Sparrow Man

by M. R. Pritchard

  With a booming voice he announces, “I would like to introduce my youngest daughter, Meg.”

  His announcement is followed by a lot of clapping. He takes my elbow, leads me down the small landing that we stand on, into a sea of people-no, angels. They chatter amongst themselves.

  I look back at Sparrow one last time before the crowd surrounds us and I can no longer see him.

  “Ah,” my father tugs on my elbow. “Here we have the remaining six council members.”

  We stop in front of six large men, just as tall as my father, who have elegant wings and wear unpleasant looks on their faces. He waves at them and walks away without a word.

  “Um… aren’t you going to introduce me?” I whisper towards his ear.

  He pats my hand that’s resting in the crook of his arm. “No, no. Not today. They’re assholes. Besides, Raphael is still pissed that his daughter chose my kingdom over his.”

  “Which daughter?”

  “Teari.”

  “So she’s a princess too?”

  He shakes his head, his long, dark hair brushing his shoulders. “Not in my kingdom. If she had chosen to stay in Raphael’s kingdom, then she would have been.”

  I nod at a few of the people that move out of the way for us, plaster a smile on my face. “So, I don’t understand all of this, realms and kingdoms and shit.”

  He clears his throat. “I forget how much you’ve missed, not having your mother and all. Bless her soul.” He slows his pace. “There are the Seven Kingdoms of Heaven, each of the original Archangels were appointed as ruler of one. Then we have Lucifer, the fallen, ruling over the realm of Hell.” The commotion in the room dies down to a whisper.

  “What about the human realm? The earthen plane?”

  “Ah, yes, that is God’s land. The Seven Kingdoms watch over the humans and keep Lucifer’s demons in check.”

  “Sparrow said you would show me how to call on my wings?”

  “You may have the Archangel lineage and your gift of poofing, however, you lack faith and you will not be gifted with your celestial wings until you find that faith.”

  Glancing around the room, I ask “How do you know I don’t believe?”

  He looks me up and down and frowns.

  “That easy, huh?”

  “Not only is that easy to see, it’s also easy to see that you lack faith in yourself.”

  Waving my hand at him, I reply, “I don’t want to hear about me. Tell me something else. What happened to my mother? Why did she leave this place?”

  “Our union was forbidden, by her father-”

  “Who’s her father?” I interrupt.

  He clears his throat, dips his head and whispers so quietly in my ear. “Lucifer.”

  Every eye in the room is on us, all commotion ceases. I stop, my back straightens, muscles stiffen. It’s two seconds before the partygoers resume whatever they were doing before Gabriel uttered the name Lucifer.

  “You see, child, things are not perfect, not even in heaven. Your mother fled to the human realm to hide you. And I sent my best Legion Commander to watch over you both. And, well, you know the rest.” He pats my hand. “Don’t worry about Sparrow. I forgive him. I had to banish him down there because Lucifer demanded it for the death of his daughter. Now you’re here, things are right, and it’s about time one of us had a child with some… edge. It’s probably the darkness of your grandfather inside you. You will fight it your entire life, no doubt. But you will choose to do what is right. I can tell this. You may not have faith in yourself, Meg, but I have good faith in you.”

  And then it clicks, the reason why I feel so odd here, why I’ve had the inclination to do so many bad things in my life. I blamed the father that raised me, the lack of a mother, my trailer-park roots, but all the time it’s been an inherent darkness.

  He tugs me along and I stumble in the high heels. Gabriel rights me with one hand. “Ah, here we go. The buffet.”

  We stop in front of a long table filled with food. There are crystal trays and platters holding fruits and vegetables, steaming breads, meats cooked several different ways. King Gabriel hands me a crystal plate. Following behind him, I load my plate, my stomach growling the entire time. It seems I may never eat my fill.

  “You should try the quail,” Sparrow’s familiar voice whispers in my ear.

  Turning, I find him following behind me, two plates gripped in his hands, loaded with mountains of food.

  “Are you seriously going to eat all that?” I ask.

  “Absolutely.”

