by Jon Jacks
The Last Angel
Jon Jacks
Other New Adult and Children’s books by Jon Jacks
The Caught – The Rules – Chapter One – The Changes – Sleeping Ugly
The Barking Detective Agency – The Healing – The Lost Fairy Tale
A Horse for a Kingdom – Charity – The Most Beautiful Things (Now includes The Last Train)
The Dream Swallowers – Nyx; Granddaughter of the Night – Jonah and the Alligator
Glastonbury Sirens – Dr Jekyll’s Maid – The 500-Year Circus
P – The Endless Game – DoriaN A – Wyrd Girl – The Wicker Slippers
Heartache High (Vol I) – Heartache High: The Primer (Vol II) – Heartache High: The Wakening (Vol III)
Miss Terry Charm, Merry Kris Mouse & The Silver Egg
Seecrets – The Cull – Dragonsapien – The Boy in White Linen – Porcelain Princess – Freaking Freak
Text copyright© 2015 Jon Jacks
All rights reserved
Thank you for downloading this ebook. It remains the copyrighted property of the author, and may not be reproduced, copied and distributed for commercial or non-commercial purposes.
Thank you for your support.
Chapter 1
Provided you failed to notice the huge, feathery wings tucked neatly beneath her, like an extra soft topping of quilt, Jial could have been mistaken for any normal twelve-year-old as she lay back on Chrissy’s bed.
With her legs bent and crossed, she airily wiggled a bobby-socked foot in the air. She was thinking carefully about Chrissy’s question, hoping to come up with a suitably profound answer.
‘Hhmn, okay okay – let me guess what you’re really thinking here. You feel you should be getting more out of life; that it’s quickly passing you by in a boring town. You want a life more like those you see people living in the movies, or in the books you read. Right?’
‘Little Miss Knowitall!’ Chrissy chuckled.
Picking up the small cushion she’d been resting on while lying on the floor, she deftly threw it at Jial.
The cushion softly struck the young angel directly in her face.
‘Ouch!’ Jial giggled, throwing the cushion back at Chrissy. ‘That’s not the way to treat your guardian angel!’
‘Well, is a guardian angel supposed to just lie there telling me the blindingly obvious?’
Leaping up from the floor, Chrissy jumped onto the bed. Using her slight superiority in size, she held the smaller Jial down and started mercilessly tickling her.
‘Stop, stop it, Chrissy! That tickles!’ Jial wailed helplessly, laughing uncontrollably as she fruitlessly struggled to break free.
‘Not till you say sorry for being a little Miss Knowitall!’
‘Okay, okay – I’m sorry, sorry you’re a little Miss Knowitall!’
‘You’ll never learn, will you?’ Chrissy chuckled again, tickling poor, helpless Jial all the more.
‘Chrissy! Chrissy!’ Chrissy’s mom was shouting up the stairs. ‘What are you two doing up there?’
‘Sorry Mom!’ Chrissy yelled back, sitting up on her bed and finally letting a still giggling Jial free. ‘We were just talking about things!’
‘Talking?’ her mom cried back sceptically. ‘It sounds like you’re talking to a herd of elephants up there!’
Jial crouched alongside Chrissy, quietly taunting her with an accurate mimicking of her usual pained, wailing complaint.
‘“Mom doesn’t understand me. No one understands me. No one knows the real me!”’
Without moving from her sitting position, Chrissy casually reached back for one of her bed’s pillows and swung it up into Jial’s face.
Jial fell back across the bed, giggling uncontrollably once more.
‘Keep the noise down, dear!’ Chrissy’s mom continued. ‘And Jial? Angels are supposed to be a calming influence, remember?’
Jial giggled all the more, curling up into a ball in her delight.
‘That’s what I’ve been telling her, Mom!’ Chrissy insisted innocently.
Jial gave her a gawping stare, whispering, ‘Oh, you little liar Chrissy!’
‘She says she’ll be a good little angel in future, Mom!’ Chrissy continued with a mischievous smirk.
Jial’s gawping mouth widened all the more. She gave Chrissy a playful push. Chrissy struggled to stop herself from bursting out laughing.
