Divided Paths

by Katrina Cope

  “Piers, this man has asked for food and lodgings in exchange for labor.” Grabbing my arm, she pulls me closer to her and nudges me in front of her as though putting me on display.

  Piers drops what he is doing and stands straight, stretching out his back. “And, so?” he asks, still eyeing me suspiciously.

  “You could use some help.” She places a hand on her hip.

  “We don't know him, Caitline. We've never seen him before. You know we can't take in a stranger.” Piers's eyes tighten when he looks at his wife.

  “And how many people do we know? We don't know many, so it's not like we're going to get help from someone we know.” She places her other hand firmly on the other hip. “You're struggling. We need this built. Look at him. His arms are strong.”

  He studies my physique, his eyes lingering on my muscles as he takes in my size. “Many men are strong.” He turns back to his job.

  “And you need a strong man. I can't help you lift all these beams high. I struggle. You know I struggle. It would be much quicker for all of us if we could get some help.” She places a hand on his shoulder, trying to pull his attention back to her.

  He stops to study me again. “This man looks more like a warrior than a builder or a hand. His chest is too broad and his arms too strong.”

  “Is that a bad thing? Seriously?” she snaps at him.

  “I could use someone to talk to.” Ava stands by her mother's side.

  Piers's worry-filled eyes flick to Ava. I see the father struggling with his decision. I watch his expression change as he struggles to find a way to protect her—he isn’t willing to risk exposure of her to another person. I know I have to do something, or they will send me away. Then I will have to return to spying on them and watching them struggle in my invisible form.

  “We don't even have anywhere for him to stay. We don't have a spare room.” He looks at his daughter.

  “I can sleep in the living room, and when the barn is built, I can sleep in the barn. I can help you design a spot large enough for the bed.” In reality, I don't sleep anyway, so it doesn’t matter where they put me. To keep up pretense, I play along.

  Piers glances at Ava again, and the creases in his forehead deepen.

  I step closer with my arms spread wide. “How about this. I help you for the rest of the afternoon. You don't have to give me anything for it. Let me prove my worth, and we’ll see how much of this we can get done. I can also help on the farm later.”

  The father stares at me. I can see the disbelief and distrust shining in his eyes. He looks at the barn. It is far from finished. He then looks back at my arms, at Ava, and finally at his wife.

  “You'd be mad not to accept his offer,” Caitline says to him. “Just try him out for the afternoon. I will make him dinner if he stays or not.” She grabs Ava's hand and walks back to the house, leaving me standing in front of Piers.

  “Well,” he says, “it looks like I'm stuck with you. If you don't work, I'm not keeping you here. You have a lot to prove.”

  “That's not a problem. I am a hard worker. You’ll see. Where would you like me to start?”

  He points to the side of the barn that he hasn't started yet. “We can start with this.”

  I walk over and lift my side of the beam, he raises the other side, and together we build the next wall. The beams go up much faster than his pace for the whole day, even when his wife was helping. I make sure I take most of the weight from each of the logs, seeing the exhaustion in his arms and eyes. He doesn't say much as we work, but as time ticks by, I can see the tension melting away from his shoulders. The walls are coming together nicely.

  Eventually, the sun disappears from the sky. We pack up our things and head toward the house. A waft of food drifts out the door. It smells beautiful. Even though I never get hungry, my stomach growls. We walk into the main room, and Caitline studies me then Piers, searching for an answer on our faces.

  When we don't talk, she asks, “How did he go?”

  I think I can see a slight smile spread across Piers’s face, but then he quickly wipes it away. “I got more building done in the last couple of hours than I did the whole day. The walls are almost done.”

  Caitline drops the spoon in the pot, an expression of surprise on her face. “So you're keeping him?”

  He studies me as though assessing whether I can be trusted or not. “He can definitely work.”

  Ava jumps up and down with excitement. “So, he's staying, then!”

  “Possibly, Ava. Don't get too excited.”

  “We finally have another person to talk to!” she says, still jumping.

  Piers looks at me. His eyes remain wary. “You can stay. But don't for one instant slack off. I won't have a freeloader around here. Don't do anything that causes me not to trust you, or you will also be kicked out.”

  The words are harsh, and so is his tone, but I understand the reasons behind it. Somehow, they know there’s something about the girl. They know that they have to protect her. Whatever the reason is, I'm not going to jeopardize this.

  I make sure I wear the humblest of expressions. “Thank you. I appreciate it. I will be the hardest worker yet.”

  Caitline's eyes flick to the girl. “And no showing off, young lady,” she says. “You know what I mean.”

  Ava's shoulders sag. “Okay, Mamma. I promise I won't.”

  I don't know what exactly has happened here, but there is more to it than what the words say. I can tell.

  We sit down at the table and eat. I spoon portions into my mouth. It is pleasant tasting and a shame I don't need the food. I don't want to waste these people's food on me, but I have to keep up the appearance of being a normal human. I make the food in my mouth disappear without swallowing. It's such a waste. I can tell by the smell that it’s delicious.

