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The night it happened, Layla had a fight with her dad. It wasn’t the worst one they’d ever had, but it ended up with her storming out of the house without saying goodbye. She walked for a long time with no destination in mind, tapping the ground with her cane. She just wanted to clear her head. She ended up at a playground her dad used to take her to when she was young. They had installed a chain link fence, so it took a few minutes for her to feel for the entrance. Finally she found the latch and let herself in. The layout was the same as it was when she was young. Using the map she had buried away in her mind, she found the old swing set; it had always been her favorite.
She sat down and oriented herself. She listened intently, making sure she was alone. Her phone told her it was 9:45 PM, so it was unlikely anyone else was there. She broke down her cane, put it in her pocket, and started pumping her legs. Within seconds, she was soaring.
Thoughts of the fight were temporarily forgotten and replaced with childhood memories before the crash. Her and her friends racing to see who could go highest, and trying to match a boy’s pace so they would “double date”. Layla was too wrapped up in her reverie to hear the footsteps approaching her.
Out of nowhere, something stopped her, like she had hit a concrete wall. She didn’t just slow down, she stopped. Her momentum caused her to fall straight off the swing, and onto the mulch.
“What the hell!” she cried. Ignoring the stinging in her palms, she got out her cane and stood up as quickly as she could. Layla heard quiet breathing coming from directly behind her. Using her mental map and the swing to steady herself, she oriented herself so that she was facing the park entrance. She started to walk toward the entrance like she hadn’t noticed the breathing. She was almost to the fence when she hear the latch close. Her stomach dropped.
“Hey, buddy, sorry. I know the parks closed, I’m on my way home.” she said, hoping they were a member of the neighborhood watch.
“Do not fear, Layla. I realize this may be confusing for you.” said a strange monotone directly in front of her. She wanted to hold up her cane like a baseball bat, even though it wouldn’t do much as a weapon. She regretted not getting the cane with the emergency button on it that alerted the police. She had mocked it in the shop, telling her dad she didn’t need Life Alert.
“Am I in trouble? I know I’m not supposed to be here, I just needed to clear my head. I’ll go straight home.” she told him, still hoping he was part of the neighborhood watch.
“No, you are not in trouble. You are chosen. You a prophet of the Lord, and I am here to take you to the desert to learn the word of God.” he said. Her breath caught in her throat. This guy’s crazy.
“Yeah. Um. I’m honored. Really. But I’ve gotta go.” she stammered, and bolted. She made it out of the playground, and a few yards into the forest beside the park. Had it been better circumstances, she would have been amazed at her ability to navigate unknown territory so quickly and without a sighted person. She stopped, hoping she lost him. She couldn’t hear anything besides her own heavy breathing, but she continued into the woods. When she was young, there had been a path leading to her main road, and she intended to find it. She walked for a few minutes, reassuring herself she was fine. That was, until Samandriel manifested in front of her.
“What the fuck, how did you do that?” she screamed. He should have been able to hear his footsteps, his breathing, something to give him away. Everything about him put her on edge.
“I am an angel of the Lord. We have many abilities unmatched by humans. Come with me.” he replied, offering his hand. Layla’s heart pounded. No way was this happening.
“There’s no way I’m some sort of prophet, and there’s no such thing as angels! You’re freaking me out, please just leave me alone.” she blurted. Samandriel was patient.
“I am permitted by my Father to perform a small miracle to prove myself.” he told her. She detected sympathy in his monotone voice. He reached to grab her cane. She drew back, but he grabbed it anyway. Without it, she was truly blind and vulnerable. It felt as though she was waking from surgery all over again. No one warns you that your world is not simply black, as if your eyes are closed. There is no sight at all, just emptiness. Her stomach dropped as she heard a crunch. “Why did you do that?” she whispered, half to herself. Now there was no way she could outrun him.
“You will no longer need them.” Samandriel murmured, and gently touched her temple with two fingers. This shocked her, as she hadn’t heard his approach her. She bit her lip, preparing for the worst. A wave of warmth washed over her face, focusing at her eyes. A sharp pain in her eyes made her gasp, but quickly subsided, and he pulled his fingers away. She opened her eyes and gasped. The forest was crystal clear. She saw in more detail than she ever had before the crash. Or maybe after five years of darkness, she had a new appreciation for sight. She looked at the night sky and nearly cried out again. Millions of stars littered the navy sky. Accompanied with pale swirls, the bright pinpricks made a path across the velvet sky. It was the most spectacular thing she’d ever laid eyes on.
“It is amazing the price you humans pay for your bright lights. Most of you go your entire lives without seeing the glory that is the Path to Heaven.” said Samandriel almost dreamily. Layla tore her eyes away from the sky, and saw Samandriel for the first time. He had pale skin, wavy blond hair and deep blue eyes. He looked ethereal in a way, even though he only wore a white button down shirt and jeans. The angel held out his hand, and the dazed prophet took it. They disappeared, leaving behind nothing but a broken, now useless, cane.