight asks in disbelief.

Nox didn’t look at him. Midnight has vehemently told him not to continue seeing Anda or even communicating with her. Nox knows that what he is doing is against the rules.

“Nox, I’ve warned you before. If you don’t stop this, there will be consequences. Don’t you think they don’t know what you are doing? They KNOW! They see and hear everything.” Midnight replied.

The dark skinned fallen angel sat down besides Nox saying, “Please Nox, I am begging you, stop this.”

“I know Midnight. I know.” Nox replied.

“Then why?”

Nox sighs and looks up, his eyes looking at the stars. He doesn’t have an answer to Midnight’s query. He could not even explain why he is drawn to Anda or why he is letting her help him remember his past. He doesn’t understand it. Oddly enough, despite knowing the consequence, he doesn’t care.

He stands up looking at Midnight. He gave his fallen angel resolved look and merely walks away. Midnight shakes his head thinking, “Oh Nox, what have you got yourself into?”

He then watches Nox spread his wings and taking flight.

“Whatever it is Nox, my friend, I hope it is worth it.” Midnight replied looking at the stars.

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END
PART I