‘Good, good! Thank you, Jial!’ Chrissy’s mom replied, shouting back as she walked away from the bottom of the stairs.
As they heard Chrissy’s mom move away, Chrissy and Jial both rolled back on the bed, curling up together and hugging each other happily as they laughed and giggled.
*
Chapter 2
‘So, what kind of movie do you fancy watching tonight?’
They were walking down the small town’s high street, heading towards the DysUtopia bookstore.
‘Hmn, well if that’s the real reason we’re heading there, rather than you just hoping to bump into Simon, then – wow, if looks could kill! That’s a weapon of mass destruction!’
‘We’re going there for a movie! Simon just happens to work there, that’s all! I’m not even sure he’s working there today!’
‘Oh sure; he’s never there on a Saturday, when he’s off school!’
‘You know, I’m beginning to wonder if I didn’t prefer you when you were more like my older sister!’
‘Hey, your choice! I could’ve aged with you. But I got the distinct impression you preferred the delightful, cheeky, twelve-year-old me.’
‘Okay, okay; that’s true! But now I know what younger sisters are like, I wonder if I didn’t make a teensy-weensy mistake giving that impression!’
‘Ahhh, come on, Chrissy! You know you really love me!’
Jial leant across to give Chrissy a swift hug. She made it an extra special embrace by partially wrapping one of her luxuriously soft wings around them both. They grinned at each other within the reflected glow of the perfectly white feathers.
‘Sometimes, you know, I’m not quite so sure,’ Chrissy teased.
As they started walking again, Jial pouted, like she was upset.
‘Okay, I agree; he’s luscious!’ she said, almost sounding apologetic until she cheekily pronounced ‘luscious’ the same way Chrissy dreamily described Simon to her friends. ‘But I’m not so sure it’s wise letting your friends know what you think about him. They’re not as good at keeping secrets as I am!’
‘What?’ Chrissy was mortified. She came to an abrupt halt. ‘You’re saying they’re telling everyone?’
‘Not everyone! And it’s not all your friends who’re revealing your secrets. But it’s enough of them for you to start worrying that it’s going to get back to Si!’
‘How come you know all this?’ Chrissy asked suspiciously. ‘I thought you angels weren’t supposed to discuss our secrets?’
‘It’s hardly a secret now, Chrissy! Your friends have more or less ensured Simon’s going to find out you have the hots for him. Even we’re not immune to talking about juicy gossip like that! Besides, we’re supposed to discuss something like this. I’d be letting you down if I let you get into a relationship too early, so–’
‘Too early?’ Chrissy looked scandalised. ‘Suddenly, you’re sounding like Mom! That’s what all the adults round here are always saying! Leave it a bit longer. You’re too young. You haven’t thought this out.’
‘Well, they’re only trying to make sure you don’t get hurt and–’
‘What about all those boys and girls we see in the movies? Or read about in books and mags? They’re my age!’
‘Oh yeah yeah; the movies, the books! That’s real life we’re talking about, right Chrissy? Besides, how many
times does it end badly? I can’t remember seeing a movie where they wouldn’t’ve been better keeping a blooming wall between them!’
‘I’m sure that’s just the movies we’ve seen! There must be loads of others out there with better endings!’
‘Such as?’
‘Well…’
Chrissy couldn’t think of any movies or books her friends had mentioned that had a happy ending. On the other hand, quite a few of her school class had their own exciting tales to tell of holiday romances.
Being necessarily brief, such romances weren’t quite as frowned upon as long term relationships were. Chrissy had received lots of interest from the boys when they’d holidayed in places like Florida or New Orleans. Unfortunately, Jial really had been just like a younger sister, giggling whenever she caught Chrissy exchanging nervous glances. Sure, she might goad Chrissy into starting up a conversation, or even flirting a little, but just when things started to get serious, Jial would mischievously point out the boy’s faults (‘funny eyes’, ‘weird smile’, ‘creepy way he moves his hands’). Either that or grumpily warn her that ‘your mom’s not going to like this, you know?’
