I fluttered down from heaven silently and carefully on my golden wings. I did not come from the heaven humans imagined, with their dead relatives watching over them in a paradise, but the real heaven, with one hundred immortal angels, clad with golden wings and superior demeanors, ruling the Earth and protecting it from the demons of the Underworld. The demons were parallel to us, but their wings were a deep purple, their deeds evil and mischievous. They sought to make trouble for us, their mortal enemies, by confusing humans and attacking them with their monsters. Most of the angels hated them. All but one. Me.
I was in love with a demon. He was nicer than the others, killing only when necessary, not smirking as much when he taunted us along with his kin. We had been secretly in love since a night around only ten years before when we met, here in the Inbetween, the place between the worlds, heaven and hell, the Earth and the Sky, the clouds and the sun. He was there because he was unhappy with himself, with being a demon. I was there simply because I was mad at the world, at everything in existence. We’d met by fate, I was sure, for the Inbetween has no beginning and no end, so its space is infinite. He’d smiled at the scowl that flashed across my features when I saw him. “You hate me too, I’m guessing?” He’d said, running his fingers through his jet-black hair unhappily. Any other angel would’ve said yes and insulted him for his ridiculousness, but I had shaken my head. And at the beginning, it was first time angels and demons got along, but it soon turned into the first time an angel and a demon kissed.
“Zelimer?” I whispered into the depths of the forests that cover the land of the Inbetween, loud enough for only him to hear.
“Melody,” I heard him say, and he emerged from the shadows. He swept a piece of my cornsilk hair out of my face and pulled me closer, then met my lips with his kiss as the tips of his dark wings brushed against mine.
Just then, a deep and taunting voice said from somewhere to my left, “I knew you were up to no good, sister.”
I knew that voice, as I knew the voices of all angels. I yanked away from Zelimer. “It’s not what you think.”
“Oh yes it is,” He said, coming forth from a nearby tree, the bark rippling as he stepped through it. “You love that vile creature, that demon. I can see it in your eyes.” He was Aldon, my sister’s husband. His golden eyes were seething. I knew he didn’t trust me. He would reveal me to the leader of the angels, to God.
Zelimer seemed to realize this the same time I did, and he jumped in front of me. But it was too late. Aldon had me, my wrist in one of his hands, smirking. My loose hand started to shake when I saw his smile. It was cold-hearted, evil. Like a demon’s.
Aldon opened his wings and started to fly, leaving Zelimer alone on the ground. “Don’t think your getting off, Demon. I’m sure God will tell Lucifer. Expect pain.”
Then we flew up, through the clouds, past the golden gates that I was never happy to see. Aldon didn’t even stop at the doors of the palace, and for some reason, the Guardians didn’t react. My breath caught in my throat, and I felt a tear leak from my eye. I caught with my free hand as we zoomed through the elaborate halls. I stared at it. I hadn’t been aware that angels could cry. I thought it beneath us.
Aldon burst through the stain glass doors of the throne room. “Lord,” he bowed in front the one I knew was God, forcing me to the floor. I kept my head down, a habit I acquired centuries ago, when I started resenting the existence of my kind; God knew every thought you have ever had just from looking in your eyes. I didn’t know what he looked like.
“Aldon. Why have you come here?” he said, in the ancient language of the Angels. His voice was heavy and light, timeless and ephemeral. It was impossible to describe.
“May I speak, Lord?” Aldon asked, still not raising his head.
“Yes,”
“This Angeless loves a demon.” Aldon sneered, pleased. It was then that I realized I hated him. I have never liked him before, too much arrogance and self-centeredness, but never allowed myself to hate him, for my sister’s sake. Until now.
“Look at me, Angeless.”
“No.”
“Ah, Melody. You are similar to a fire, or a demon.” I could feel his condescending gaze.
“As are you,” I snarled.
“You are making things worse for yourself.” Aldon smirked.
“Be quiet. What have you been doing in the Inbetween?” So He knew. It wasn’t surprising. He was omniscient.
“Nothing. I go there to be alone.”
“If she’s alone when she goes there, my mind is playing tricks on me.” Aldon said.
“Leave me, Aldon.” Aldon bowed and walked out, still smirking. “Look at me, Angeless.” I felt His voice layered with mesmerizer. If I were weak, I would have obeyed Him. But I was not.
“Do not try to mesmerize me. I am immune to your mind tricks.”
“You and I both know you are trapped. Any moment, I can have the Guardians force you to look at me.”
“But you won’t. You are too noble.” I snarled.
“Just look at me, Angeless. It is obvious you have done something wrong. I can convict you just for that, and for being so recalcitrant, denying what you know is true.”
“I never denied it.”
“Sister to Harmony, do you love a demon?”
I knew I couldn’t lie to him. “Yes,” I said.
“Does our excessive amount of Angels not interest you?”
“Obviously. Too vain, arrogant, and self-centered. The Angels you have created, even the Angelesses, my sister, are not perfect, wonderful beings.”
“And the demons are?”
“Not all of them. Only one.”
“Which?”
“Do you really think I would reveal my love, as I am sure you will tell Lucifer?”
“You do not have to. Look at me.”
“I will not reveal his identity.”
“You will obey me.”
“I would rather obey a rock.” A wave of pain made me scream. “What are you doing?” I shrieked.
“Obey me.” More pain.
“Stop! Please . . . stop.” I was breathing heavily as pain racked through me, again and again and again.
“Then obey me. I will stop then.” The pain increased so much that I forgot what I was, how I was supposed to be reacting. Thoughts entered my head. Look at Him. It will go away. I lost my willpower. I looked at him, just a glance. The pain faded away.
“Guardians!” God shouted, pulling me out of my reverie. Angels burst through the door. “Strip her of her wings. She is no longer an Angel. Have her become one of the Fallen.”
The Guardians pulled me over to them by the tips of my wings, and I felt my feathers being yanked out of their sockets. It hurt, but I knew it wouldn’t hurt nearly as much as the Ripping. I had never before seen it, no one had, other than the Guardians, as they are the ones who do it, but I knew it was excruciating.

I couldn’t help but touch the long, ragged scars where my beautiful wings once were. I felt as if my world were gone. And in a way, it was. I was cold. I was alone, in the Inbetween. I knew that soon, I would have to walk to the Human world. One cannot exist for too long in the Inbetween. You will fade away. But I dreaded going to the land of humans. They were such stupid, greedy creatures.
Then, out of nowhere, I heard a voice. “Melody.” It was quiet and soft, like a whisper of wind. He walked slowly toward me. A tear slipped from my eyes. His dark wings were gone. I had hoped, small and meager, that God hadn’t told Lucifer, Lord of the Underworld, about Zelimer. “Don’t cry,” he said.
“We are dead, Zelimer. We are Ripped. We are not Angeless and Demon. We are Fallen and Risen. We are to be forced to live among humans.”
“This is true.” He said solemnly. And that was when I realized we were both lying. I was happy. Because now, we could truly be together, continuously and unhindered. I stood and smiled at Zelimer. He smiled back, and took my hand. Then we started to walk.