  I follow Gabriel to a table in the front of the room. He gestures for me to sit next to him. Sparrow sits in the seat on the other side of me.

  Before King Gabriel sits, he raises his arms in the air and bellows. “A prayer before we begin.”

  A hundred hushed voices whisper throughout the room, the words too quiet for me to hear. I notice Sparrow does the same.

  I sit awkwardly, waiting for them to finish. After a moment passes, the clanging of silverware and roar of voices resumes as the room filled with angels eats their fill.

  Pushing a carrot around on my plate, I spear it and bring it to my mouth. Chewing, I know it should taste wonderful, just like the meal we shared last night, but it seems my taste buds are not working with the news of my mother being the daughter of Lucifer so fresh in my mind.

  Sparrow cleans both plates in record time. Wiping his mouth, he leans towards me and asks, “What’s wrong?”

  I simply stare at him, unable to get any words out of my mouth.

  King Gabriel clears his throat and leans towards my other side. “Perhaps, Sparrow, you should begin your courting and ask my daughter to dance.”

  Sparrow’s lip tips up in a half smile. “Meg?” He holds out a hand.

  “There’s no music,” I reply.

  “Oh, there is,” Gabriel chirps in. “You just have to listen for it.”

  Tipping my head, focusing over the dull roar of the hundreds of voices talking, I start to hear the flowing soft notes of a harp.

  “Meg?” Sparrow stands and curls his fingers, beckoning me.

  As I stand, I catch the familiar image of Teari sitting on the other end of our table, her beautiful face set quite grimly.

  Sparrow leads me to a small dance floor to the left of the tables. The commotion of the partygoers never ceases. It seems even though this is my debut ball, my presence here is nothing special. Something throbs in my gut. I feel wrong.

  Sparrow stops, spins, and pulls me into his arms. I catch him staring at the feather tattoo that’s across my collarbone. The harp music suddenly seems louder, a flowing waltz tune. Sparrow leads me into a smooth, sway of a dance.

  Unable to ignore how I’m feeling, I say, “This is all too strange.”

  “How so?” Sparrow asks.

  “I’m not used to all this shine. I’ve been in the dark for so long. I’m darker than all this.” I sigh, fighting with getting the words out of my head. “King Gabriel just confirmed it.”

  “Unpossible.”

  “Stop making up words.”

  “I won’t.”

  “You have to. Unpossible isn’t a real word.”

  “Don’t care. Who’s going to stop me? I can say what I want.”

  “This feels wrong.” I start to pull away, but Sparrow holds me tighter, turning and waltzing until we have left the dance floor and stand alone on another balcony.

  “Better?” he whispers in my ear.

  “A little. How many balconies do they have in this place?”

  “Hundreds.”

  “Oh.”

  “What’s wrong?”

  “I don’t fit in here, Sparrow. This is worse than anything, ever.”

  “You fit here, in my arms, therefore you belong.” He rests his head against mine and starts to hum Take me Home Tonight.

  “Sparrow?” I interrupt him.

  “Yeah.”

  “Why are you singing an Eddie Money song?”

  “I ju
st remembered I like him too.”

  “Oh… Sparrow?”

  “Um hmm.”

  “I need a beer. And…”

  “And?”

  “Nachos.”

  A deep laughter erupts from his chest. He pulls away from me and tips his head, his green eyes gleaming with amusement. “Okay.”

  “Okay?”

  “Let’s go.”

  “Anywhere?”

  “Sure.”

  “Dressed like this?” I motion to my dress and his suit.

  “Yeah. It will be fun. In the morning I have to return to my duties as Legion Commander, so this is my last night for fun.”

  “Okay.”

  “So, your choice, where are you taking me?” His hand lowers and I feel his thumb rub across that birthmark on my leg.

  Thinking of this college bar I used to hang out at, before I met Jim and let him try to kill me, I whisk us there in a heartbeat.

  …

  Chubby’s. That’s what the neon sign says in red, lighting up the sidewalk. The sound of drunken college kid laughter and hooting fills the air. I turn to Sparrow and find him looking completely normal. No wings.

