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Description
Being a teenager can be difficult for anyone, and Sariel, being thirteen in mind and body, is no exception. He's spent more than just three years in the Earth Realm. You'd think he'd be used to it by now, that he'd be used to the looks he gets from people. They avoid him as he walks down the street. Even though there's no real danger of him touching them since he's wings are pulled up tight against his back, there's still an area of empty sidewalk all around him. It's almost amusing to watch people go out of their way to avoid him. Almost amusing, but not quite.

Truthfully, Sariel would avoid the city if it were absolutely possible. He only comes here for one reason. In fact, he only goes to any city for one reason. Since discovering he could read, Sariel has fallen in love with libraries. They're the only reason he's willing to walk down the city street. He likes the quiet of the libraries.

They've renovated the library in this city. It used to be a huge building with off white stone and carved lions. The inside was spacious and quiet, and Sariel loved it. But as with a lot of things, people decided it wasn't modern enough. Now the library looks like any other building along the street. A large grey sterilized looking thing. At least even though the inside is just as sterilized it still has the smell of books. That's all Sariel cares about anyway, the books.

He finally reaches the doors to the library and pushes his way inside. Just inside, he pauses as the blast of cold conditioned air rustles hair and feathers. As he hesitates, eyes adjusting to the artificial lights. There aren't many people in the front lobby, but the ones who are there turn to stare. Sariel ignores them. By now, the desk workers know him well enough that the only one who acknowledges him is the one closest to the door and he knows from experience that she would do that to anyone. As soon as he's adjusted, Sariel heads for the stacks.

Depending on his mood, sometimes Sariel just grabs some random book. Other times, he'll have a subject in mind and search the catalogs. Today, he feels random. He walks down a row until he sees a book with a title that looks interesting. It looks thick enough to last him an hour or two. With book in hand, Sariel heads for his spot.

He found it completely by accident one day. While wandering around, Sariel came across a secluded corner of the library. A window on one wall gives off enough light to read by. He can be surrounded by the comforting smell of books, and also be relatively hidden away from others. He sits down where the two walls meet. This way, he can lean into the corner, and position his wings so they won't cramp. He's had lots of practice. Now settled, he opens his book and starts reading.

A noise pulls Sariel out of his book. It sounds like someone stumbling around in the stacks. He stares quietly for a moment, trying to see who it is. Finally, a woman falls forward down the aisle, dropping to her knees. She looks disheveled and almost dirty. Sariel can see tear streaks on her face. After a second he realizes she's murmuring something under her breath. He can only catch a few words, and then he knows she's praying. No, not just praying, praying to him.

"Not again," Sariel mutters.

"Lord, oh Almighty Lord," The woman's voice is louder now, and shaky. "I have prayed so long that you would send me a guardian, an angel. I never doubted you O Lord. Thank you. Thank you."

This isn't the first time this has happened, and it probably won't be the last. People don't understand him. He would rather be ignored or even stared at. He can handle that. It's when he's worshiped that Sariel gets flustered and upset. Though not worse, it's just as bad as when people assume he's just a demon and they try to kill him. Why can't people just leave him alone?

"Ma'am?" Sariel says softly, desperately wishing he could get back to his book. "I'm not what you think I am. I'm not…"

She begins to crawl forward, holding out a hand as if to touch him. "Please, I know you were sent here for me. I've prayed for help. I've prayed for someone to ease my pain. I've been devout. I'm being rewarded for my faith. I know it. Please, I'm begging you."

Sariel's wings flick in an anxious gesture. She won't understand. No matter what he says to her. He knows that now. The only thing to do is to leave. A part of him feels sorry for her, but the other part is just annoyed.

"I am not an angel." He says as he gets to his feet.

"Yes you are. You have to be. Please." She's sobbing now. Sariel winces. There's nothing he can do for her. He wouldn't know how even if there was.

"I'm not." He repeats. The book is clenched tightly in his hands. She looks so lost.

"You have to be." But he can tell she doesn't believe it anymore, she's just desperate.

Unhappy, Sariel moves down another aisle, away from his corner. There's only one way he can get this sort of thing to stop, and that's to stay away from people completely. For so long he's just tried to fit in, but he's never been able to. Humans just don't trust what they don't understand. He realizes that now, and it chills him. It's like he thought before, in this Realm, he'll only be alone, always alone.

"So be it." He mutters, dropping the book to the ground. "So be it."

