Night of Angels

  She looked around the city in amazement. It seemed as if the whole town had
come outside. And all carried a staff, almost a walking staff. Julie shook her
head and wondered what was going on. She had been driving just to drive and had
happened upon the small town. So she stopped to rest for the night. And now she
finds this. A man walked by and handed her a stick. He smiled politely. 
     "You are a visitor, aren't you?" he asked.
  Julie smiled back. " Yes. I just stopped to rest for the night."
     "You are lucky," he gestured to the citizens. "Tonight is our special
night. Just do what we do."
     "Okay...."
  He stopped and looked at the sun. It sat low on the horizon and the sky way
growing darker. "It's time"
  Julie tilted her head and looked at him curiously but he had started to yell,
"It is time!" The town began to beat the sticks in unison, steadily and then
they all began to say one word. It took her a few moments to figure out what
they were chanting. When she understood, it didn't dispell her puzzlement. But
she beat her stick and chanted, "City.....city......city...."
  Slowly the sun set and the sky became dark. Then, as if from nowhere, people
_appeared_ all around the streets. The population stopped chanting and began
running and embracing these newcomers. Julie stood in shock. The man that stood
beside her spoke and jolted her back into reality. 
     "Tonight is the only night that we have with them a year."
     "Who do you mean?" she managed to whisper.
     "Our angels. Tonight is the Night of Angels."
     "Why has no one ever heard of this before?" she asked, unable to believe.
     "Because those that speak of it are considered insane."
  At that point the man ran off to embrace a little girl and she saw tears of
joy glistening on both their faces. She walked down the street openly staring
at the angels. They seemed to have a pale glow around them. Like an aura. Soon
she came to a bench and she sat...alone...set apart from the town more than she
could have ever believed possible.

  Shouting drew her attention to a bench nearby. As she watched a man with a
woman standing by his side shook his head violently and shouted something to a
beautiful woman-angel. She seemed to be pleading and one of her hands reached
out for him and.....passed right through his arm. Julie gasped but the man
didn't seem disturbed. He simply turned his back to her and walked away with a
normal woman on his arm. The angel stood, with her arms outstretched for a
moment, then she collapsed to the bench and wept. Julie started to move toward
her but a hand on her shoulder made her pause. She turn and found herself
facing a handsome young man, who had that aura about him. He inclined his head
toward the woman-angel.
     "Leave her. There is nothing that can comfort her now."
  Julie got upset. "Let me at least put my arm around her. Let her know that
she isn't alone." 
  He shook his head gently. "She is. That man that you saw with her, he was her
fiancee."
     "Then why did he have that other woman? Why was he shouting at her?"
     "It is part of the price for tonight."
     "Price? I knew there had to be a catch."
  He smiled grimly. "Yes. And it is a heavy tax. For an angel and a mortal that
love each other can never touch. If they attempt to, it will be as you saw.
They will pass though as if the other never existed."
  She frowned. "But I saw a father pick up his daughter..."
     "Platonic love is fine. But true, romantic love....that is the price that
we must pay."
     "So what will happen to her?"
  He thought for a moment. "He was informing her that he was leaving. That he
couldn't be satisfied with a dead woman whom he could not touch." He paused and
drew a long breath. "She knew that this day was coming. That one day he would
leave her. It happens to all those who are like her."
  Her eyes were sad as she spoke. "Has it happened to you?"
     "Yes," he whispered. "But I made my decision to continue coming back. She
probably won't. He was all she had." 
     "I'm sorry."
  He sat next to her. "Don't be. I enjoy coming back to see everyone. I still
have friends. But most of them leave after awhile. It can break your mind if
you live here for too long." He smiled. "I just realized that I don't even know
your name."
  Relaxing she replied, "Julie."
     "Julie....," he repeated. "That's a lovely name." 
  She blushed. "Thanks. And you are...?"
     "Scott."
     "Nice to meet you, Scott."
     "It's a pleasure to meet you."
  They grinned and stood. He looked at her. "So, do you have any plans for the
evening?"
     "Not that I know of."
  Scott offered his arm and she took it, realizing that it felt as normal as
any other arm, and they walked away, down the street.

