The Little Cherub

Life had always seemed so dull up in the clouds above. As far as the eye could see, there puffy white clouds and crystal blue sky.

Angels sat upon the clouds each with their own mission. Each clad in a frilly white gowns, and a golden harps placed in each angelic hand, to match the small golden halos upon each flowered head.

The played a chorus of serene songs, all giddy with love as they watched those they guarded as their kind always did.

But high above the angels, sat one small cherub. Too young to be a guardian, too small to hold those golden harps. She sat on her cloud as she did every day, her legs crossed, with her arms placed for her head to perch. She was bored of doing nothing. She was tired of having no song to sing. Day after day, she sat upon her cloud wishing silently for a change.

The ruler of the heavens saw this sad little cherub. His heart broke for her as no angel of God should feel as this one seemed to feel. He fluttered down to her on wings of onyx, and sat beside her on her little cloud. His voice was soft as his dark blue eyes looked into hers. "What troubles you little cherub? Why do you wish it to rain?" He asked as he tilted his head a bit. The cherub looked to the arch angel before her in awe. Never before had one of God's personal guardians come to speak with one like her. Her small white wings fluttered as she slowly turned to face him, "I want to be special. I want to be different. I don't want a harp, I don't want to sing. I don't want black wings, or white wings." She sighed softly as her small fingers twirled a patch of her cloud opening it to the person she would one day guard.

The cloud revealed a little boy, he looked about seven. His curly black hair was slightly a mess. His dark brown eyes full of sorrow. His clothes in stitches, rags stitched to rags.

The arch angel looked down and arched a brow as he asked the cherub, "What is his name?" The cherub had her eyes to the cloud as she answered softly, "His name is Michael."

"Why is he so sad?" The arch angel asked curiously.

"Because he has no family. He lives in the orphanage." The cherub replied as she looked to the arch angel. The arch angel thought a moment. "It is your job to make him happy is it not?" He asked firmly, a plan forming in his head. The cherub nodded sadly. "Yes but I do not think I can." She replied with a soft sob. "Maybe not from up here... But maybe from down there you can." The arch angel stood up and held his hand out to the little cherub. The cherub looked up and scrunched up her features as if in thought. "How can I help him down there, if I can not go down there?" She asked. "I am the ruler of the angels little cherub. I will give you permission to go down to the earth and help your little friend. I will take you there myself, But do remember as each night comes, you must return to the heavens and tell me of your adventures." The arch angel smiled. The little cherub took his hand and stood up nodding a wide smile on her face. "Thank you so much. I will not let you down." She said as the arch angel picked her up and flew her out of the clouds.

The little cherub found herself inside the orphanage. She looked around until she saw Michael and walked over. She knew he could not see her. But her thoughts were an open book should he choose to listen. She stood behind him as he sat on his bed drawing a picture on a piece of paper.

The picture was beautiful, the colors grand. The detail made it seem like the paper were a window to this world he had drawn. She smiled brightly and thought to herself, "The painting is perfect Michael." Michael turned his head, looking around bewildered. "w-who's there?" He whispered to himself. "I am your guardian angel" The little cherub replied. Michael looked toward the voice. Because he was young, and his mind still open, he saw a light outline of the little cherub as she sat upon his bed. "What is your name?" He asked the cherub. She gave out a soft sigh as her reply was sadly said, "I have no name that I can remember... Up above they simply call me Little Cherub." Michael smiled brightly as he gave her a name. "I will call you Cherie, that will be your name." The little cherub, Cherie, giggled with joy. "Such a grand name indeed Michael. Thank you for giving it to me." Michael smiled with a nod. "There's no need to thank me Cherie. I'm just doing what a friend would do."

As the sun set, Cherie and Michael said good night, promising to play again when the sun's light broke out over the horizon.

For years this pattern worn on. Every morning as the sun's light crept across the Earth, Cherie was taken down by the arch angel to play with Michael. And every day Michael painted a picture just for her to see. For years the two played their secret games. Laughing and joking the way children do.

Then one day when Cherie came down to play, Michael could no longer see her. Her voice still rang true, but it seemed so far away. The reason for this was Michael was no longer the little boy she had known, he had grown up. "What will become of our friendship Cherie? What will happen when I can't hear you anymore?" Michael asked his eyes once again held that sorrow. "You will feel me in your heart, and see me in every picture you paint. Your mind will carry our memories on until you come to play with me again." Cherie replied as her voice faded away. No more would Michael hear her, no more would she has reason to come and play.

The years rolled by as Cherie sat on her cloud. Every once in awhile she would move her cloud to peek in on Michael. He had grown quite famous. His painting were known world wide. He had taken to painting pictures of cherubs, many looked like his one time friend.

One day, some years down the road, the arch angel flew to her cloud and stood with a hand held out. "Is it time?" Cherie asked with small smile. The arch angel smiled in return and gave a slow nod. "This time may I go alone? He may be scared to see one he does not know." Cherie requested hopefully. Again the arch angel nodded understanding.

As Cherie stood up her white wings turned black. For all the hard work she had done and all the love and hope she had given one little boy God had chosen her as his next arch angel. She smiled proudly as she spread her ebony wings. With a small jump she glided down to the earth.

She stood outside the hall of the funeral home and hoped he would remember. A smile spread across her lips as he walked out to her. "Cherie? I can see you again.. But you look different. You look whole, not like the ghost that used to sit beside my bed." The little cherub smiled. "I have come to take you home." She said softly as she held out her hand. "Take me home? What do you mean?" Michael asked a bit confused. "The man that lies in the casket is you. You have finished what you must down here. Now it is time for you to come home and do for someone what I have done for you." Cherie explained with a small smile. Michael blinked as he realized what she meant, but he nodded his head and took her hand in his.

Without a look back, without so much as a good bye to the earth below, Cherie and Michael flew up to the heavens leaving the world behind. Both knew their lives were changing, both knew new things awaited, but for now the two were just content to fly high above the world hand in hand as two best friends should.