It was night time, maybe eleven o’clock. I was hidden under the covers with a book and a flashlight. The other boys were sleeping and I didn’t want Sister Clara to catch me staying up so late. It felt nice hiding under the warm covers, while the courtyard outside was covered in a thick blanket of snow. I felt grateful to have a place to stay over winter. I’d much rather spend that time with my family though. A family I did not possess.

As I was laying there under my covers reading my book, I heard delicate scrapes and knocks on the window. I didn’t realize that it was the window at first, so I turned off my flashlight and pretended to sleep in case anyone was coming. But no one came. I heard the sound again and, this time, I looked at the window. Nothing was there.

I walked up to the window regardless. I opened it and stuck my head out. The cold winter air hit my skin, tickled my spine, and filled my lungs. I looked around. Nothing was moving, there was no life, no wind. All I could see was the light behind the orphanage gate, with a sleeping man on the bench beside it. I started closing the window, but then I saw something unusual.

A small sphere of light was moving towards me while increasing in size. I was afraid, but something told me to not back away. As it was getting bigger, I could see little white wings. Then, in seconds, the light exploded and expanded. Suddenly, I saw a woman. She was beautiful. She had long, wavy blonde hair, soft blue eyes, and pale skin. She had a long white dress and… wings. She was an angel. There was an angel glowing in front of my orphanage room! I couldn’t believe it! I wondered why she chose to come to me, simple and insignificant Andy, instead of someone else.

I looked at her closely and saw something familiar. I’ve seen her before. As I was looking at her, I absentmindedly dropped my book. My reflection flashed in the window as I looked down at the book. I stopped to look at myself. I knew who that angel was then. It was my mother. She smiled at me as if she knew exactly what I was thinking. She reached out her hand to me, and I took it.

She gently pulled me out of my room and we flew. We flew over the rivers and mountains, the cities and meadows. All my worries momentarily fled from my mind. I felt so safe when I held her hand. I felt a wave of love overcome me from my head to my toes. There was no other place I wanted to be, no other thing I wanted to do. The world was mine. I could fly like this forever.

Soon, I saw the orphanage from afar. It was time to go back. She helped me back into my room. We looked at each other for a long time. She smiled, tears running down her cheeks. She reached over and kissed my forehead. Then, she was gone.

I woke up. It was early in the morning and the sunshine filled the entire room. I couldn’t believe it was just a dream! It felt so true! I got up to look out the window. As I was standing there, I realized that I had stepped on something. I picked it up. It was a white feather.