Harper

May 1995:

  Colorado spring time was something that many looked forward too. Mild, temperate weather and crisp clear skies. On a quiet block in Grand Junction, Harper Ashlynn Hopp peered out a window in the tiny duplex.

"Momma, let's go to the park!" She squealed, turning to face her mother. Julia sat on the beaten down floral sofa, ignoring her small daughter’s request. Harper moved closer to Julia, quiet and cautious.

“Momma? Do you wanna go outside?” She asked again. Julia held a worn photo in her hands. It was Julia and a man, dark haired  with slate grey eyes. In his arms a tiny bundle, dark haired with the same grey eyes. The Hopp family, young and joyful. Former shells of the life they once lived.

Julia had grown frail and sorrowful in the last years since David’s death. A traffic accident. Now the only reminder of her late husband was Harper, a spitting image of him.

“Momma? Did you hea-”

SMACK

An open palm met with the soft flesh of Harper’s cheek.

“Knock it off Harper!” The attack was nothing unusual, in fact it was a typical day for the six year old as tears pooled in her own grey eyes.
“Go to your room. I can’t…I can’t...look at you now.” Julia placed the photo on the coffee table and started walking away from Harper.

“No!” Harper stood her ground. “I want to go outside. Please Momma! I’ll be good! I promise!” Before she could continue her plea for a normal childhood, Julia rushed her and picked her up haphazardly, taking her up the stairs and tossing her into a shabby bedroom.

“Stay in here Harper.” Julia’s voice cracked as she placed the girl on the floor, closing the door as she backed out.

“Until when?”

“Until I say.” Julia closed the door with a snap and clicked a lock.

   Harper was petite with dark hair and steel grey eyes. Her limbs were wire like and added to an awkwardness that her small frame currently had. She collapsed on the floor, tears streaming down her face.

It’s not fair…it’s not… she thought as she curled up on the floor.

“I suppose…it really isn’t, is it?”

Harper hiccupped and turned to see a man she had never seen before. He had tousled dark hair and was unshaven. His eyes were a shade of blue she’d never seen, intense, yet calming and reassuring as he sat on the edge of the bed. He wore a dark suit and tie, much like her father use to wear. Though the thing that stood out most to Harper was the khaki over coat he wore, given the weather had been warm and dry the last few days.

“Who are you?” She asked in a hushed voice, scooting back against the wall. The man stood and looked down at the child.

“You need not fear me Harper. I am not here to hurt you.” His voice was deep and gravelly, yet kind and gentle as he gave her a soft smile.
“I’m not supposed to talk with strangers.” she mumbled, though this was something she had learned from the news channel, rather than from Julia. The man knelt on one knee in front of her.

“My name is Castiel. I am an angel of the lord, sent to watch over you.” Harper gaped at the man as she slowly stood, extending her hand.

“My name is Harper.” Castiel looked confused at her tiny outstretched hand. Harper quickly pulled it back as she pressed deeper into the wall. “My Momma says you aren’t really real. If you were, you wouldn’t have taken Poppa.”

“Then why do you continue to pray for us, Harper?” The angel had posed this as more of a statement than an actual question. Harper looked quizzically at him before looking down at her feet.

“I want things be normal again...like when Poppa was alive. Momma works and drinks...she’s not happy...I remind her of Poppa.”

“You’ve been strong, Harper. For your mother and your Father.” Castiel placed a hand on her shoulder. “You are a very special child, The Father has plans for you, Harper Ashlynn.”

“Like what?” She had such intense focus on the strange man. How could he know her future? Or make such promises? Castiel held her wrist and placed a delicate, yet simple bracelet on it.

“This,” He held up her wrist. “Is so that you will always know we are watching over you and find you when the time is right.” The bracelet was silver with two ornate orbs next to two amethyst colored ones. In the center a long bead, gold and purple with a bizarre script. Castiel took in the child’s expression. He was told the range of human emotion was vast and yet, Harper’s eye held so much more that he still wasn’t aware of. He broke their silence with a soft smile.

“For now, why don’t we play a game.” He gestured to the table that sat in the corner of the room. A board game from the shelf had set itself up. Harper made her way over to the table, looking perplexed. She looked up at Castiel, confused.

“Monopoly?” She asked, looking at the tiny silver figures and plastic homes. Castiel looked down at her, analyzing her expression.

“Do you...dislike this game?” He asked confused by the child’s reaction.

“Do you have all day?” She countered. Castiel had not expected to be given another question.

“I don’t quite understand-”

“Monopoly takes...all day.” She said, her grey eyes looking into his azure ones. “You have to buy places and stuff.” Castiel had expected the child to be enthused by the notion of playing a game, not receive the current sass he got.

“We could play...another activity...if you would like?” Harper’s eyes seemed to dance with glee.

“Wanna have a tea party?!”

“We have no tea…”

“You don’t have to have tea. You pretend.” She mimicked drinking out of a cup with her pinky extended. “When you hold it like this, you’re fancy.” She explained. Castiel didn’t understand, but played along with the child’s whims. For now she was normal, even if for a short time.      

Castiel continued his visits, playing her games and hearing her prayers. Harper began telling her mother about the angel and how heaven really did exist. That Castiel was watching over them all this time. However, Julia had finally caved and told her that no one, not even an angel would look after them.

“Harper, Stop!” Julia said, grasping Harper tightly by the arm. “Enough with the stories! There are such things as angels and no one named Castiel!” Julia brought her back to the tiny room once again. Shutting it with a snap she leaned against it. “No one will ever care enough about us to send us hope like that.”
Harper heard her stagger away from the door and back to the living room, sobbing. They would sit in their stillness and resent one another in silence.

“Castiel...are you listening? Whatever plans are for me...I’m not worth them.”

The familiar sound of fluttering wings filled the room and Castiel sat next to her on the floor.

“Why do you believe that, Harper?” He asked in the same calm monotone that he came to her with. She turned and faced him, hard in face and expression.

“Because, I’m ordinary.” She said quietly. “Not even that...I get hit for looking like Poppa...do you even exist?” Tears had formed in her stone grey eyes.

The depth of this barrage baffled the the angel, perplexion lacing his features.

“I do, but my present self...this.” He gestured to his being on the floor next to the child. “Is nothing more than a vessel. My true form would destroy you.”

Harper stared at the floor. Quiet for what seemed like hours, Castiel placed a hand on her shoulder.

“I will always watch over you Harper. I will find you again when the time is right.” Harper looked up, fear and exasperation in her eyes as they continued to well with tears.

“You’re leaving?”

Castiel gave her a sad smile  and nodded.

“I will be gone a while, but will return when you need me.”

With that, he left as quickly as he came, leaving the small girl sitting in the empty room.