‘I’m sure there must be some movies that end happily!’ Chrissy said at last in reply to Jial’s question.
‘Oh, so now you’re saying we’re so morbid we just happen to end up watching all the miserable movies? The ones we can spend all night weeping into our tissues over, right? While everyone else, oh, they’re watching love stories that have them dancing in the street with joy!’
‘Oh, okay, and so just what’re you saying? That, suddenly, you’re not like my little sister anymore: you’re like my teacher, or on the town council, or–’
‘Your guardian angel? Are those the words you’re looking for, by any chance? Which means that, when you need it, I’ve got to give you good advice. And that, in case you’re going to start worrying about it, is exactly what Zorbielle will have given Simon – good advice. Well, he will if he’s heard the latest gossip, anyway.’
‘And you think that’s going to stop me being embarrassed next time I see Simon, do you? You don’t think I’ll be simply hoping the floor just swallows me up?’
‘Next time? We’re going to be seeing him in just a minute, aren’t we?’
‘No we are not! We’re turning around right now! I’m not going in that shop ever again!’
Jial puckered her lips disappointedly.
‘Well, if you want to miss out on the latest movies–’
‘Now you’re sounding like their advertising posters!’
‘Seems a shame. I mean, all because you’re just a little embarrass–’
‘A little embarrassed? I won’t know where to look when I–’
‘Hi Chrissy! How’s things?’
Hearing the greeting from behind her, Chrissy spun around. Simon was heading towards her, a huge grin on his face.
‘Si!’ Just as Chrissy had feared, she felt herself uncontrollably blushing. She was lost for words, stuttering. ‘What…what’re you doing…doing here? I mean, I mean…I wasn’t looking for you! I…I thought you were at work!’
She couldn’t concentrate on her words. His grin said it all, didn’t it? He’d heard! And he thought it was all highly amusing. All she could hope was that whatever she was saying wasn’t going to make things worse.
‘I’m on a later shift today,’ Simon replied. ‘I’m on my way there now. Fancy tagging along, if you’re heading there too?’
Chrissy was in agony. Should she turn him down, or continue to suffer the humiliation of not knowing if he’d heard how much she liked him? But she wanted to accept his offer, wanted to walk with him to the store; and he might not have heard anything yet.
‘Look, okay Chrissy,’ Jial said resignedly, having noticed her anxious frown, ‘the gossip hasn’t got back to him for now.’
Chrissy whirled angrily on Jial.
‘And so how come you didn’t tell me this earlier? Before I almost made a fool of myse–’
Chrissy cut herself short, wondering if she wasn’t giving too much away to Si. He looked slightly mystified by Chrissy’s remark, but was obviously politely waiting until she’d finished talking to Jial.
‘No, we can still get there in time,’ Simon reassured his own angel Zorbielle, taking a quick glance at his watch.
‘Because as you well know,’ Jial said in reply to Chrissy’s accusation, ‘I’m not supposed to tell you what he does and doesn’t know. Because Si came on us out of nowhere while we were busily yapping, and I didn’t have the chan–’
‘So, how do you think you almost made a fool of yourself, Chrissy?’
Si smirked mischievously, unaware that he’d begun talking over Jial, mistakenly believing they’d finished their conversation.
As soon as Jial realised Si had got his timing wrong, she stopped talking. With hands placed on her hips, she gave Chrissy a petulant frown, letting her know she was disgruntled that she hadn’t been able to fully justify her actions.
‘Oh, I, er…’ Chrissy stumbled over her words.
‘Tell him I said I’d already seen the movie you were going to order,’ Jial advised, helping Chrissy out of her predicament.
‘Jial has only just gone and told me she’d already seen the movie I was planning on streaming, hasn’t she?’
‘Oh, which one was that?’
‘Oh, er, er…’
‘A love story,’ Jial helped out again.
‘It was a love story; not one you’d be interested in.’
‘Oh, I don’t know; which one?’ Si asked.
‘Boy, he doesn’t give up does he?’ Jial fumed.
