Chapter I
My name is Nuriel, and I am capable of speaking with angels. In fact, my best friend is one. At first, I didn’t realize I was conversing with angels; to me, Erwin was just another child. That changed one day at a playground, where I was labeled crazy by children who couldn’t see my friend. They refused to play with me again. When Erwin saw what they did to me and saw me lost, hurt, and crying in my mother’s arms, he decided to reveal his true identity.
He told me he was a cherub, and my imagination soared. All my sadness vanished, replaced by an overwhelming curiosity. I nearly drove him crazy with all my questions. He showed me his wings and talked about what he does and who he is. From that day on, I dreamed of becoming an angel too, of having my wings, and of saving the world from evil. I was so obsessed with seraphim that my mother bought me wings and a halo. I was only four years old and wore them to preschool.
One day, a child in my group teased me. He wanted to take my halo, but I refused. In retaliation, he tore off one of my wings and ripped my leotard. I swear, it felt like he tore a piece of me. I was so upset that I bit him and ran to hide in the bathroom. I couldn’t stop crying and trembling; my little wing hurt, but I would rather not hurt the boy. Erwin was beside me, very upset but also calm. After scolding me and explaining what I did wrong, he hugged me.
It was at that moment that I began to hear voices, although I didn’t understand what they were saying. For a few minutes, I said nothing, until I couldn’t hold back any longer and asked Erwin if he also heard something. That was the first time we discovered the opening of the channel with heaven through which I could hear the cherubim, even if I was unable to understand them yet. Later, I would learn that I could hear more than just the voices from above. From that moment, I have been able to hear the conversations of some angels, such as Erwin’s parents. What did I gain from this? I learned their language and could anticipate when something bad was about to happen to try to prevent it.
Originally, it was not easy. I was just a child, and no one listened to me. But over time, I learned to manage my powers. Yes, I have others, besides understanding the seraphim. I can raise the sound of my voice to shatter glass of any thickness, or move objects with my mind. I discovered these abilities little by little, often accidentally.
You must be confused by this beginning and all this bewildering information. You are probably still thinking about the boy, right? Believe me, I understand, and to satisfy your curiosity, I’ll tell you what happened with the bite. The truth is, we both faced furious parents in the classroom and were punished for several days to learn a lesson. Thereafter, I never approached Junior again, and he avoided me at all costs; he knew he couldn’t intimidate me. He had proof in his hand that I didn’t fear him and would respond with violence without thinking twice, even if I cried afterward in regret, but he didn’t know that.
Anyway, it might be better to stop here and start telling how I first used my powers accidentally. By the way, the channel that opened had nothing to do with me. I suspect someone with a higher power caused it for me. However, that’s a more complicated topic. It’s better to start with the simple things, when I was just five years old.
Flashback
That day, like every weekend, I was heading to visit my grandparents. We were driving on the highway for an hour and a half. Mom would put me in my car seat, and we would play with my tablet. I always chose a game that both of us could play, since Erwin usually accompanied me on these trips.
The traffic was heavier than ever; we were taking too long, and my mother seemed tense. Suddenly, my friend covered his ears, and I looked at him without understanding; he seemed a bit upset. So, I reached out to touch him, and just as we made contact, my skin prickled. It was as if an electric current ran through my body, and my perceptions opened to a new world.
I heard many voices, so I covered my ears, but it didn’t make them disappear. Fortunately, the tones were soft, so my eardrums weren’t damaged. I tried to focus since I couldn’t turn them off, and at that moment, an image of a house came to me as Erwin touched my face. As if nothing, two voices took over my mind, and then I saw their appearances. The woman was blonde, like my friend, and the man had the same profile, which made me wonder if they were his parents. He mentally confirmed that I was correct.
How could I do this? How was I hearing them and seeing them? Neither of us understood at the time, but it was as if I were right next to them. I was utterly impressed and happy because I got to see where my dear friend lived. However, the conversation took a worrying tone.
“Hanel, we must help them; it is our duty to humans.”
“Gabriela, the being of light, has not yet given the order to prevent the accident.”
“I know, but there goes Erwin’s favorite; we cannot let that truck take her life.”
“I also feel bad about it, but we must not intervene.”
I was paralyzed; what did it mean to die? Who was going to die? Scared, I looked in the rearview mirror, and the images appeared before me. A speeding truck honked, and before stopping, it plowed through an entire line of cars, right where we were. Thereafter, I shook with terror, hugged myself, and thought about what I should do. I wasn’t going to let my mom lose her life; it was already enough not knowing my father. I spoke slowly, fearing my voice would break.
“Mommy.”
“Yes?”
“Please, pull over.”
“Ah, sweetie, we are almost at the gas station. Please wait until we get there, okay? The traffic is terrible right now.”
“Mommy, please listen to me; you need to pull over.”
Then desperation overwhelmed me. My mother wasn’t going to listen to me; it was logical. She just wanted to escape the horrible traffic and couldn’t foresee what was coming next. Not knowing what else to do, I resorted to what always bothered her greatly: screaming. I started yelling, and my mother almost lost control of the car in shock.
“Nuriel, you’re going to cause an accident! Don’t scream like that!”
Since she wasn’t listening to me, I wouldn’t listen to her either. Erwin asked me to keep doing it, not to stop. So, I screamed louder and higher, so much so that I shattered the rearview mirror and cracked my tablet screen. My mother, frightened, screeched the tires and managed to pull over, changing lanes. However, the rear of the car ended up slightly across the lane. It was because someone would rather not yield the right of way. People were angry, honking their horns energetically, and just when they were about to start yelling insults at my mother and scolding me, a loud noise interrupted us.
The horn of a truck was blaring insistently. My mom’s eyes widened. I looked in the side mirrors, still intact, and saw that monster approaching at high speed. As it passed by, it took the cars that were in our previous lane. Terror engulfed me, and I trembled again at the sight. In that place, several people dressed in black were gathering. I felt cold, crying, and pain. Erwin hugged me and only said they were the fallen seraphim of death.
At that moment, I didn’t understand what “fallen” meant. I could only recognize that these beings had red eyes and were much more terrifying and fierce than pure angels. I would rather not look at them anymore; I didn’t like their conversations, so I covered my ears to avoid hearing how they rejoiced in taking the souls of the deceased. I started crying due to the intense pressure of evil I felt around me. I felt suffocated until my mother’s arms protected me and her kisses covered my head.
When I looked at her, I could see that she was talking to me, and all the negativity dissipated like magic. My mom’s words reached my ears; they were pleas for calm, assuring me that everything would be okay, and that relaxed my body, her voice sweetening my soul. I’m not sure how much time passed until we were allowed to leave. As we did, the questions began.
“Nuri?”
“Yes, mom.”
“Sweetie, be honest with mom. You knew what was going to happen, didn’t you? That’s why you screamed until the mirror broke because I wasn’t listening to you.”
“Um hum. I heard Hanel and Gabriela talking, they were arguing because they disagreed on what to do.”
“Disagreed on what? And who are these people?”
“They are my best friend Erwin’s parents. They were arguing about whether they should help humans or let them die.”
“Help humans?”
“Yes, mommy, they are angels.”
My mother’s face showed pure astonishment; I thought she surely wouldn’t believe me. Any other parent would immediately take their child to see a psychologist, but my mother didn’t act that way. She just nodded and continued the drive to my grandparents’ house without stopping, although she occasionally glanced at me.
End of flashback
Subsequently, she didn’t ask me anything else and simply told me not to scream in front of anyone, as my powerful voice could cause damage. If I ever felt we were in danger again or knew for sure that we were, I should just tell her, as she trusted me.
