Natural Born Angel (Immortal City 2)

Maddy had found when she talked to Gwen that it was a strange contrast, like channelling the ordinary life she could have had at university, worries about finals, fights with dorm room-mates, dining halls, parties. It was so close to having been Maddy’s life. But it contrasted sharply with Maddy’s extraordinary life now. The life of a Guardian Angel in training. Something she could never have imagined just a year ago.

Inside Kevin’s house, Maddy threw her bag down on the front table and poured herself a glass of orange juice from the fridge. It was quiet. She let out a sigh, her body slowly relaxing. She flipped on the TV, moved a washing basket, and plopped down on the couch, wondering if her new one would be as comfortable as this old monstrosity. Probably not.

Maddy flipped through the channels: Angels, Angels, more Angels. She went to the “normal” news channel. There was a talking-heads debate on. The topic: Angels and human relations. Maddy sighed, but paused for a moment. The graphic at the bottom of the screen read: “Senator introduces Immortals Bill.”

A square-jawed male anchor in the news studio spoke:

“Senator Ted Linden, whose presidential campaign as a third-party candidate has been growing its support dramatically, formally introduced a landmark piece of legislation to the Senate today. It is being called the Immortals Bill. The legislation would ban nearly all Angel activities, including supernatural acts of flying, strength and speed, under penalty of prison until the entire Angel system can be reassessed, which some say could sideline Guardian Angels for years. Experts say Linden will have a tough time getting enough votes to pass the bill, but he remains confident. He has even gone so far as to propose limits on Angelic powers across the globe. Some prominent international leaders have stated that they support Linden’s reforms being carried throughout the world, including many in Western Europe, who have historically been much more critical of the Angels’ politics and lavish lifestyles than politicians in the United States and Angel City.”

Senator Linden, a handsome man in his fifties with a shock of grey-black hair, appeared on the screen at a fundraising event in front of a crowd of supporters waving American flags. “I will not rest until I see this piece of legislation passed, and America made safe from the pernicious influence of Angels again. My first act as president will be to sign this bill into law and simultaneously establish a Global Angel Commission with our allies across the world.”

The image cut back to the anchor in the studio.

“Reaction in the Angel community has ranged from shock to dismay to anger. We are awaiting an official statement from the NAS.”

The anchor turned to a different camera.

“Next up: you won’t believe this year’s Power List of the Immortal City’s Angels. Did your favourite make the cut? But first, the weather.”

Maddy turned the TV off, feeling perturbed. Like Linden, she supposed, she felt that the Angel system of Protection for Pay was somehow corrupt. You shouldn’t only get to be saved if you’re rich enough to afford it. And if she ever made it through Angel training, she was going to figure out how to fix that system, to give more humans an equal chance at being protected. But at the same time, Angels did save people. The work they did, at the end of the day, was good. She didn’t understand why Linden felt as aggressively as he did, unless it was just to make some noise and win some votes.

Maddy realized she had got a strange headache from watching TV, and her back was starting to hurt, probably from slouching on the couch. She got up and found herself a little dizzy. Maybe she’d draw herself a bath.

Upstairs, Maddy put in the plug and turned the tap all the way to hot, the steaming water beginning to fill up the bath. Below, Maddy heard the back door close – Kevin must be home.

The mirror began to slightly fog. The tub was nearly a quarter of the way full, light, white wisps of steam rolling up towards the ceiling from the scalding water. Maddy began to take off her clothes, but she felt light-headed again. Leaning forward, she gripped the edge of the sink to steady herself. A pain shot through her back, and she felt even more light-headed.

What was happening?

At that moment, Maddy felt the most excruciating pain since the knife had driven into her gut months ago on the roof of the library tower. Two separate pains, equal distance from each other. On her back.

Maddy let out a terrible cry and fell to her knees.

She could only think of one word: wings.

Please let them be normal, please let them be normal. Maddy’s mind raced as she doubled over in pain again. The entire bathroom, swirling in steam, began to quaver and ripple before Maddy’s eyes as her consciousness flickered in and out.

Maddy yelled again, the pain almost unbearable. It felt as if her back was suddenly on fire where her Immortal Marks were.

As if from another world, Maddy heard Kevin’s footsteps echoing on the stairs.

Tears streamed down her face. Helplessly she tried to lift herself off her knees. She swore she could feel tiny droplets of warm blood running down her back. She just wanted it to end.

All of a sudden, Maddy heard a quick rip as the back of her sweatshirt violently tore. An enormous whoosh shook the room as two wings emerged from her back, scattering shampoo bottles from the side of the tub, blowing back the shower curtain, ripping a towel off a shelf, before settling, tucked against her back.

Maddy kneeled, gritting her teeth. Her wings hovered, extended behind her. She took a deep breath. And then another. The terrible pain had subsided as soon as the wings emerged.

And now she could feel them.

She gasped as a knock rapped on the bathroom door.

“Maddy!” Uncle Kevin shouted through the door. “Are you OK?”

Maddy still leaned over, her newly formed wings curled up tightly against her. She panted, gritting her teeth. “I’m fine, it’s nothing, Kevin. I’ll let you know if I need any help.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes!”