CHAPTER 13: UNFAIR PLAY

It was a first time for Linus to go down on land. He was excited to get his first task but his superior insisted to hear her reminders first.

“Remember that you’re only going as a human’s guide. You cannot, at any circumstances, meddle with human affairs and most importantly; heed our sacred rule. You cannot fall in love with a human or kill the same. Linus, do you understood?” Linus smiled widely and nodded.

“Of course!” He responded. He’s so excited to see the world with his own eyes.

His superior handed him a scroll which he hurriedly opened. His smile grew wider as he saw the task. He was tasked to bring creativity and guide an artist. He initially thought he will be a guardian for a child but the task given to him fits him better.

“Remember the rules!” his superior reminded him once again before he departed.

Linus is already on land the moment he opened his eyes. His eyes wandered in delight.

So this is how the human world looked.

The place he landed on seems to be a huge city. He wonders where he will find the human assigned to him. His superior told Linus that he would know once he saw the human. He walked around while being fascinated with the tall buildings humans have established.

His feet brought him to a series of houses, “oh, so this is what she meant!” he exclaimed. He can feel that he is near to the person assigned to him. He checked the houses and one caught his attention. Linus immediately knew that the human he was finding is inside.

Linus looked around the house, it has a simple yet very cozy interior. There are several paintings hanged on the wall too. He walked further and entered a room full of painting materials.

Linus smiled, he finally found her.

The woman is sitting on her wheelchair while her hands are busy painting. He approached the woman and touched her shoulder.

Series of memories entered Linus’ mind, he could also feel the strong emotions engraved on some memories. Linus felt tears streaming on his face. He felt alienated with the foreign emotion.

“So this is how sadness feels…” he mumbled.

Sunny was a promising painter but she lost her career because of an accident. She also lost her ability to walk but that didn’t stop her from doing what she loves. She started painting again as soon as she was discharged from the hospital.

“You’ve been through a lot, Sunny.” He said even though the human wouldn't be able to hear him, he knows that it would bring comfort to her heart.

Sunny suddenly paused. She suddenly felt a warm sensation, like someone is embracing her. It felt very comforting.

Linus analyzed the almost finished painting. It was a very familiar scene. Linus soon realized that she was painting the nearby park he saw while trying to find her. It was exactly how he saw it earlier, except that it was in night setting. There was a woman sitting on the swing, with her head down… all alone. Anyone who sees the painting would immediately feel the loneliness the painting is trying to tell.

Sunny continued painting, she started drawing a figure of a man beside the woman and the outcome surprised Linus. It was a man with enormous wings. The man in the painting is holding the woman’s shoulder, like he was comforting the woman.

“Can you see me?” he blurted out. He knows that they can influence the humans but not this way.

Sunny didn’t answer.

“Of course you can’t. It might be a coincidence.” Linus laughed at how silly his first day became.

Months passed and he learned many things about Sunny. She only has her big brother as her family but he already has his own family so Sunny is living alone. She also undergoes to several therapy in hopes of being able to walk again but she’s not progressing well.

“You can do it Sunny, I’m sure you will be able to walk again.” He cheered for her but it didn’t have much effect. Sunny rarely cries, and mostly expresses her emotions through her art. Linus couldn’t help but to feel sad for her too. He could really see how much she wanted to be okay again.

Things changed when Sunny won a huge painting competition, it was the painting that she was doing on the day Linus came.

“I made this painting during the times that I felt very lonely, when I felt that everything in my life is falling apart," She smiled, "it was supposed to very gloomy, I wanted to express the loneliness I'm feeling during that time. But one day, when I was almost finished making this piece, I suddenly felt an unexplainable feeling of warmth. It was like someone is embracing and promising me that things would be better soon. Hence the title of this piece; Guardian Angel.”

Linus felt something in his chest, his heart is skipping happily. He knew it was more than happiness but he also knew that it wasn't allowed.

--

“Who are you?”

“I'm Linus.” He broke a rule by revealing himself to a human and he knows that he will be breaking a more important rule.

He revealed his true nature to Sunny and told her that he was looking after her for the past months and that is the start their forbidden relationship.

It was the happiest moments of his life. Sunny accepted him for he is. She let him experience how it is to be a human and how to be loved unconditionally.

He mutely wished that he was born as a human instead.

The happy moments lasted for a short time. His superior came for him. He was reprimanded and was forced to go back but Linus escaped. He fought his way to her as he promise to never part with her.

“Wouldn't it be better if we end this relationship?” Sunny's word shattered Linus' whole being.

“N-no, we can't give up.” Linus said, his eyes are pleading.

