Azrael

Another day in paradise. Or what some idiots think of as paradise. This is the city. The concrete jungle. A blackhole wherein one may enter and be lost to obscurity. And I am just one of its several million inhabitants trying to live a life. Though half the time, I'm not really sure what "living a life" means nowadays. It's all the same anyway. You wake up, work and get as much sleep as you can for the next day. That goes for normal people. But I like living on the edge. I feel more alive that way.

So here I am, sitting on the ledge of one of the tallest buildings, waiting for the sun to rise. I wish I brought my camera with me at times like these. The view is just spectacular! But common sense told me it wouldn't be very practical...

It'll take a while for the sun to peek over the horizon. I still had time. I got up and began pacing along the ledge. I noticed that it was only about a foot wide and if I missed a step, I'd either end up crashing through a glass wall or falling from a few hundred feet. Somehow, that really didn't bother me right now. I walked about the edge, breathing in the early morning air. Basically, I was enjoying myself.

"You are insane, do you know that?" came a voice from behind me.

Oh no. There was no mistaking that voice. I rolled my eyes and turned on my heel. "Oh, what do you want now, Azrael?" I asked impatiently to the rather handsome-looking young man who now stood in front of me. He wore a black suit under a black trenchcoat, his hands in his pockets. With dark hair, steel gray eyes and expressionless face, you'd think he was a new member of the Mafia or something...

"Nothing much," he said dryly. "Just maybe that you get off my shadow."

I raised an eyebrow. "You're the one who's following me, angel boy."

Azrael frowned. "Please don't call me that. It is very annoying."

"Well, you are one after all." I said carelessly, "The Angel of Death is still an angel."

He gave a pointed look at my feet. "That, my dear, is exactly the point."

I followed his gaze. To my amusement, his shadow was cast over my right foot. I looked back at him with a smile, "Is that all you're fussing about?"

"Yes," he said in that same dry tone. "Now get off my shadow."

Still smiling, I stepped a few feet away from it. But as I moved, his shadow stretched out to wherever my right foot was. Weird. I blinked, just to check if my vision was fooling me. But my eyes can see it clearly. His shadow is cast over my foot, no matter where I go or where the light comes from. At this point, I was far from being creeped out. I was more curious as to why this is happening.

Azrael sighed in exasperation. "That's not going to work. No matter how far you try to walk away from it, it'll still follow you." I looked at him questioningly. He wearily proceeded, "You see, what's causing this is the way you live your life. So no matter where you go, one foot will always be on the shadow of Death."

Okay, now that ticked me off. "Excuse me," I said hotly. "I didn't choose this life! You and your other angel buddies got me into this! I didn't ask to see things that aren't meant to be seen. I didn't ask to be able to tell the future. I didn't ask for the ability to sense the likes of you. I didn't ask to be the one to vanquish the demons you guys can't get." I pointed a finger at the bloody carcass on the other side of the window. "I didn't ask to be the one to stab that monster several times just to kill it. It was never my choice!"

Breathless after this little tirade, I just scowled at the Angel of Death as he stepped through the glass and inspected the body. I watched as he pulled a small round mirror out of his pocket and held it over the decapitated creature. The mirror absorbed my bloody handiwork, erasing all traces of it. It turned black when it was finished. Azrael put it back in his pocket and motioned for me to come near him. I grudgingly walked towards him, still obviosly very pissed. His face lightened up a bit as I stood again a few feet away from him.

"There." he said, almost smiling. "Much better! That wasn't so hard, was it?"

I looked at my feet. His shadow was nowhere to be seen. Slowly, I realized what he meant. "Oh," was all I could think of saying.

Azrael wasn't the most comforting of all angels, not to most people anyway, but he did have moments when he made sense. "You can't always blame us for what you do, you know. I may be an angel, but I'm still pretty much a pawn of God."

"Not a pawn," I muttered. "A knight more like it."

"Whatever. The fact is, we all work for the same guy anyway. And you've been chosen out of so many others to have certain gifts. Of course, half the time they seem to be a burden. But that's just part of the package. Aren't you happy with what you can do? You don't fear disaster, injury or even death. You know secrets most mortals can only dream of knowing. You see things they have never even imagined. You can do so many wonderful things." He looked into my eyes, seeing into my soul. "Only you're still too young to realize some of them. But see, you have willingly accepted the duty you were given. Young as you are, you didn't shy away from the responsibility of having blood stain your hands. And you do this for a noble cause, the most noble, in fact."

