• Aubrey was just the first one listed, there where more. I was supposed to have about six, but because I was new, Ty promised me he would only give me four; he would add the other two to his schedule. Ty hurled a flat, brown notepad at me, it’s binding was parchment, and he promised me that it wouldn’t last long. He said I had to get used to what I was doing before I started receiving permanent things.
    “Write this down” He ordered. I scribbled the date on the paper with the installed pen, just to humor him mostly…and so that I felt like I had a use.

    1: Gretchen, the fish…

    I stared at him, raising my eyebrows. “I think I can handle more than a fish.” I rallied, trying to get something a bit more exiting then that.

    Ty laughed in a way that I was sure intended to mock me. “No, Scarlett, you can’t.” He promised. Because my stubborn attitude refused to accept that answer, I spoke up, “Just because I-“

    “You are about to take the life of a significant animal away from a small child. You have to place that life ten feet away from the gate, the chances of Gretchen flopping ten feet in between two bars are very slim. After the fish doesn’t make it, I’m going to set you and her together in a room and have you watch Gretchen suffer with no water, or oxygen until I really see you cry. Do you understand now, Scarlett, why I think a fish is best?”
    I was silent for a moment, “What if she makes it through the gate?”
    “Then I’ll find another fish.” His eyes where narrow and threatening, so I decided not to push him any further.

    With Ty directly behind me, I crept in the house, (Ty had to remind me that I couldn’t be heard) where Gretchen resides. I slowly dipped my cupped hands under the surface of the water in the aquarium, and lifted my hands up under the fish’s little, orange body. I pulled it up at first, but it remained in the water, while an exact replica of the fish’s corpse (It's real body now floating belly-up in the water) flopped about in the bowl of my hands. I grinned and sticking my tongue out at Ty, just letting him know how little emotion I had, a thought passed through my head. What now? Ty grabbed by elbow before I could pass the inquiry over, and twirled me around.

    There is was…the dark gate. I smiled, and looked up at Ty in a dreamy daze. “I love this place.” I informed him, fluttering my eyes.

    Ty apparently didn’t. “It seems nice now…I suppose.” He answered, gently grabbing my wrist and pulling me toward the gate, across the unidentifiable colored floor. He released me, and then pointed to the ground. “She has to start here…and you have until she makes a decision. The only way you can try to help her is mentally. You can yell, and scream…and hope she’s open minded enough to understand.”

    “Can she see me?”
    “Of course not.”

    I gently placed the fish on the floor, and stepped back, watching her twist and flop helplessly. Poor Gretchen.

    “So…you where with me when I was doing this?” I asked Ty. I was sitting down, my legs crossed, watching the hopeless fish with Ty doing the same right next to me. His hands where folded, fingers entwined, and supporting his chin as his intent stare followed Gretchen.
    “Scarlett, I was with you your whole life. I’ve seen everything you have ever done, and heard all of your thoughts. I helped you make decisions in your life, and let you make mistakes.” He glanced at me, and rose an eyebrow. “I could have let you live…kept you from drinking last night.”

    My eyes widened. “That’s…embarrassing…” I growled.
    He just nodded. “You’re my very first human. My little pet.”
    “You could have kept me alive.” I accused.
    “I didn’t want to interfere with your decisions.”
    “Did you know?
    “That she would kill you? No.”
    “But you could have made me stop drinking.”
    “I CAN make you do anything.”
    My jaw dropped. “Still?”

    “Absolutely anything.” He said, smiling. “Scarlett, your fish isn’t going anywhere.” He said, dropping the previous conversation.
    “Wouldn’t some angels…wouldn’t they just control their…humans entirely?”
    Ty sighed, “Can we please have this conversation later, Scarlett? I-“
    “No! Did you ever control me? How many times! Why!” I demanded.
    “Scarlett.” His voice was calm, reasonable. “I’ll explain everything later, I promise. Now, will you pl-“
    I cut him off with a mindless attack. I sprung forward, twisting my hands around Ty’s shirt and slamming his head back against the floor. “Damn it, Ty!”
    He froze, staring up at me with a shocked expression, he lightly grabbed one of my hands from his shirt, prying it away. “Scarlett, calm down.”
    My shaky breathing stopped instantly, and lungfull’s of air covered me. All forms of anger vanished.
    “Get off.” He continued gently.
    I obediently slid off of him, sitting on my knees and watching as he sat up. It took me a moment to realize what happened.
    “That makes it one thousand twenty nine, times, Scarlett.”