The Black Ribbon (Unfinished)

I started writing this during history one day...

A girl stood alone in the cemetery, staring at a tall tombstone, dressed in black as her blonde hair whipped around her head in the wind. Tears leaked from her dark brown eyes as she stared at the tombstone. Why had Azriel been taken from her so soon? The tears flowed faster as she remembered her cousin’s death. The girl fell to her knees, sobbing, as she tried to forget the terrible event. Why did Azriel have to die? And now what was she going to do? There was no one else for her to turn to; Azriel had been the last of her living family members, and now he was dead too. Where was she going to go when she couldn’t afford to pay the rent on the apartment anymore? Elita sniffed back her tears and stood. Crying wouldn’t solve anything. But despite her attempts to stay dry-eyed, when she saw again the name engraved on the tombstone her vision blurred and tears coursed down her cheeks.

Azriel Johns.

Her cousin. Her bright, happy, unusual cousin, her protector and friend, was gone. Now there was no one there to help her when her secret was accidentally let out; there was no one to help her to hide the terrifying and amazing truth about her origins.

 

As she turned to leave, a movement caught her eye and she turned back to see a length of black ribbon flapping in the breeze. It had become caught on the grave-marker of her cousin, and Elita felt that it was a sign of some sort. Had Azriel sent this to tell her not to mourn, but to remember him and keep living? It seemed like something he would do. A small smile twitching her mouth, Elita reached out and plucked the ribbon from where it was caught. Running the length through her fingers, she bowed to the marker of her cousin’s grave. When she straightened, she found the ribbon was already tied around her wrist. Shrugging at powers beyond her control, Elita accepted the ribbon would stay with her and left the cemetery with her heart lighter than it had been for a long while.

 

Azriel turned away from the image of his cousin as she tied the black ribbon around her wrist. Now her protector, her guardian, would find her, and all would be well. Or at least, he hoped so. It would not be easy for Elita to hide her angelic origins, or the white wings that sprouted from her shoulders, but she would manage. She had to. The girl still had unfinished business on Earth.

 

Asim felt a stirring inside. He felt like there was somewhere he had to be, that there was something he had to do. Looking around for the source of the odd feeling, he saw a girl in a long black jacket hurrying down the street, her long blonde hair wild in the wind, her face tear-stained. Again, Asim felt the stirring inside as he looked at her. He felt a strange urge to protect her, to look after her. But why? She was just an ordinary human girl…

 

Asim gaped as the stranger stumbled and fell, her jacket being brushed aside to reveal what looked to be…feathers. Feathers? Did the girl have wings or something? Standing from his seat in the café, Asim hurried over to the fallen girl, who was looking around in fear as she tried to cover the strange white protuberances from her shoulders. She heard Asim’s footsteps and looked up, her expression full of fear, as he knelt beside her.

“I won’t hurt you, or expose you,” he murmured, holding out a hand to her. “I will help you, if you wish,” he added just as quietly. After looking at his outstretched hand and into his face, the blonde, winged girl nodded and allowed him to help her to her feet. Asim twitched her jacket to cover her wings, and the girl brushed off her palms on her trousers as she stared at him.

“I am Elita,” she murmured, finally averting her gaze. “Thank you for your assistance.” Asim smiled. So the unusual girl had an unusual name. It figured.

“I am Asim. And it was no trouble,” he assured her, sincere. Indeed, he felt the need to protect this girl from everything that could harm her. Elita smiled back timidly.

“Thank you again, Asim. I am deeply grateful.” Elita smiled, bowed slightly in acknowledgement and walked away, wondering at his reaction to her secret. How would he react if he knew the truth of it?

 

Asim was thoughtful on his way home. Who was Elita, exactly? What was she? Asim didn’t know, but he knew that there was something about her that made him feel like he had to protect her from everything. It wasn’t a reasonable urge, but it was something he couldn’t ignore. Now, however, out of the girl’s sight and presence, the urge was stronger. He felt like she was in danger, even more so because he wasn’t there…talk about irrational thinking! He kept telling himself that there was absolutely no reason for him to be worried about the girl whom he had met for a brief few minutes. But despite that, he was concerned about her wellbeing the rest of the day. There was something different about her, ignoring the fact she had wings, and Asim felt like it was his duty to stop anyone else finding out just what that difference was.