  - Chapter Six -

  Spending the whole night pretending to sleep has made for the longest night of my life. The minutes tick by slowly, dragging into hours. It's difficult pretending to sleep while remaining in one room, waiting until morning comes. My heightened angelic hearing catches the slow drone of Piers snoring, accompanied by Caitline's soft breaths and the even softer breaths from Ava in the other room.

  The wind rustles through the leaves. The freedom of the outside calls to me, and I have to get up and go for a walk. I turn invisible before I leave my bed in case someone sees me walking around.

  Once outside, I loop my hands behind my back and straighten my shoulders. I inhale deeply, filling my lungs with the fresh air of the night. There is a definite chill to the breeze, although the temperature of the wind doesn't worry me because I am an angel. An owl hoots in the distance. Slowly, I pace around the outside of the building, enjoying the open space and being able to stretch my legs.

  As I pace, my mind ponders the family. The father is going to take some convincing that I am trustworthy. I'm hoping it isn't beyond him, although in my time working with him today, I did see some promise. And both of them appear to be protecting Ava for more reasons than just being part of the family.

  I wander around the side of the house and hover outside Ava's room while peering at the stars. It's so peaceful out here, the silence interrupted only by a few animal noises carried in the breeze. The urge to stretch my wings becomes unbearable, and I release them and take to the sky.

  I remain close to the farm and circle it, always making sure it is within my sight. I would hate for anything to happen just because I want to stretch my wings. I flap my wings a few times then glide. This feeling never grows old. Being able to fly is one of my favorite parts of being an angel.

  My thoughts travel to Michael, and I decide it would be an excellent time to contact him.

  Brother. How is it going on your end? I telepathically speak to him.

  Almost instantly I receive an answer. It is going well. Nothing new to report at the moment. How is it going on your end?

  I circle the farm again and study the house from above. I am here with the
family. It has taken some work, but I have stepped closer to being involved in their life. It may take some time to earn the father's trust. The family lives in such a remote area. I don't understand what could be a threat.

  Do not let their isolation deceive you, he says. There is definitely a threat to the girl's life. You must watch her closely.

  I reply, The parents seem overprotective of her, especially the father. It's as though they know something is different about her and that she is not a normal young girl. Do you know what this is?

  I have not been given any information, he says. You'll have to wait and see. Perhaps what you are picking up is true, and it is the reason she is in danger. I can hear him thinking through his words, pondering what I said. It may take some time to show, or it may not. I do not know.

  The image of him lying unconscious on the cloud bed fills my mind. How are you feeling?

  I am all healed. Stop worrying. I can hear the amusement in his voice.

  I'll try. In the meantime, stay out of trouble. And definitely call me if there is any trouble. I'll be there in a flash.

  The connection severs between our minds, and I fly to the ground. The pull for freedom is quenched for now, and it is time to go back inside.

  When I enter the house, a noise sounds from Ava's room—it sounds like someone is in there. My cheeks turn clammy, and I dash to her room in my invisible form, halting inside the doorway. Frantically, I search for an intruder. Someone must've bypassed my sight while I was flying. I reprimand myself as I explore the room. I can't find anything threatening. Instead, strange things are happening. A candle stands in the corner of the room. Suddenly, a flame lights the wick. It burns and dances almost as though it's laughing at me. Then, just as quickly, it extinguishes, sending the room back into darkness. I stare at the wick. Lighting a candle like this is a power I have, but I didn't do it, and there is no other angelic presence within the room. I pause, eyeing the candle for another minute. Nothing happens.

  A noise sounds in the opposite corner. Pivoting, I look in that direction, using my angelic sight to see in the dark. A doll, one of Ava's toys, dances. A prickling sensation crawls down my spine. The toy. How is it doing this?

  Suddenly, its face glows, and a light shines across the room. I turn to see that the candle wick has ignited again. How is this happening? Is something invisible in the room other than myself?

  I tune in to my senses, trying to pick up any other presence in the room. The shadows cast from the candle's light flick up against the walls. I can't sense anything that is demonic or angelic. I can't detect anything, invisible or not. So what is causing this?

  I gaze at Ava. She is sound asleep and oblivious to everything happening in her room. Unsure of what to do next, I slump to the floor and watch a display of strange things happening. About five minutes later, the doll collapses to its bench and sits still, wide-eyed and looking into the room. On the other side, the candle stops flickering, and darkness envelops the room again.

  Unsure if it is a threat or just something strange, I decide to stay in the room. I have to keep an eye on the girl in case these acts are leading toward something more serious.

  - Chapter Seven -

  A noise down at the other end of the house grabs my attention. The light is starting to peek over the edge of the horizon. I teleport to the living room and turn visible.

  A moment later, Piers enters the room. He glances at me, the distrust still evident in his eyes. “Morning,” he says. “Did you sleep well?”

  I stretch and make sure my voice has a husky sound to it. “It was so nice to have a roof over my head. Thank you.” I think I capture a fleeting look of empathy in his eyes.

  “Well, if you work as well as you did yesterday, then you'll have a roof for a while.”

  “That's my plan,” I say through a yawn.

