Lying on her back in the snow was a
young woman. Already, she was dusted over with snow, which is why
Sarah had missed her clothes. Dressed in a long duster jacket, jeans,
and cowboy boots, she was motionless. Her face was pale... Sarah
leaned closer over her, pushing Josh toward the house.
“Go home...” she told him
distractedly. He didn't need to know death, just yet.
The girl's lashes fluttered, and then
her eyes opened. Sarah gasped. “You're alive!”
Then her practical side kicked in. The
child must be freezing. “Come on, are you hurt anywhere?” She
held out her hands and the other slowly raised hers, eyes slightly
unfocused.
“No...” she whispered. “So
cold...”
Sarah took her forearms. They were
like ice. “We need to get you in the house, right now.” She
pulled and was surprised at the weight for a second, then almost
dropped the girl as she registered the wings that were coming up off
the ground with her. They hung slack off her back, and she could
almost believe they weren't real, until the girl shuddered and they
retracted up into a neat fold behind her, wrapping partly around her
shoulders.
“Oh, my.” Sarah breathed. On the
next breath she was back in charge of herself. “Up to the house,
now.”
The young angel let herself be half
carried, Josh romping around them like an excited puppy. Sarah got
her up the two steps onto the porch with difficulty, the poor thing
seemed to be slipping away. Josh pulled open the slider, and the two
women half fell into the house.
“Joshie, go get us blankets.” His
mother ordered. She was feeling for a pulse, and it was impossibly
slow under her cold fingertips. She really wasn't sure an angel could
die, but all her training was kicking in now. She started pulling off
the wet clothing that was making puddles on her clean floor. The
angel, girl, whatever she was, was trying to help but not able to
move much.
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