It was at exactly twelve o’clock that my agony began. It started as an itching in my back, particularly in my shoulder blades. Scratching just made it itchier. I got up and walked to my mirror. I pulled off my shirt to see my skin was red and irritated and judging from how itchy it was, I wasn’t surprised.

“It’s started.” A voice spoke.

I whipped around to see Jack leaning against the doorway.

“Shit how do you do that?” I sighed.
“I heard you.” He replied, pointing to his ear.

I groaned and walked back to my bed, laying on my stomach. Jack left for a few seconds and returned with a trashcan before sitting next to me and staring at the wall. He did that sometimes and I hated it, it scared me.

“What are you looking at?” I asked, my fear evident in my voice.
“What?” He asked, snapping back to reality.
“You zone out sometimes, what are you looking at?” I asked.
“Oh. Sometimes the yells and screaming in my head get so loud it kind of pulls me away. Other times, I get flashbacks or images from Hell.” He explained casually as if that wasn’t one of the most horrifying things I’d ever heard.
“Oh.” I murmured.

---

Within twenty minutes I was horribly nauseous. The kind of nauseous that makes you want to claw your stomach out so you won’t feel so bad. The fact that I was laying on my stomach made it worse but my back hurt too much to lay any other way. My throat choked up and I leaned into the trashcan as I thew up everything in my stomach but what I saw frightened me. It wasn’t normal vomit, it was red.

It was blood.

The only thing I could think of was him telling me earlier about how if I threw up, my stomach would come up as well.

“Jack?” I whimpered.
“It’s okay, it’s normal.” He replied, sounding almost comforting, “The drink has been in your system long enough, you’ll be fine, vomit all you want.”

He got me a glass of water and while he was gone, I’d gotten sick three more times. The cold water soothed my stinging throat. I don’t think I’ve ever felt worse in my entire life. Tears actually stung my eyes just because I felt so nauseous and shitty. After an hour of nearly endless vomiting, it was, unfortunately, replaced with an agonizing migraine. The itch had faded into a sting, like hundreds of needles were piercing my skin. Then my back to felt wet. I looked at Jack who was looking at it too. I pulled myself up and stumbled to the bathroom, suddenly feeling very weak. With difficulty, I turned my head and looked in the mirror. Blood ran in lines from hundreds holes in my back which were about the size of the head of a pin. It you looked closely, you could see white things peaking out.

“Holy shit.” Jack whispered.
“What? Is something wrong?” I asked.

I’d never seen him look so shocked.

“Are they really?” He asked, moving to my back and looking. “Fuck they are.”
“Jack what is it?” I cried.
“How did you? And it’s happening now.” He whispered.
“You’re scaring me what’s wrong?” I asked.
“Oh my god, Alex lay down. Don’t move, stay very quiet, no matter how much it hurts, stay quiet. Don’t let anyone in. You need to stay hidden. I’ll be back.” He rushed before sprinting out.

I took another look before collapsing onto my bed again. The blood ran down my side in sticky lines and a part of me wanted to take a cold shower but for one, I didn't think I had the strength and two, Jack said lay down and don’t move. He may not be very trustworthy but I’d never seen him so shocked.

Suddenly a pain hit me that was so severe, it felt like a bullet wound. My teeth clamped on the pillow as I struggled not to scream. Jack told me to keep quiet. Another pang rippled through my body making me flinch and try to push myself away from the sting, only to make myself push into the mattress. I’d never wanted Jack to be by my side more than I did in that moment.

Worry at what he’d seen and questions filled my head until he opened the door, but he wasn’t alone. A man walked in and he was the most beautiful person I’d ever seen in my life. He seemed to glow.

“Here.” Jack pointed at me. Fear twinged at my stomach

Is he getting rid of me?

Did he turn me in?

“Oh child.” The angel whispered, moving close to me.

His blue eyes like ice and his hair so blond it was almost white.

“Have you given him the elixir?” He asked.

“Yes. Will it be enough?”

The way Jack treated this man…It was as if he respected him...

“Dear God, I hope so.”

“What’s happening?” I rasped, exhausted.

“You are so extraordinary, Alexander. You truly are. But this will be one of the most horrible things you’ll ever experience.”

Gee thanks.

“Clearly you don’t know me, I’ve experienced a lot of those.” I replied. “Now who are you?”
“Stop talking, you need to conserve your strength. My name is Amitell.”

God I’m tired of everyone telling me to be quiet.

“You’re not transitioning into a normal angel, Child. But an archangel.”
“The fuck is that?” I gasped at a particularly sharp pain in my back.
“An archangel is one of the highest ranking angels. Also one of the rarest.” He said.
“Great will I get anything fun?” I groaned. “The ability to numb myself would be great.”
“You’ll be able to see things, things I see.” Jack explained. “Like, you’ll be able to see my shadow if he comes back, souls on occasion, things like that.”
“Your shadow is back?” Amitell asked.
“Fortunately.” Jack grimaced.
“Wonderful.” He replied, returning the sarcasm “Any clue where he is?”
“He could be in my backyard for all I know.”
“Let’s hope for Alexander’s sake, he isn’t.” He replied.

I moaned into my pillow as it felt like knives were slowly carving their way out of my back.

