Wild Fire by Heather Glidewell

  *****

  I was jolted awake. I have no clue what my dream was about but it was enough to give me that falling sensation and when my body jumped I jumped with it. It was dark now. I had slept most of the day away. Probably for the best I wasn't sure when the next time I would get a good night’s sleep would be.

  I sat up and threw my legs over the side of the bed. I stood up slowly feeling every joint in my body pop in protest. I padded out of the room and down the lavish double staircase to the kitchen in the back right hand corner of the house. My stomach was objecting, wanting sustenance. I opened the fridge and rummaged through cartons of leftovers. Mona had a hellacious collection of old Chinese food containers. Honestly though, I had no idea how long they had even been in the fridge so I just grabbed the lunch meat and cheese, hunted for the bread and made myself a sandwich.

  I stood at the island while I ate. It was something that I even did as a child. The dining hall was meant just for that, dining. The breakfast nook was for breakfast, and sandwiches were always eaten at the island because they didn't fit in either area. I still felt like the fourteen year old girl that had been here last. The thought never strayed far from my mind that I had left this place. My idea was to eat my sandwich in peace and then wander back upstairs. I was still incredibly tired.

  "So I'm not the only one that is up for a midnight snack." Mona laughed coming into the room in her white silk nightgown and cashmere slippers.

  "Sorry, I just woke up hungry." I said taking the last bite of my sandwich. "I figured it would be ok to eat something. I was sure that part of this whole transformation didn't consist of starving me."

  "Of course not." She said opening the fridge and removing one of the boxes of Chinese food. "This is my little dirty secret. Your father and I used to eat it all the time after you left. For some reason it always made him feel better. I don’t know if you even remember eating at this place all the time. We would go to the ballet and the first thing you would want afterwards was Chinese. It's just something that we kept doing even after you were gone." She took a bite of cold noodles and her face lit up in ecstasy.

  "I can honestly say I haven't touched Chinese food in four years. Mom was more of a burger woman than a foreign foods. We had Indian once but it didn't agree with her stomach well." I pointed out as I leaned against the countertops. "Were you two friends?" I suddenly asked.

  "Your mother and I?" She asked with a full mouth and I nodded. "In a way I suppose. We ran into each other from time to time. Your mother was obviously not an Earthbound Angel that was for sure. She protected your brother though. She had a soft spot for Shawn even though she knew where he came from and what he was." She laughed.

  "How did they meet?" I questioned. My parents never talked about things like this and if someone was willing to give me an insight into the celestial beings that they were before I was born.

  "OH." Mona seemed shocked. "It was before the war. Eons ago. She hated him at first, found him to be egotistical and very creepy. He on the other hand thought she was the most beautiful being he had ever laid eyes on. She is you know, beautiful." Mona sighed. "I will always walk in her shadow. I transformed to be near her complexion, her hair color, and her mannerisms. I just never have been able to fill those shoes." She looked sad. "I love your father and I know in his own way he loves me but I know he still loves her too." She shook her head. "You better get back to bed young lady we have a long day tomorrow." She said pushing the subject to the side. I had seen a vulnerable side of Mona and I wasn't sure if it was something that I wanted to see again. I'm not sure how I'm supposed to take demons with strong emotions.

  I said my goodnight to her and wandered back up the stairs towards my room and fell face first on to the bed taking in the warmth I as back asleep in minutes the world around me evolved into darkness.