Train Spirits

Max raised his sword and whirled it around his head like he did before. I was about to close my eyes when a blinding light flashed before us. Max flexed and turned around to face it without pausing his motion.

There she was, just floating there in midair. Her wings are moving slowly to and fro. I always thought that they would be made of feathers, but no, they were built of scale-like material that glitters as she moves them.

Her hair was red, and she wore a crown with two white stars in the front. Her face was crystal white, and her eyes as green as mine.  She was truly tall, maybe two meters.

She brought her sword down on Max’s with a single blow. Max’s sword broke into three pieces and fell to the floor.  Her left arm came down fast, punching max on his right lower cheek.  He fell to the ground with a loud thud.

Bill’s mouth dropped open, and he echoed a shallow grunt as the angel touched him in the stomach. He collided with the ground unconscious.

Max rose slowly to his feet, snatched out his non-shaku, and turned to face the angel. She flew at him with lightning speed and touched him on his cheek. He too fell out cold to the floor.

She hovered over to me, gave me a hug, and whispered in my ear. ‘Everything will be alright. I am so proud of you, Lacy.’

Her wings closed around me, and I felt a warm power moving through my body. It was almost like an electric shock, but rather lengthy and with no pain. My body recovered strength, and I could feel my feet again.

‘’The police will be here in a matter of minutes. Everything has been videotaped by three of the store’s cameras. Be sure to hand it over to the police.

‘There is a blouse in this bag that will fit you. Hope you like it.  By the way, you can find Penpee’s body at the bottom of Marks Pond.  We will be watching you, Lacy. We expect great things from you. Stay cute.’

I wanted to say thanks, to ask her so many questions, but before I knew it, she was gone. Just like that, she vanished into thin air.

I will never forget her, and although I have never seen her again, I know she was there, watching over me.

When the police finally got there, my day of surprises continued. It was Mom who went and informed them that something was very wrong at the bookstore. The officer said that she refused to leave until they accompanied her to the bookstore.

She gave me my first hug over ten years ago. We both cried, tears, hot, refreshing tears that only we two could understand.

The video footage served as evidence against Ben Rin, and he and his three ninjas were sentenced to life imprisonment.  Bill received a lighter sentence and would be viewed for parole after ten years.

The next day, the news media was filled with the stories of how a young teenage girl managed to fight off her would-be violators, one of them being a ninja. I wish I could have told them the truth.  I never fought off those men. No, it was my red hair angel.  But I know no one would have believed.

It took about a week of searching to recover Penpee’s body. But in the end, she was finally put to rest.

Life has sent me glorious lessons, ninjas were real, angels are real, and no relationship can be too strained or damaged that life itself won’t restore.

One last thing, about four months after the incident, my mom, my brothers, and I were placed in protective service. Somehow, the notorious ninja, Ben Rin, managed to escape from prison.