Description
Being a teenager can be difficult for anyone, and Sariel, being thirteen in mind and body, is no exception. He's spent more than just three years in the Earth Realm. You'd think he'd be used to it by now, that he'd be used to the looks he gets from people. They avoid him as he walks down the street. Even though there's no real danger of him touching them since he's wings are pulled up tight against his back, there's still an area of empty sidewalk all around him. It's almost amusing to watch people go out of their way to avoid him. Almost amusing, but not quite.

Truthfully, Sariel would avoid the city if it were absolutely possible. He only comes here for one reason. In fact, he only goes to any city for one reason. Since discovering he could read, Sariel has fallen in love with libraries. They're the only reason he's willing to walk down the city street. He likes the quiet of the libraries.

They've renovated the library in this city. It used to be a huge building with off white stone and carved lions. The inside was spacious and quiet, and Sariel loved it. But as with a lot of things, people decided it wasn't modern enough. Now the library looks like any other building along the street. A large grey sterilized looking thing. At least even though the inside is just as sterilized it still has the smell of books. That's all Sariel cares about anyway, the books.

He finally reaches the doors to the library and pushes his way inside. Just inside, he pauses as the blast of cold conditioned air rustles hair and feathers. As he hesitates, eyes adjusting to the artificial lights. There aren't many people in the front lobby, but the ones who are there turn to stare. Sariel ignores them. By now, the desk workers know him well enough that the only one who acknowledges him is the one closest to the door and he knows from experience that she would do that to anyone. As soon as he's adjusted, Sariel heads for the stacks.

Depending on his mood, sometimes Sariel just grabs some random book. Other times, he'll have a subject in mind and search the catalogs. Today, he feels random. He walks down a row until he sees a book with a title that looks interesting. It looks thick enough to last him an hour or two. With book in hand, Sariel heads for his spot.

He found it completely by accident one day. While wandering around, Sariel came across a secluded corner of the library. A window on one wall gives off enough light to read by. He can be surrounded by the comforting smell of books, and also be relatively hidden away from others. He sits down where the two walls meet. This way, he can lean into the corner, and position his wings so they won't cramp. He's had lots of practice. Now settled, he opens his book and starts reading.

A noise pulls Sariel out of his book. It sounds like someone stumbling around in the stacks. He stares quietly for a moment, trying to see who it is. Finally, a woman falls forward down the aisle, dropping to her knees. She looks disheveled and almost dirty. Sariel can see tear streaks on her face. After a second he realizes she's murmuring something under her breath. He can only catch a few words, and then he knows she's praying. No, not just praying, praying to him.

"Not again," Sariel mutters.

"Lord, oh Almighty Lord," The woman's voice is louder now, and shaky. "I have prayed so long that you would send me a guardian, an angel. I never doubted you O Lord. Thank you. Thank you."

This isn't the first time this has happened, and it probably won't be the last. People don't understand him. He would rather be ignored or even stared at. He can handle that. It's when he's worshiped that Sariel gets flustered and upset. Though not worse, it's just as bad as when people assume he's just a demon and they try to kill him. Why can't people just leave him alone?

"Ma'am?" Sariel says softly, desperately wishing he could get back to his book. "I'm not what you think I am. I'm not…"

She begins to crawl forward, holding out a hand as if to touch him. "Please, I know you were sent here for me. I've prayed for help. I've prayed for someone to ease my pain. I've been devout. I'm being rewarded for my faith. I know it. Please, I'm begging you."

Sariel's wings flick in an anxious gesture. She won't understand. No matter what he says to her. He knows that now. The only thing to do is to leave. A part of him feels sorry for her, but the other part is just annoyed.

"I am not an angel." He says as he gets to his feet.

"Yes you are. You have to be. Please." She's sobbing now. Sariel winces. There's nothing he can do for her. He wouldn't know how even if there was.

"I'm not." He repeats. The book is clenched tightly in his hands. She looks so lost.

"You have to be." But he can tell she doesn't believe it anymore, she's just desperate.

Unhappy, Sariel moves down another aisle, away from his corner. There's only one way he can get this sort of thing to stop, and that's to stay away from people completely. For so long he's just tried to fit in, but he's never been able to. Humans just don't trust what they don't understand. He realizes that now, and it chills him. It's like he thought before, in this Realm, he'll only be alone, always alone.

"So be it." He mutters, dropping the book to the ground. "So be it."