  “Where are they?” I ask and point to his shoulder.

  He smirks. “Invisible here. Don’t want to freak out the humans. So, this place?” Sparrow asks, gesturing to the sign.

  “Best nachos. Ever.” I head for the steps and feeling the closeness of Sparrow behind me, I pull the door open with a confidence like never before. All noise ceases in the bar.

  “Maybe we should have changed clothes.” I murmur to Sparrow.

  “Nah. We look too amazing.” He presses a large hand to the small of my back and leads me towards a corner table.

  A waitress is there in an instant. And I’m pretty sure I’m invisible because all she does is stare at Sparrow when he says, “Large nachos and two beers, please.”

  She smiles at him when she returns with our order and still doesn’t acknowledge my existence.

  We eat in silence and wait for the rest of the bar to forget about the overly dressed couple in the corner booth. I sip my beer, shove a largely topped nacho in my mouth.

  “What’s wrong?” Sparrow finally asks.

  I shake my head. “This was a heck of a lot easier when both of us couldn’t remember shit.”

  “Yeah.” Sparrow waves his hand and motions to his beer. The waitress brings another. Sparrow starts to peel the label on his empty bottle. “What are you looking for, Meg?”

  I stop halfway before delivering another loaded nacho into my mouth. Dropping it back onto the plate, I lean back and take a long swig of my beer. “I don’t know.”

  Sparrow blinks, tips his head to the side, twirls his beer before drinking from it. “Tell me,” he demands. “Just tell me.”

  I exhale out a breath of frustration. “Okay. I just…” My eyes settle on my beer. I can’t believe I’m such a coward that I can’t even look at him. “I just… You remember when we were wandering through Hell?” He nods. “I felt normal there. I felt fine. Even forgetting everything that happened with Jim and learning about my mother. I feel strange up there, different. And, I still feel like… like there’s something I need to know. Some question I need answered.”

  “You think you need to go back.”

  I nod.

  Sparrow reaches forward so quickly I barely see him move, I just suddenly feel his hand on my cheek, my neck, centered over my heart where Jim stabbed me. “Promise me you won’t go alone.”

  I know that I’m staring at him, wide eyed.

  “Promise, Meg.”

  My heart starts to beat faster.

  “Promise. Now.” His green eyes blaze into mine.

  “Fine.” My heart begins a rapid flutter. Sparrow tips his head, studying me. He knows I’m lying. “I’m a sinner,” I warn him. “You know this.”

  “Yeah, you’re bad to the bone.” His hand moves to my cheek again, his fingers brush the short hair away from my face. “But I’m batshit crazy. Don’t you think for one second that those Hellions have forgotten about you. Your blood is gold down there, rubies and jewels to those who are damned. You’re worth even more to me.” His fingers press down my spine, his thumb rubs across the feather tattoo on my collarbone.

  “You’re acting weird again, Sparrow,” I warn him.

  He smiles, a soft toothy grin so much like the one he gave me when we were standing at the Canadian border. “I told you, Meg. You and me, we’re invincible together. Just wait and see. Don’t go alone.” His fingers slip under the strap of my sparkly dress, eliciting a shiver from me. “Let’s go.”

  Sparrow stands, takes my hand and pulls me to my feet. We walk out of the bar and around the corner into the shadows where no one can see us. I deliver us to the grounds outside the castle. Sparrow pulls me close, presses his hot lips to mine in a demanding kiss. He tastes like beer and smells a little bit like the smoke of the bar. It makes my trailer-park roots tingle. And as I push my fingers into his hair, a deep sound rumbles in his chest.

  Pulling back, I ask, “Did you just growl?”

  “Yes.”

  “Why?”

  “Because if I did what I really wanted to… what I want to do right now. I’m sure King Gabriel will send me away.” I press myself closer to him. Sparrow groans, pushes me away until I’m at arm’s length. “I have to go.”

  “Where?”

  “To my place.”

  “Can I come?”

  Sparrow looks up at the castle walls before he looks at my face. “No. Gabriel’s going to kick my ass.”