  Piers goes to the bench and grabs some day-old bread out of the bread container. Nothing goes to waste. He breaks it and hands me some. “Come. We have much to do.”

  I rise to my feet and follow him out the door. The air is still crisp like the night air, and the sun peeking over the edge of the horizon is accompanied with magnificent orange hues.

  We approach the barn and pick up where we left off yesterday. I was tempted to finish building it last night, but it’s a feat that would have proven suspect—it would be impossible for a human to finish off the roofing by himself. We spend the day assembling the roofing frames then slowly putting them up.

  In the distance, I watch as Ava leaves the house and goes to do her daily chores, feeding the chickens and the pigs. With my angelic hearing, I can hear her humming softly to herself, her voice crisp and clear and full of perfect tones. Squatting on the edge of the roof, I hold down the beam and call to Piers, who balances on the other side of the building, “Ava is a very happy child.”

  Piers looks at Ava then back at me. The suspicion has returned to his eyes. “What of it?”

  “It was merely a statement,” I say. “I don't see too many houses around for her to have friends to play with. So I am just surprised by how happy she seems.”

  “Of course she's happy. Her mother and I take excellent care of her.” His voice is harsh and defensive.

  “I'm sure you do. This is nothing to do with how you look after her. I was saying that usually kids her age like to have friends to play with. In saying that, she seems different than other children.”

  Piers stops working and stares at me. “Look. If you’re going to keep asking questions about Ava, you can leave.”

  A nervous chuckle escapes me. “I was merely making an observation. Sorry, I didn't mean to offend. With the way you and Caitline act around her, it is as though she is different. Your love for her is more than a normal parent-child relationship.”

  “Like I said, if you keep asking questions, you can leave.”

  I throw my hands up in defeat. “Okay, fine.” Looking for a different topic, I search around for another beam to secure, and we set back to work. Feeling Piers's eyes on me, I face the opposite direction, looking over the wheat field with the oxen off to the side.

  “Is wheat your main farming product?” I ask.

  “It is our main selling product, but we must also farm our garden. In this garden, we must make sure we grow enough for us to eat.” He points to a section where there are rows of plants and pens occupying a large field.

  It isn't far from the barn, and I spot several different animals, including cows, sheep, and more pigs.

  “And of course, we also have the chickens for the eggs and more meat. Soon, we will have to harvest a lot of the crop, including the meat. The food needs to be prepared for storage. It’s the reason we need to finish the barn quickly. It’s more important for us to do this, as we are not close to a village, and this area snows in, making it impossible to get out. We must complete all this preparation before the snow hits. The wheat, on the other hand, will be our main income for next year. We have to get it to town before the roads are cut off.” A different tone fills his voice—there is no suspicion when I ask about the food.

  By the end of the day, we’ve managed to get the beams on the roof. It took a lot longer than the walls because of their height and the difficulty of climbing the sides and standing on the roof to secure them to the top. It requires a balancing act and skill.

  After cleaning up, it is time for dinner. Caitline has prepared another delicious meal for us. I watch as Piers walks up behind Caitline and wraps his arms around her waist, kissing her on the cheek. The interaction is mesmerizing. Angels aren't allowed relationships, and I don’t feel the need for one, but watching these two together sparks my curiosity. There is so much love flowing between the two of them. Caitline turns and smiles at Piers, and she almost chuckles when his hands drop to the top of her backside. She moves in and leans her head against his shoulder. Ava is seemingly oblivious to what is happening in the kitchen as she sets the table.

  When it is time for bed, I lie on the livin
g room floor again. This time, I don't go outside—instead, I decide to wait and see if anything happens inside tonight. The soft snoring of Piers rumbles through the house, accompanied by the soft breathing of Caitline. A noise sounds from Ava's room. I tiptoe into her room and look around. The doll is dancing in the corner, and the flame is flickering—then they stop.

  I look at Ava. She is fast asleep. What could possibly be going on in this room? There is still no sign of anything causing these strange things to happen. She looks so peaceful in her bed, with her lips spread into a slight smile. Changing into my invisible form, just in case her parents walk into the room, I watch her peaceful face as she sleeps.

  A few minutes later, the doll drops to its backside on the bench, and the flame flickers angrily in the corner. I look from the flame then back at Ava. Her face has changed. It's screwed up into a frown, and she tosses and turns in her bed. I wish I knew what is going on. Is she having a bad dream? Or is there some other invisible force tormenting her that I can't see? It's strange. I can't feel anything, but something is going on.

  The curtain hanging at her window swishes around angrily. It flicks its edges around all corners. I squint to see if the window is open, allowing a strong breeze to gush through. The window is closed. Somehow, this is happening from the inside. The hairs on the back of my neck prickle. I wish I knew what it is. I hope the hair standing on end is only my nerves and not a warning of something more sinister. Then again, it could be because of danger. Whatever it is, I cannot feel it. I must find out what is causing it. It could be a threat unlike any other I've seen. As I watch the strange happenings, the helplessness torments me. I am here to protect her, yet I can't even sense the danger. I can only see evidence of something going wrong.