“I love you Linus, the heavens know how much I do. But I don't you to get hurt, I can't bear the fact that you will be punished because you loved someone like me.”

--

“Why did you do this Linus? You know our sacred rule.” his superior asked with sympathy on her eyes. Linus kneeled as he shed tears.

“Please. I love her, please let us be together.”

“You're not a being that belongs to the land Linus and you know it.”

“But I'm a being that is capable of love. I love her so much, please let me go.” He pleaded but it was never heard.

“Then please exile me.” His statement caused a disturbance in the Holy place.

“Do you understand the words that is coming out from your mouth?”

Linus nodded, angels that are exiled will never set foot on heavens again and will be punished severely. They will be damned to stay on earth as beings that are very likely of a demon.

“I'm ready to sacrifice everything for her.”

--

“I’m back.” He said with a smile despite the heavy burns all over his body.

“Sunny?” He searched the place with difficulty after no one answered his call, still wearing that smile. Finally, they can be together.

He kept on searching until he reached her room, “S-sunny?” he stuttered after finding her significant other on the floor. He felt his whole system shutting down.

He quickly joined the poor woman and tried waking her up, “Sunny, it’s me. I came back for you like I promised. I-I’m already free, we can be together now.” Tears started to trickle down on his face, he continued like a robot, he kept shaking her beloved but her eyes never opened again.

That day, he learned how unfair the heavens play.

He walked away from the house without a destination. He lost everything and he had no other will to continue.

Selected people took a second glance at him since he’s covered in wounds but most doesn’t care or doesn’t see him at all. Soon he grew tired of walking and sat on the ground, wherever he is, he doesn’t know and he doesn’t care.

He sobbed, he can't believe they took her away. The woman still has so many dreams to achieve but she died because Linus loved her. They could've killed him instead.

“You look like an idiot.” Someone said. He didn’t bother looking up at whoever spoke.

“Get away from me, demon.” Linus said without much conviction. He doesn't have energy left for a random demon to be taunting him.

The demon scoffed, “Let me guess, you got banished because you fell in love with a human,” that made Linus look up and the demon laughed at his pitiful face.

“You look ridiculous.” the demon taunted again. Linus gave him a spiteful glare, “How did you know?” He can’t help but to ask.

“Because I’m once like you, I don’t look that ridiculous though.” Linus realized that it's another exiled. 

“I thought we could finally be together if I’m not an angel anymore but they took her from me. Sunny died because of me. It's so unfair, I took the punishment but they still took her away from me. She didn't do anything wrong, why...” He mumbled endlessly through muffled cries. His whole system is numb from all the physical wounds but his chest aches so much that he wanted to tear it out.

"So? Am I supposed to cry now that you shared your sober story?" Linus glared at the unknown man again.

But he is right, why would the demon care about his tragic life. He tried standing up but he miserably failed. He tried crawling, just to get away from the demon and mourn for his love in peace.

The demon sighed and pulled him up carelessly using one hand.

“Get over with it and feed so you can heal those nasty burns.” the demon said while still ‘assisting’ Linus, "You're on your own after this."

“F-feed, what do you mean and where are you taking me? ” Linus asked nonchalantly.

The demon looked at him with judging eyes, "You must be very young..." he ascertained.

"What does it have to do with my age?" Linus asked again.

The demon sighed, “Don’t act like you don’t feel it, I know that your body is aching in hunger,” the demon which Linus doesn’t even know the name pulled him again and they materialized inside a place full of people.

Loud music is blaring through huge sound systems and people are busy partying, drinking and making out.

Various scent hit Linus' senses which made him dizzier than he already is. He felt different, something he felt for the first time but he can’t name what it is exactly.

Hunger

The demon walked towards his location with a woman who looks intoxicated.  Linus didn't even realize that the demon went away from his side, he’s too confused with what he is feeling right now.

The woman kept laughing and dancing. The woman eventually kissed the demon and he gladly kissed back.

"What is happening?" he feels like he's going to pass out any time soon. He wanted to get away but his own body wouldn't function. Deep inside, he wanted to stay and he's starting to feel fear because of it.

The demon withdrew from the heated kiss, “I’m not so generous so enjoy it while it last,” The demon’s words are clear to his ears but his intent is not. The demon lightly pushed the woman and she landed on Linus' arms.

Angels’ bodies are pure and untainted with sin.

Linus heard himself gasp as he felt something crawling onto his system. His hand automatically latched to the woman's body. Now he understands what the demon is talking about. His body is doing its thing to survive, and that is to feed.

So this is how I dive right into darkness…