Wings of an angel

"Hey! There's an angel up that tree!"

"An angel? What sort of angel?"

"A big one. With enormous wings. Come and see before he flies
off."

"Where is he?"

"Just down the road at the top of that big chestnut tree. Freddie was
climbing up when he heard a great whooshing, and there it was. He was
scared stiff. He's had to go home to get over it."

"Did it land on him?"

"Almost! It got one of its wings tangled in the branches."

"Are you sure it's a real angel?"

"Well, it's not a person dressed up. It's much too big."

"How big is it, then?"

"Well, if you stood a truck up on end then it'd be about as tall as
that. But he doesn't look it because he's sitting on a branch."

"God, he must be over eight foot then!"

"Yes, easily! And you should see his wingspan -- like one of those
little jet planes! Look, there he is, can you see him?"

"Goodness Gracious! It really is an angel."

"I told you. Wonderful, isn't he?"

"Yes, he is. Very impressive. He's definitely having trouble with one
of those huge wings."

"Do you think you could climb up and help him? I think I'll go and have
a lie down with Freddie. It's all been too much for me."

"Hey! Can you hear me up there?"

"Of course I can! I have superhuman abilities. But as you see,
accidents can happen."

"Is there any way I can help you?"

"Well, you could help me untangle these feathers. I'm not making any
progress here at all."

"OK. I'll do my best. But untangling feathers isn't my strong point and
I'm not as sprightly as I was."

"Mmmm. I should have chosen another type of being to reveal myself to,
I can see that now. Your two friends seem to have run off."

"They've gone home to sleep off the shock of seeing you. My God, you
are tall!"

"I'm a perfectly normal height for a Power. You're not supposed to see
us, so how do you know how tall we are?"

"I'm sorry, I don't know what a Power is."

"It's the sixth of the nine orders of angels. There's Seraphim, they
have six wings and are very fiery. They're the highest order. Then
there are the Cherubim, they possess knowledge and are very small, like
children in your world. Then there's the Thrones, the great thinkers.
After that come the Dominations and the Virtues, and then the Powers.
That's us. We regulate the Universe. Under us, of course, are the
Archangels and the ordinary Angels. The last category being the angels
that minister to humanity. Phew! All that explaining has worn me
out."

"Well, thanks for enlightening me, but my sort doesn't really take much
interest in religion."

"Religion? What's religion got to do with it?"

"But aren't angels supernatural beings who intermediate between God and
the world?"

"The first part's correct. We are supernatural, as you call it. But we
don't intermediate between anyone or anything. That's just what humans
have written about us. We're just angels, just as sheep are sheep.
Look, could you pull this bunch of feathers back while I try to
separate the others? Good, now I'm free."

"Be careful! Don't go out on that branch, it won't stand your
weight!"

"Don't worry. I'm weightless, like all angels. We just look bulky but
we weigh not so much as a feather in your world. You see, we existed
long before gravity was created, so it doesn't affect us."

"Well, that's a relief. It must be nice to fly round all the time with
the birds in the sky."

"Well, birds are something different altogether. They belong to your
world. But we are immortal and eternal and fill the Universe with our
presence."

"Can anyone become an angel? Me, for instance?"

"You'll become one whether you like it or not when your earthly body
expires."

"Will I be a Power, like you?"

"I've no idea. It all depends on what is needed at that particular
time."

"Will all earthly beings become angels in time?"

"Yes, and all insects, all bacteria, all microbes, etcetera, etcetera.
There's room for everyone, so to speak."

"Well, I've not been feeling too well lately. They've put me on a
special diet for my liver. It's horrible, it tastes like cardboard. I'd
sooner be dead, or expire, as you put it. And I can't wait to become an
angel!"

"If you're sure you want to join the heavenly host I might be able to
help you, seeing as you've helped me - or tried to."

"Yes, please! As soon as possible!"

"OK. Just trust me. It won't hurt. In fact, it's very pleasant.2

"Oh, look! The sky is full of angels! Huge ones like skyscrapers,
little ones as small as specks of dust, and medium-sized ones like me.
And we're all floating around weightlessly. Angels, angels, as far as
the eye can see! Tumbling, hovering, darting, plunging, ascending,
plummeting, fluttering, gliding...I love it! I could stay here for
ever."

"Well, I'm afraid you'll have to. There's no going back, you know.
Perhaps I should have told you."

2Oh, no. I never want to go back! And I'm so glad you stayed with me.
Thank you."

"That's OK. You're one of the Powers now, like me. In a minute we'll
fly off to the extremities of Time. We'll just wait a few moments for
you to get your bearings. It does seem marvellous at first, but you
soon get used to it. Come on... "

"Oh, I love it! Everything's azure and shining white! You know, I was
colour-blind before, but now I can see every colour of the rainbow! By
the way, what's that in your hand?"

"These keys? Oh, they're what I carry round to open up the Secrets of
the Universe. They're pretty, aren't they? All pearly and glowing. If
you look you'll find that you have the same. All the Powers do."

"Yes, you're right. I've got just the same. A sort of Badge of
Office.
You could say that. By the way, it's very dark at the edge of the
Universe, I hope you won't mind that."

"Oh, no. I've never had a problem seeing in the dark."

* * * *

"Look, Freddie. Flossie's still up the tree and the angel's gone long
ago."

"Come on, we'd better have a look. Poor old Flossie. She was far too
old to climb up so far, she must have got stuck."

"Oh dear, she's not moving. I think she's dead. But look at that lovely
peaceful expression on her face. Do you know what I think? I think the
angel's taken Flossie with him!"

I think you're right, Freddie. What a wonderful way for a cat to
die.