  Julie laughed at a joke that Scott had just told and she slapped his arm
lightly. They were snuggled next to each other on the motel bed watching a
rented movie. They had run around town like two old friends and by now they
were both a little tired. Neither of them was really watching the movie. They
were enjoying just joking around. But as the hours passed they grew closer
together and the movie drew their attention. Finally it ended and Julie realized
that she had a tear on her cheek. She started to wipe it away but Jason stopped
her. Gently he brought his hand up and wipe the tear away. They looked at each
other for a moment, the silence stretching....then he brought his face close to
hers. After a moments hesitation he kissed her....or tried to. He passed
through her like mist. Julie gasped and tried to reach to him but her hand
passed through him. Scott brought hisself back above her and smiled sadly.
      "I guess we know what this means."
      "No...this isn't fair," she said...her voice catching.
      "No one ever said life...or death...was fair." His voice was steady but
his eyes betrayed the pain in his heart.
  She tried to take his hand and failed. "I didn't know that one could fall in
love so fast."
      "It happens. But it is all the more painful."
      "Is there any way that we can be together?"
  He shook his head. "Not that anyone has found. This is a barrier that cannot
be crossed."
      "I will find a way." She stood.
  Scott stood next to her and started to place his hand on her shoulder but
stopped in time. "What do you mean?"
      "Just that. I will find a way for us to be together." And with those words
she walked out the door. Scott grinned and followed.

  Quickly she walked down the street thinking. Glancing at her watch, she
winced. there wasn't that many hours left in the evening. Scott ran up beside
her. 
      "There's nothing you can do."
      "No! There must be something...some way..."
  His face suddenly seemed older. "There is one way that we might be together.
But it doesn't always work."
      "Anything, I'll do anything."
  Brown eyes looked into her grey ones. "Your death." 
  
  Julie stood still, her face emotionless. Scott continued quietly, "But there
is no way to assure your birth as an angel here." She didn't move and for a
moment he wondered if she had gone into shock. Then without warning she reached
into her bag and pulled out a gun. Quickly she cocked it and pointed it at her
head. Before Scott could react she pulled the trigger. Nothing. 
 
  Julie cried out in frustration and cocked it again. This time Scott moved.
His hand darted out and snagged her wrist. Quickly he twisted it and she
dropped the weapon. He stared at her in amazement. 
      "Why did you do that? Why would you kill yourself?"
  She wept. "I want us to be together. And you told me that this might be a
way." Then she looked at his hand, still around her wrist. His eyes followed
her gaze and they both backed away from each other. She looked at him warily.
"What does this mean? I still love you. Have your feelings changed?"
  He shook his head. "No. I still love you." He looked at the night sky. "There
is a rumor that has been going around. That if one lover is willing to give
their life to simply be with the other, then the curse shall be lifted for the
rest of the night and each time that they are together. Looks like it was
true."
       "Then, we can be together?"
       "Yes."
  She rushed into his arms and held him tight as they both felt tears of joy
run down their cheeks. He tilted her face up to his and kissed her gently, as
if she might burst like a soap bubble. When he realized that she wouldn't, he
kissed her with passion and love. And she returned it.

  Scott laid her gently on the bed and savored just the sight of her. Julie
smiled up at him and pulled him down to rest beside her. Her eyes locked with
his and for an instant she saw the depth of his love. And she was startled that
anyone could care so much, especially about her. Scott then leaned over and
kissed her. Julie quit thinking after that.

  She woke to the light of the sun streaming through a window. Cat-like she
stretched and recalled the night. It was at that moment that the meaning of the
sun hit her. It was day. The night was over. And Scott had disappeared with the
rest of the angels. The bed seemed too large and empty without him. Quickly she
rolled out of bed and got dressed. Her clothes were strewn about the room. A
sound in the kitchen alcove startled her and she went to investigate. What she
saw made her heart skip a beat. There stood Scott.....making breakfast.
  
  He looked up and smiled. "I hope you slept well."
      "You are here...."
      "Where else would I be?"
  She shook her head. "I thought that you would leave with the night."
      "You gave me back my mortality. I can be with you now. Forever."
  Julie laughed and grabbed his hands. They spun about the kitchen for a few
seconds and then collapsed into chairs at the table. 
      "Scott, what do I have to do to keep you from becoming an angel again?"
  He reached to the counter and set a plate of pancakes in front of her.
      "Just believe. In me....and in love. And I will never leave you."