  Looking up at the castle I notice a curtain flutter.

  Sparrow lets go of my arms, flexes his wings and thrusts himself into the night sky. He starts flying to the left, pauses, turns and heads for the right. He smirks down at me. “Wrong direction.”

  “Do you even know where you live?” I ask.

  “Think so.” With another thrust of his wings, he speeds off into the night.

  Sighing, I turn and head up the castle steps. Walking down the long empty hallway, I find my room and head inside.

  Closing the bedroom door, I push a chair in front of it, positioning it under the door handle to stop anyone from entering. Then, stripping off the sparkly dress, I head for the shower that shoots out steaming, glittering water.

  Clean, wrapped in a towel and staring at the closet before me, I run my fingers over the racks of clothes. Never before in my life have I ever had so many to claim as my own. Never before have I ever had such soft fabrics or so many underwear and socks. I choose underwear, a pair of fitted yoga pants and a wide necked sweatshirt. Then I run and leap onto the giant bed I shared with Sparrow last night. I run my fingers over the soft sheets. Sitting, I pull the heavy comforter up to my chin and lay back on the overstuffed pillows. And then, I stare at the ceiling, wide awake and alone.

  It’s not long before I become antsy. I throw the covers back, return to the closet and reach to the back to retrieve the lockbox I hid there. I remove the picture of my mother and head back to the bed.

  Staring at her image, remembering those words that John Lewis told me every morning, you killed her and don’t you forget it, I wonder what she would have been like had I not killed her.

  “I’m sorry I killed you,” I whisper to the picture.

  Somehow, staring at her for longer than I ever have in my life, I fall asleep.

  …

  Feeling a sudden presence in the room, my eyes flutter open and I scream at the dark figure looming over me. All I can think is, Shit, one of the Hellions has found me! I scream so loud that the back of my throat hurts. Moving to get away, a hand clamps down on my leg. I kick and scratch and scream louder. Backing up, I fall off of the other side of the bed. As the stars clear from my vision, the figure moves and offers a hand.

  “Meg?”

  Oh, it’s Sparrow’s voice.

  “Oh my God, Sparrow, you scared the shit out of me!”

  “Why is
there a chair in front of your door?” I take Sparrow’s hand and he pulls me to my feet. He’s wearing dark cargo pants, boots, and a black shirt. There are pockets and clips and straps attached to him with strange weapons that make him look like he’s headed to war. “Teari tried to wake you and couldn’t get in.”

  “Oh, I just wanted some privacy.” I shrug.

  Sparrow crosses the room and removes the chair from under the door handle. “No one will hurt you here, Meg. You’re within the Seven Kingdoms of Heaven.”

  Teari pushes the door open and by the look on her face she’s furious. “Uncalled for. Locking the door.” She walks right up to me, nose to chest. I can’t get over how tall these people are. “You could have been injured, you could have been… Let me see what’s wrong with you.” She reaches out a hand to touch me. I slap it away and back up.

  “Don’t touch me.”

  Teari frowns. “What’s wrong with you? What have you been up to? Don’t think we don’t know you’ve been sneaking around.” Teari’s eyes snap around the room, stopping near the bed. The picture of my mother rests there. It must have dropped when I fell.

  Five quick steps and I snatch up the picture.

  Teari holds her hand out. “Who is that?”

  “None of your business,” I reply.

  She walks towards me, reaching out, demanding.

  “Teari,” Sparrow warns from the doorway. “Maybe you should wait outside while Meg gets ready for the day.”

  Looking down her perfect nose at me, Teari turns sharply, the tips of her folded wings dragging on the floor as she leaves. Sparrow kicks the door closed with one booted foot. I glare at him. He shakes his head. “I told you, we don’t win the wars of Heaven and Hell by trusting everyone.”

  “I don’t give a fuck who Teari trusts.” Stomping towards the closet, I pull out a pair of jeans and a pair of leather boots. I remove the yoga pants I was sleeping in, pull on the jeans and boots and shove the picture of my mother in my back pocket. I leave on the sweatshirt.