"Angel" Means "Slave" in Heaven /PART I

There are many cracks in the border between Heaven and the lower levels of the World. Some are impressive, massive gates bordered with pearly columns and rays of light. Others are ambiguous, a strange misty place in the world, like on a grey morning where you might wander through a time-slip on your way to buy milk. Others are temporary, ragged rips in the fabrics of the world, mostly occurring when someone miscalculates an infinity jump. Cats know all the kinds of gates, for they pass through with impunity. This particular cat had done so often as well, in his youth, before he tired of adventuring and decided to settle in Heaven permanently.

And then there are dank, dark things that are literally cracks, which no self-respecting cat would use if they could help it. Normally you expect sewage or something rat-like to seep through. The cat had not expected the angel to be in such a hole, and reeking of the red-dust to boot.

"Eat this before you disappear," said the cat, handing the angel a dumpling filled with ambrosia. The angel took it somehow, though it was nothing more than a stain upon a shadow, at that point, with no discernible limbs.

"Now hurry," said the cat. "Come out of there before you solidify and become too big."

The angel scrambled out somehow, lay heaving on the damp street, forming a shape, turning from a shadow color to something with luminous pale skin, and shadowy hair. It resembled a species the cat was familiar with from its youth in the lower world--a Human. A girl to be specific (for the angel was unclothed). As the body solidified, red, angry scars appeared, running along the limbs, the chest--everywhere but the angel's face, which featured eyes that spoke of the sorrows of dust, and played a story of deep pain.

"Put this on," said the cat, tossing it the blue robe. "I'll take you to your master."

"Thank you," said the angel. It stood, donned the robe, followed obediently. It did not ask the cat's name, which meant that even though the angel reeked of the living world, it was at least familiar with the etiquette of Heaven.

...to be continued