“You’re doing beautifully,” The angel encouraged, “Just one more hour, you’re almost there.”
“What? This has only lasted like two hours.” I gasped, breathing seemed impossible, my chest was too tired to move.
“Your mind has made it seem like almost no time has passed to help you cope.”
“How long do you think I was gone?” Jack asked.
“I don’t know..Fifteen minutes?” I gasped.
“I was gone for six hours, Lex.”
“What?” I exclaimed but they ignored it.
“Unfortunately this last hour is your make or break moment. Your bones will begin to-“
“AHH” I cried out as a sharp pain hit my spine.
“rearrange” He finished.

I clung to the sheets as every bone in my back broke, then moved.

I can’t do this.

“I can’t- Jay, I can’t” I whimpered.

Jack appeared at my side and took my hand in his.

“Lex you are so close, so, so close. I’ve seen angels who were a lot smaller and weaker than you survive. You can do this.” He said, looking me straight in the eye.
“No, no I’m so tired. I can’t- I can’t breath.” I said, shaking my head as I heaved.
“Alex listen to me. Listen to me. You’re doing so well, just a few more minutes.” Jack murmured.

“It’s eleven fifty-nine, one more minute. You are so close Alex, don't give up.” Amitell said.

I gasped as one last racked of stabbing pain went through my body. I felt my back arch and suddenly it felt like a great pressure was released and just like that, the pain was gone. I panted and opened my eyes. I was exhausted, but nothing hurt. Something in the corner caught my eye and I turned my head to see a wing…Two wings. I exhaled and jumped up, running to the bathroom. There I was. Shirtless and bloody, but with two wings, attached. It took me a moment but I stretched them out fully and they were each six feet long and about four feet in diameter. They were pinkish from the blood, but you could tell once they were washed off that they’d be white.

“Beautiful.” Amitell smiled. I looked over to see him with his wings out too.

They were white also.

“You’re-“
“An archangel.” He smiled, “Normally wings are brown or grey, but archangel wings are white.” He explained.

I reached over and ran my fingers down my feathers, they were the softest things I’d ever felt.

“Come on.” He beckoned.
“Where are we going?” I asked.
“You’re going to fly.” Jack grinned.

I tried to walk through the doorway but my wings got in the way. I glanced at Amitell.

“Tighten your muscles.” He explained.

I did as he said, but it took a few tries. My muscles felt very stiff. Once out in the backyard, Amitell stood in front of me as Jack stood to the side.

“Stretch out your wings as far as they can go.” He explained, “Now just move them back and forth, make each flap count. I’ll show you.”

He brought his wings together at his back, then thrusted them forward, lifting seven feet off the ground. He continued to flap until he was as high as the house, then he let himself drop but caught himself right before he hit the ground.

“Now I don’t expect you to do that, your main goal here is to just get your muscles loose, they’re always stiff in the beginning.” He explained.

I nodded and did as he had but I didn’t feel nearly as graceful as he’d looked. Once they were back, I pushed them forward but that only made me feel lighter, it didn’t lift me. I glanced at him and he nodded, encouraging me to try again. I took at breath and kept trying.

“Come on Lex, you’ve got to make it off the ground.” Jack said after a few of my failed attempts.
“Why?” I asked.
“Your wings will be disabled if you don’t” Amitell replied gravely.

I gulped and nodded. Being what I was was dangerous enough, I didn’t want the added danger of being handicapped. I took a deep breath and started flapping with all my might. The dirt flew and the the grass clung to their roots as I was lifted inch by inch. I was getting tired but once I was five feet off, it clicked. I gave an almighty flap and suddenly I was propelled up.

“Yeah!” Amiable cried from the ground.

I felt so free, it was like taking a huge gulp of air after being suffocated. I felt myself tilt forward so my stomach was to the ground. I caught the wind and road it. It started to feel like my wings were a part of me and not just an added extension. I let out a laugh as I soared up, the house the side of a gingerbread version. Although it was liberating, I was tired and worried I might fall. I tilted my wings down and started falling at an alarming pace. My heart jumped up into my throat as I envisioned myself hitting the ground.

“Flap!” Amitell cried.

I did right before I hit the dirt and it broke my fall enough so that only the wind was knocked out of me.

“Alright?” Jack grinned, pulling me up.

It was all I could do to keep from laughing with joy, I felt so free.

“Let’s go inside, Alex you’re freezing.” Amitell advised.

That’s when I realized how cold it was. not only was it night in the winter, but also I was shirtless and covered in wet blood. The heat of the house was very welcome.

“How do I put them in?” I asked, pointing at my back but they were already gone.

I whipped around and they both laughed.

“You just will them to hide and appear.” Amitell smiled, “They will be cleaned when you bathe, you don’t need to pull them out and wash them, that’d take forever.”
“Thank you old friend.” Jack smiled, pulling him into a hug.

I wondered how Jack, king of Hell, could be close with an angel.

“You’re welcome, I’ll come back in a few days and check on him. Until then, practice flying at night but judging by how quickly you picked up on it, you’ll be a pro in no time.” He grinned before leaving.

Notes

Title cred: The Sharpest Lives by My Chemical Romance



Heyy Alex is an angel now!!

btw the guy's name is pronounced Am-it-ell