The light that surrounded Emma faded and in just a few moments the soft glow of the halo above her head was the only light Jimmy could see. The strange thing was the light did not affect his eyes and he could see her face. She looked as lost as he felt. “Are you the one that asked for help?” she asked. Timidly Jimmy closed his eyes. Was he hallucinating, had he not survived the attack? Either way, there was an angel talking to him.

As he sat there in the dark, he once again felt a hand touch his. This time he opened his eyes and looked Emma in the face. “You are real; I can feel your touch.” It was warm and gave him comfort.

The angel seemed confused as she looked around. “Where are we?” She asked.

“Don’t you know? If you are real, you should know everything,” Jimmy said.

For a moment, they both sat in silence. Jimmy noticed that the enemy did not fire upon the light from Emma.

“They are not shooting at us. The light from that thing over your head can be seen for miles. Why haven’t they seen you?” he asked.

Emma stood up and walked to the edge of the ravine and looked around. “I can not see in this darkness. Before when I have visited earth and even in the night I could still see clearly, but not this night or this place. There is only emptiness out there.” Jimmy now noticed she had only one wing.

“What kind of an angel are you? You’re frightened and don’t know where you are? It looks like you are missing a wing.” Emma turned her head away as if she were ashamed.

Jimmy sensed he had hurt her feelings, “I am sorry, I didn’t mean anything. I just thought if you are an angel, you were all powerful and could not be hurt. Not like me, leg all busted up and my head hurts something terrible. My buddies are gone and the enemies will soon find us, especially with that light of yours.”

Emma turned back to Jimmy and knelt down in front of him. “I am here to help you; I am just not sure what I am to do. I somehow sense that you must help yourself from this place tonight and I am supposed to guide you. I am just not sure how.”

Jimmy leaned forward and patted Emma on the shoulder, “Don’t worry, my friends will be back in the morning. All I have to do is wait here in the dark until they return.” Emma took Jimmy by the hand, “No, somehow I know you must try and make your way home on your own. I don’t know why, but you must not stay in this dark place.”

Jimmy smiled at her and pointed toward the night sky, “Don’t you see the stars? Over there to the north, isn’t that the Christmas Star? That is a good sign. After all, I think it is Christmas morning and I know my friends will return.” Jimmy paused for a few seconds, “What is your name? And why do you have only one wing?”

The shy angel hesitated for a moment, “Emma is my name. I do not know why I have only one wing and I do not know why I have freckles and red hair. I don’t even know why I am angel.”

“Well Emma with the red hair, you’re my angel and real or not, you gave me someone to talk to until my friends come back in the morning. I think I am going to try and get some sleep. My head hurts and maybe it will help the pain.”

Emma shook him, “No, you must get up and make your way out of this place, I don’t know why, but you must get up and try.” Jimmy opened his eyes and looked at Emma. He shook his head as he tried to wake up. “Tell me about your home Jimmy and your family.”

Jimmy began to tell her of his home in the mountains and growing up among the oak and beech trees around his home place. He had wanted to be a teacher, but his family did not have the money to pay for college. So he joined the army and he figured that after his duty, he could go to school. But somehow that dream never seemed so far away as it did tonight. Again Jimmy started to fall asleep.

Emma again shook him, “Wake up do not go to sleep in this place.” Jimmy slowly open his eyes and looked up at Emma. “Did it hurt when you lost your wing?”

“For as long as I can remember, I had only one wing. At first I felt sorry for myself. All the other angels had two beautiful wings. Angels can move through time and space with just will power. But having two wings lets you fly above the clouds freely. I used to think about that, but over time I have forgotten about that dream. I just wanted to be a good angel, but no one ever called for my help until tonight. And I know you must stay awake and not remain in this place of darkness.”

Emma became more determined as she pulled on Jimmy’s arms to make him stand up on his bad leg. As he stood he looked once again to the sky to see the distant stars. But the sky was black now. No stars shown in the empty sky. He looked down at his injured leg and it was hard to see. But, now it seemed hard to tell if it was there. His head hurt something awful as he leaned on Emma and started up the rocky path.

The glow from Emma’s halo lit the narrow path before them. Jimmy looked toward the distant hillsides and could still see the lights from the enemy. But Emma kept urging him on toward the coming dawn.

Jimmy’s head felt as if it were going to burst with each step along the path. Emma kept talking and encouraging Jimmy to go further up the hill. She never let him falter once on the steep path. Her voice was always reassuring and led him on toward the morning.

Jimmy knew morning was coming; he could now begin to see the light in the sky rising over the distant hills. Jimmy felt strange and everything seemed to float into a dream world. He could hear Emma’s voice, “It’s time to leave the darkness and go home Jimmy.”