 

Elita found herself dragging her feet as she made her way upstairs to the apartment she had shared with Azriel. She was exhausted, and with good reason, too. The last week or so had been hectic, what with all the funeral arrangements and stuff. Finally reaching the door, Elita unlocked it, entered the apartment, closed the door and locked it again. She shrugged her jacket from her shoulders and gave a relieved sigh. It felt a lot better to be unrestricted, to be able to stretch…she winced as the tip of one wing caught on a vase and knocked it to the floor. Luckily it didn’t break, and Elita gingerly put it back where it had fallen from. She suddenly felt extremely tired, and staggered to her bedroom to kick off her shoes and lie down on her bed. She was asleep within seconds, and began to dream.

 

At first, she was running through a tunnel with Azriel, just as she had when he was alive and they were exploring the ruins a day’s travel away from the town, and the next thing she knew she was alone, cold and in a dark, torch-lit corridor with dark doors on either side at random intervals. Where was the exit? She shivered, realising she wasn’t dressed correctly to be in such a draughty, cold place. She was wearing a thin white shirt and short, loose skirt, and her wings were exposed for all to see, if there were any to see. Elita wrapped her arms around her chest as she shivered again, and then blanched when she heard the sound of claws scrabbling on stone. This couldn’t be good…the lights at either end of the corridor went out, and as the sound of the creatures’ movement drew closer, the torches went out. These creatures operated in darkness, it seemed. Elita hated to think what might happen when they reached her… suddenly the door across the hall from where she stood opened, and Asim stuck his head out to see her. He smiled reassuringly and opened the door wider, holding out his hand.

“Come on, before those creatures get here,” he urged, and without further hesitation after the next two torches went out, Elita moved towards him, took his hand and let him pull her through the doorway.

 

Asim found that he was wandering alone in a huge, well-lit hall. Despite the lightness, however, there was a black door set in one wall, and Asim felt himself being drawn towards it. He was puzzled. In all previous dreams like this, he had avoided the door. Again he felt the strange feeling of needing to protect someone, and hurried towards the door. If Elita was on the other side, she would need his help. Why else would he be drawn to that particular door? Upon reaching the door, he opened it and stuck his head through the gap to see Elita pressed up against the opposite wall, frightened and looking a little cold, and he heard the scrabbling of claws on granite floors. Elita looked surprised but relieved to see him, and he smiled reassuringly.

“Come on, before those creatures get here,” he said to Elita, holding out his hand. She hesitated for a moment, but then nodded, moved towards him and let him pull her through the door to the well-lit chamber. He closed the door behind her as the sound of angered screeching reached his ears. Elita was safe from them…for now.

 

Elita looked around in awe at the huge cathedral-like hall. It was so light, so open… she jumped when Asim appeared in her line of sight, but then calmed. He wouldn’t hurt her, surely? In complete opposite of Elita, Asim was dressed in black armour, which was probably lighter than it looked. He had a big, curved sword at his side, and he looked just about ready to use it on anyone or anything that attacked. He turned to face her once the door was closed.

“Are you alright?” he asked, and Elita nodded, not trusting herself to speak. How was he in her dream? Why was he there?

“Are you sure, Elita? You look paler than usual,” Asim continued. Elita smiled faintly.

“I’m fine, Asim,” she assured him, looking around. “Where are we?”

“I don’t know,” Asim confessed. He had been here before in his dreams many times. “I’ve had dreams that have led me here before, but I can’t remember much about them.” Elita sighed and looked around again. There was nothing familiar about this place…

 

Elita sat upright at the ringing of her doorbell. The sound was irritating, and she felt like she wanted to disconnect the thing. Then she realised that there shouldn’t be anyone ringing the doorbell in the middle of the night…what was going on? She listened and heard voices outside the door as the doorbell stopped.

“There's no one there, Jed,” one voice was saying, rough and male. Another voice, similar but not, replied.

“There's a girl in there, I know there is!” Jed snapped. “I saw her come in here!”

“So why are we after this girl again?” the first voice asked in a bored tone as Elita slipped off her bed and crept around silently, packing all her things into a small suitcase and pulling on her big jacket. She had to leave…but she couldn’t fly out of here if her wings were covered. What could she do? Unless… rushing to the window silently, Elita looked out and saw that it was still pitch-black outside. Yes!!! She could escape out the window into the darkness, and then she could go look up that Asim fellow…he would help her, surely? Hoping that she was right about the man, Elita gathered her things, took off the coat and put it in her bag, and then opened the window silently as Jed and his companion began to bang on the door. She escaped out into the night, flying towards the coffee-shop where she had met Asim.

Author's Note

Azriel means "angel of the Lord", Elita means "the little winged one" or "the little chosen one", and Asim means "the protector". There is reasoning behind the names XD. I will add more to this story as I type it...

Reviews

[Dawn]

I love these characters hun seems they can be developed loads to. Cant wait to see where this goes.
Dawn