I relaxed under his gaze, letting his words sink in. But stubborn as I was, I still put up a bit of resistance. "So how come I keep getting caught in your shadow?" I know the answer was obvious, but I asked anyway.

Here he actually smiled. "Becasue," he said, "You are a very stubborn girl. You like the way you live. The danger that was part of your job became a part of your life. You love risking your life, not only for completing the mission, but also for satisfying yourself. The sense of power that it gives you is something you cannot resist. A flaw, I must say, but still quite acceptable. It makes you good at what you do. But oftentimes, you forget when to stop. Control is still something you have to get used to. Adrenaline is one thing, but you've pushed the envelope. I always have to be on guard when you're out and about. You are one of the mortals that always keep me busy."

"But there are so many people dying in the world." I put my hands to my hips, trying to be haughty. "So why bother following me around?"

"Ha! You honestly think you deserve my full attention?" Azrael chuckled, "Please. I can be anywhere and everywhere all at the same time! It's something angels are good at. You think this is my real form? Let me tell you that it isn't. This is just a metaphysical manifestation for the likes of you. You're not allowed to see my real form until it's time, if you know what I mean."

I nodded, enjoying this pseudo-lecture. Who knew the guy could talk like this? It may be my chance to clear up some things about the duty. "Point taken. However, regarding the guys I take out, why don't I just kill off every bad thing there is? It'll make life much easier."

He raised an eyebrow at my remark. "And who are you to say who lives or dies? You have no right to pass judgement on anyone, or anything for that matter. You may be judgemental. But that is part of human nature that came with free will. No, you have no right to choose who to kill. It's same way I only take the souls of people who were meant to die. If their names are on the official list, I take the soul and bring it to where it should go. It would be pretty damn pointless to take the soul of someone who isn't dead yet. I work by the rules. Even angels like me have to be submitted to higher court. The highest court of all being God, of course."

"So you guys pick out who I should kill off? And you ask the boss for approval?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

Azrael glared at me before replying, "Because that's how it works. I know what's on your mind. Don't even bother to ask. And while we're on this subject, have you read St. Thomas Aquinas' book, Summa Theologica?"

I shook my head. He smirked, "I suggest you read it. It'll give you some of your answers."

"Even the one of where souls go once you've taken them?"

"My dear, even the Bible has that. It's very common knowledge."

"Why won't you just tell me already to get it over with?" I asked, my voice dripping with synthetic sweetness.

Azrael looked out the window. "I have to go now. Duty calls. I'll take this demon and send it back to hell before I file my report."

"Don't change the subject, angel boy!" I hissed.

"I will not be bidden by the likes of you, a mere mortal." he said wryly. He pulled out the mirror he used to carry the demon. "Besides, this thing has to go back to hell. Who knows where or when it'll suddenly come out again."

"But I killed it already. It's dead." I said through my teeth. A sick feeling in my stomach told me that it's not really the end of it.

"You killed it, yes. It's dead, yes. But only as far as this world is concerned. You don't have the kind of power it takes to kill a soul. Heck, even I don't have that and I'm the Angel of Death." Azrael tossed the mirror carelessly in his hand. "You got rid of it here, but it not everywhere else."

"Now that's not fair!" I yelled, supressing every urge to hit him on the face. "You mean to tell me that thing can still live in another world?" He has got to be kidding me.

"I'm not kidding you." Azrael sighed, obviously reading my thoughts again. "Who are you to determine what's fair? Fair has nothing to do with this. It's just the rules." He turned his back at me and began to walk away.

"Azrael!" I called. But he kept on walking, not even bothering to glance back. "That doesn't make sense!"

"I don't make the rules. And they don't have to make sense." He said as he stepped through the glass, walking over the ledge and on to mid-air. "Don't get mad at me for something beyond our control." He stopped for a second then turned slightly, "And stay out of my shadow while you're at it." With that, he disappeared into the morning sky.