Why Do Angels Cry?

Why do Angels Cry?

 

One time he asked me, "Bena, why does rain fall when it only makes people sad?

It's like tears; no one likes tears."

 

I'd been taken aback

because

Tyler was

Tyler.

And eight.

He hadn't the capacity to think.

Really

really

think.

 

I rewarded him

with a smile,

like the caring older sister

I always was.

 

My fingers tugged the thick quilt

up,

up,

up,

to his pointy chin.

 

He regarded me seriously

without smiling back.

 

That worried me.

 

So

I would answer

because

Tyler was

serious.

 

This made me

think hard,

hard,

hard.

 

I sat down

slowly

on the edge of his bed

and sighed.

The mattress groaned

and sunk

underneath my weight.

 

"Well," I said

sighing to show I too was serious

as he was.

 

"It comes from the angels."

 

"Huh?" Tyler asked,

scrunching his eyebrows together

in a way that reminded me

eerily

of myself.

 

"The rain. It comes from the angels.

They look down

upon us

and cry

when we do something

very upsetting.

Understand?"

 

Tyler seemed to be

enveloped in thought

too developed

for an eight year old.

 

Silence wrapped us up,

a cozy,

yet scratchy,

blanket.

 

Thoughts,

ideas,

wonders,

questions,

swirled around me

all unspoken.

 

I felt

suddenly

d i z z y.

 

Someone pulled the covers off.

 

"Gross," Tyler exclaimed too quickly,

unconvincing

like most guys

are.

 

He slid further beneath the covers

that ensured safety

from all the monsters

a third year old boy

could dream up.

 

I kissed his forhead,

clicked off the lamp,

and raised from his bed.

 

Light greeted me

as I

stepped

into the

hallway.

But before I closed his door

I

needed

to

know.

Know why.

 

Hand on doorknob, I whispered in to him,  "Why did you want to know, anyway?"

 

But Tyler didn't respond.

 

Silent message:

Conversation

is

over.

It

never ever

happened.

 

Ever.

 

For some reason

I was okay with that.

 

I closed the door

behind me

and forgot.

 

Except,

I didn't.

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

Author's Note

Prologue. Feedback appreciated :)