‘That’s not much help, is it?’ Chrissy said, turning on Jial once more. She turned back to Si with an apologetic smile. ‘Sorry Si; you know what angels can be like!’
‘Well, I know what Zorbielle’s like,’ Si replied, staring at the empty space where he presumed Jial must be standing. ‘But everything you’ve told me about Jial makes her sound a whole lot more unpredictable!’
‘Hmn, thank you very much, Si Menchester!’ Jial fumed, crossing her arms and tapping a foot irritably.
Chrissy chuckled, breathing a sigh of relief (not for the first time!) that only she could see and hear Jial.
Of course, even if Zorbielle could have seen Jial, he wouldn’t be allowed to divulge what had just passed between them. Thankfully, someone had decided long ago that no angel should distract other guardians from their earthly tasks of aiding their charges. So there was no chance of her and Jial’s secret conversation becoming common knowledge.
She wondered what Zorbielle must be making of all this. He might not be able to see Jial down here on earth, but he would know what she was like, how she looked and acted. All of which meant he might easily guess how Jial was reacting to Si’s comments.
Si had told Chrissy that Zorbielle was like an older brother, always just a couple of years older than him, growing up as he did. He even looked a little similar. Jial knew exactly what he looked like, Chrissy often teasing her by asking if he was every bit as dishy as Si; but Jial always refused to answer even this simple question. How the relationship worked between someone and their angel was incredibly private, a part of your life, your character, whose details most people revealed only to their very closest friends.
Chrissy could only guess what Zorbielle looked like. Obviously, however, an angelic version of Si must be unbelievably–
No no no! She absolutely refused to use that word luscious!
*
Chapter 3
DysUtopia was full of brightly coloured posters promoting not only the very latest books, but also the most recently released movies now available for streaming down to equipment at home.
The whole effect was quite exhilarating, the posters usually portraying young couples either fleeing from or tackling vampires, werewolves, or some futuristic, evil overlords. Hence the shop’s name, representing both the dystopian nightmares the couples fou
nd themselves in and the utopia they were fighting for and hoping to create.
‘DysUtopia; it all comes down to U’ the store’s placards proclaimed.
‘Urgh, cheesy,’ Chrissy had groaned when she’d first come across Si sticking up the placards.
Si had shrugged.
‘It’s Ben’s store; he reckons it’s a deep and meaningful statement. He says that, when it all comes down to it, only us kids stand between a bad and a better world.’
‘He means well,’ Jial had pointed out. ‘Although life in Hermon’s hardly what you’d call dystopian, is it? Unless you reckon coffee bars are secretly taking over the whole place. ’
Ben was serving behind the store’s centrally positioned counter when Chrissy and Si walked in.
‘Hi Chrissy. Hi Si.’
He greeted them with a knowing grin, like he saw them as an already inseparable couple. Even so, his grin was followed by the most fleeting of disapproving frowns.
‘I’ll head off for a coffee,’ he added after Chrissy and Si had greeted him in return.
Hurriedly striding out from behind the counter, Ben gave a slight nod of his bushy-haired head to let Si know he should step to one side with him.
‘Could I just have a quick word please, Si?’
‘Sure,’ Si replied, glancing Chrissy’s way with an apologetic grin.
Both of them knew what the ‘quick word’ would be about. Every adult in town, seeing a young couple leaning in a little too close to each other, or hanging around too much together rather than in a larger group, would see it as their duty to instil a little cool, calm sense into their hot little heads.
As Chrissy and Jial turned aside to look through the rack of fantasy books, they were both surprised to see that Ben didn’t take Si as far away from them as they’d expected.
‘Now, Si, it’s nice to see you’re close to Chrissy,’ Ben said, curving one of his thick arms around Si’s shoulders. He quickly looked around, trying to determine where Zorbielle might be standing. ‘But, now, would I be right in presuming Zorbielle’s given you some advice?’
‘Oh oh,’ Jial sighed anxiously, rushing across to place her hands over Chrissy’s ears. ‘He reckons he’s being clever, figuring you’re already an item. So he’s delivering a warning to both of you at the same time.’