Page 2 of Heaven on Earth

He glanced over my shoulder at the book in my hand, but I snapped it closed before he could read anything.

“Thank you so much,” he said earnestly. “I honestly have no idea what I’m doing here, but everyone I’ve met so far has been friendly and helpful. I think I’ll enjoy living here.”

“Oh, I’m certain you will, especially once you have someone in your life to share all these experiences with.”

I escorted him back out to the main section of the library, returning to my spot behind the front desk while he sauntered over to the exit looking much more confident now.

“I hope I hear from you soon,” he said, pausing at the door.

“I suspect you will,” replied, “though I’m not sure how pleased you will be with your first match.”

Ryan smiled and shook his head. “If it’s my soulmate, then how could I bedispleased?”

I smiled back. “Perhaps you’re right. Have a pleasant day, Mr. Adler.”

As soon as he was gone, I jumped up from my chair and ran back to the matchmaking room, flipping through the pages in the big book of matchmaking until I found it, running my finger along the page underneath the name.

“Yes, this is the one.” I sighed, wishing it would have beenanyoneelse. “This is the one, and I shall get Mr. Adler’s information sent over right away. I do hope this isn’t the first match that I come to regret.”

2

CIEL

The evening breeze rustled the feathers of my wings. I smoothed down the coverts closest to my shoulders, my fingers tightening over one that continued to stand out awkwardly. Gritting my teeth, I plucked it out, wincing in spite of my preparation. The feather was long and ragged, missing entire barbs from the wear and tear of everyday life.

I was still growing used to my life on Earthly ground. In Heaven, where I existed in peace before I was banished months ago, the pain of shedding feathers was unheard of. Pain did not exist in Heaven, and each feather we, the angels, lost, floated to the ground almost weightlessly. Here on Earth, I merely tossed the shed feathers aside, where they lay resembling a bleached crow’s feather until they blew away in the wind or some unassuming child picked it up to show their parents.

They were no longer snow white either, something that still shocked me every time I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror. The pure white sheen had disappeared the second I descended from the celestial kingdom for the final time, leaving my wings dull and droopy. My hair still shined silver, though I feared that it, too, would turn human gray over time and I wouldbe unrecognizable as my past self to anyone who remembered me from before my irreconcilable sins.

But that was the price one paid for dancing with the devil — not literally, of course. No, the creature I chose to entwine myself with was a mere demon, an incubus with too much time on his hands. I didn’t regret my time with the beast, but that flame died out almost as quickly as it ignited, and the consequences were swift and heavy, still lingering months later.

I lived a quiet life now, existing in a small cottage at the edge of town where no one bothered me and I could spend day after day inside, sheltered from the darkness of humanity that I was now forced to be part of.

I rarely received mail, although today was an exception as a small, white envelope sat alone in my mailbox, postmarked only two days earlier.

I read the name on the return address: “Ryan Adler. Who might that be, I wonder?”

I sliced the envelope open with a claw, the likes of which I let grow longer now that I was no longer confined by Heaven’s pure and peaceful laws, and pulled out the single sheet of paper nestled inside. There was a short note typed neatly on the paper, reading:

Dear Ciel,

We got matched by the library’s matchmaking service recently, and I was wondering if you’d like to get together for a date or something. The Librarian said that most people meet at the library for their first date, so how does 8 pm on Friday sound? Write me back with your response, or call or text the number below.

Thanks,

Ryan

“So theydidcome through after all,”I mused, tucking a few strands of hair back behind my ear. “That little Librarian is cleverer than I gave them credit for.”

I returned to my house and sat down at the kitchen table to write a short note back confirming the date. Now that I had an entire life to live away from my former friends and angel colleagues, nothing excited me more than finding a lover to live it with, and this gentleman was certain to be the one if anything that the Librarian promised was true.

Friday evening arrived all too quickly, and I found myself at the library mere minutes before 8, but as I walked inside, the Librarian kindly informed me that my date was not here yet.

“If you would like to sit down and wait at the table in the back, I’m sure he’ll be here soon,” they told me.

“Thank you, I’ll do that.” I smiled and made my way to the back, barely getting a chance to tuck my wings in and comb my fingers through my hair before the door opened and an unfathomably attractive man walked inside. I glanced over at the Librarian, who nodded, then back at the human man who was still several feet away.

He stopped once he was close enough to the table to see me, his eyes narrowing. “Are you an…angel?” he asked, cocking his head to one side.