Angel - A Christmas Story

Hey guys, this is my entry for the Holiday Showcase 2008.
It's the first time that I've ever entered one of these, so I thought I might as well try it.
Hope you enjoy it.
Love ginnamstennant.x

This is my home. A small cardboard box tucked in the back of an attic. It's not a horrible place to be, far from it, but I feel so lonely 11 months out of the year. I know that my job is only required once a year, but it would be nice to have some company up here.

But every year, there comes the wonderful day when my family come upstairs and set me free. No longer am I imprisoned in a small, well, coffin, but I am free to see the world from the top of their tree.

Oh, and what a lovely family I have. Mike and Michelle are the parents. Childhood sweethearts and still going strong. First came the twins, Molly and Martin, they 5 years later, little Misha. It's a family full of love, and affection, and joy. I feel priviliged to be able to watch them from the top of my tree.

Although I don't like to brag, I had pretty much the most important job in the household for 24 days of December.
"Look at us angel, we're being reeeealy good this year."
"Yeah, please tell Santa that we've been good so he can bring us presents."
-"But none for Martin"-
"Stupidhe-"
"Sshh, she'll hear you!"

And then, at midnight on the 25th of December, just like every year, the man with the most important job can down the chimmney.
And landed on his bottom, as usual.

"You'd have thought I'd have got the hang of it now Ange."
I loved Santa, he was a wonderful man to work for. He made sure that us angels were all bought by lovely families. Also, my job was to watch over three darling children every year. He truly was an excellent man.
"How've the kids been this year Ange, naughty or nice?"
"Sigh- Same as usual Santa, little angels, and that means something coming from me."

"Why sigh Ange, is something wrong?"
I was shocked, had I really let him hear me?
"Go on, tell me what's up."
Taking a deep breath I let out what was on my mind.
"It's just, I've been here a long time now, ten years, and the only places that I ever see are either my box in the attic, or this room. And I'm not complaining, I'm really not, because I love this family and never want to leave them, I just feel a little, frustrated sometimes..."
I let my voice run off. Santa didn't look so cheerful anymore.

"Hmmm. It is ten years since you started. Tell you what. How about a vacation. From now until six in the morning, you're off duty. And not only that, I'm going to gove you a body to enjoy this vacation with too. Go outside, play in the snow, see the stars! The world's your oyster Ange, but only until six, okay?"
I was thrilled.
"Oh, thank you Santa, thank you, thank you, thank you!"

All of a sudden, a glow enveloped my body. A tingling sensation surrounded my limbs, shaping me, making me.
In seconds it was over, and I fould myself inside a genuine human body. Albeit one with wings.

"Oh, thank you Santa, thank you so much!"
I cuddled the lovely big fellow with joy in my heart.
"That's quite alright Ange, now just remember, six o' clock."

I wanted to do everything that I'd ever heard the children talking about.
I made snow angels.

Hmm. Not a bad likeness.

I made myself a new friend.

And had some fun knocking him over afterwards.

I even made a few snowballs. Santa didn't tell me how cold the snow actually was though.

Then I looked at the stars, just like Santa had told me to.
They were beautiful. I know angels are born from stars, but to see them like that was magical, with the snow lightly falling and the deep blue sky highlighting their shine.

There was one last thing that I wanted to do.
Somthing that the children called ice-skating. From what I could make of it, they went to a rink, and skated round on slippery slidy ice.
It sounded foolhardy and utterly irresistable.

Gliding round on the ice, I thought to myself, "This is the life". Humans don't know how lucky they have it, being able to do these types of things everyday. My mind jumped forwards to six o'clock when I would once again be trapped in my work clothes, but my heart stayed in the present. The ice beneath my feet, the stars above my head, and that angel-

That angel walking towards me!
It looked like Santa was feeling generous tonight. That made two of us.
I smiled and waved at the angel, if my night had been perfect before when I was alone, now I had someone to share it with it was so much more.

He grinned back and jumped onto the ice. Show off, I giggled, I had fallen over several times since I stood on the ice. Lucky thing we angels can't bruise.

Grabbing his hands we span round and round and round and round.
Life was wonderful!
We had the place to ourselves and could skate all night long.

"What's your name?"
I blushed and answered the handsome being.
"Angel, cliche, but true. And you?"
His cheeks also flamed crimson.
"Gabriel, same as."

Overcome with emotion, he pressed his lips againt mine.
Softly at first, and full with the unspeakable joy of being alive.
We could have been the only two people on the planet, but I didn't care.
It was Christmas night, and I was sharing it with the only other person who could share my joy.

All too sudden it came to an end.
The chimes started up from the nearby village, six of them.
I knew what it meant, but that didn't mean I accepted it.
"Goodbye Gabriel!" I screamed, hoping that one day we would meet again.