The Angel Who Helped

Then the wind brushed through the garden.

The flame inside the lantern fluttered.

Mia held it close. “Please stay lit.”

She tried walking beside the path, where the grass looked softer. But the grass was wet too, and her boot sank into the mud with a soft squish.

Mia pulled it free. A brown mark spread across her yellow boot.

“Oh, dear.”

She looked toward home. The kitchen window still glowed, but it seemed farther away than before. The garden was not dangerous. It was simply wet and slippery, and Mia could not see the best place to put her feet.

She took one step back onto the stones.

A quiet voice spoke behind her.

“Would you like some help?”

Mia turned.

A boy stood near the tall lavender bushes. He looked about her age, though something about him seemed bright and calm. His coat was pale blue, and tiny drops of rain rested on his light hair without making it messy. In one hand, he held a small silver umbrella.

Mia blinked. “Where did you come from?”

“My name is Gabriel,” he said. “I was walking through the garden.”

He held the umbrella over her lantern first, then moved it so it covered both of them.

Mia looked at the narrow path. “I need to get home. I thought I could carry the lantern by myself.”

“You have carried it well,” Gabriel said. “The rain has made the path tricky.”

Mia glanced at his dry shoes. “Do you know where the stones are safest?”

Gabriel smiled. “I do. We can look together.”

Mia wanted to say she did not need help. She had been so sure a little while ago. But another drop slid down her neck, and the lantern flame gave a weak, trembling flicker.

“All right,” she said. “Together.”

Gabriel stepped beside her. He did not pull her or hurry her. He pointed to a flat stone hidden beneath a wide leaf.

“That one is steady,” he said.

Mia placed her boot there. It held firm.

“Now the pale stone,” Gabriel said. “Not the dark one. The dark one is covered with water.”

Mia moved carefully. The umbrella made a soft pat-pat sound above them. Rain washed the garden paths, and the roses nodded under their heavy drops.

They reached the bend near the old bridge. Mia could see the small shed ahead, its wooden door tucked beneath a little roof.

The lantern flickered again.

Mia stopped and peered through the wet glass. “It is getting darker.”

Gabriel leaned close. “The flame needs more air.”

Mia lifted the lantern’s tiny door and opened it a little. The flame brightened, but only for a moment. Then it shrank to a tiny blue point.

“I did not bring a new wick,” Mia said. “I thought the lantern was ready.”

“Sometimes a lantern needs care before it can shine,” Gabriel replied.

Mia frowned at the little flame. “I should have checked it.”

“You can check it now,” Gabriel said gently. “The shed may have what you need.”

Mia looked at the shed. It was only a few steps away, but a puddle spread across the path in front of it. The rain made rings on its surface.

Gabriel lifted the umbrella higher. “We can go around.”

Mia studied the garden. There was a narrow strip of dry ground beside the fence. It was not wide, but it looked firm.

“I see a way,” she said.

“You do,” said Gabriel. “Lead on.”

Mia took a slow step. She pressed her boot into the ground before moving her other foot. Gabriel stayed beside her, holding the umbrella so the lantern remained dry.

At the last step, Mia’s boot slid toward the puddle.

Gabriel reached out his hand.

Mia took it.

His hand felt warm, even in the cool rain. He helped her find her balance, and together they crossed the wet ground.

Mia let out a small breath. “Thank you.”

“You are welcome.”

The shed door was swollen from the rain. Mia pushed it once. It did not move.

She pushed again with both hands. The door creaked, then opened a little.

Inside, the air smelled of wood, dried leaves, and clean soil. A small window let in a gray stripe of evening light. There were flowerpots on shelves, a rake in the corner, and a worktable beneath the window.

Mia stepped inside. Gabriel followed and closed the door behind them.

The rain became a soft hush on the roof.

Mia set the lantern on the table. Its flame was now only a small glow.

“Please do not go out,” she whispered.

Gabriel looked through a little box on the shelf. “Here is a fresh wick.”

Mia’s face brightened. “And oil?”

Gabriel found a small glass bottle. “Here.”

Mia reached for it, but her hands were cold and damp. The bottle slipped.

Gabriel caught it before it fell.

Mia pressed her lips together. “I keep making mistakes.”

“You are tired and wet,” Gabriel said. “That is not the same as being bad at something.”

Mia looked down at her muddy boot. She thought about the path, the rain, and the way she had tried to do everything alone.

“I wanted to bring the lantern home without trouble,” she said.

“Most people do,” Gabriel answered. “But a little trouble does not mean you have failed.”

Mia gave a small smile. “Can you show me how to change the wick?”

Gabriel nodded.

Together, they opened the lantern. Mia held the glass while Gabriel removed the old wick. He placed the fresh one inside, and Mia poured in a little oil. She moved slowly this time, keeping both hands around the bottle.

“There,” she said.

Gabriel struck a match.

A tiny flame sprang up.

Mia leaned close, watching it grow. Gold light filled the lantern and shone across the worktable. It touched the flowerpots and made the raindrops on the window sparkle.

“It is bright again,” Mia said.

“It is,” Gabriel replied.

Mia lifted the lantern carefully. “Now I can go home.”

She took one step toward the door.

The flame trembled.

Mia stopped. A thin line of water slid beneath the door. The rain had grown stronger, drumming on the roof.

Gabriel opened the door a crack and looked outside. The garden path was covered with shining puddles. The old bridge gleamed in the dim light.

“It may be best to wait here for a while,” he said.

Mia looked toward the kitchen window. Its warm glow was still there, but the path between them was darker now.

“Will my family know where I am?”

“They will see the lantern when the rain slows,” Gabriel said. “And the shed is close to the house.”

Mia nodded, though a worried feeling curled in her stomach. She had reached shelter, but she was not home yet. Her lantern was lit, but the rain had made the way longer and harder.

Gabriel placed a dry cloth beneath the lantern. “We will keep it safe.”

Mia sat on a little wooden stool. She wrapped her arms around herself and listened to the rain. Beside her, Gabriel sat quietly. The shed felt warm and still. A drop of water fell from Mia’s hood onto the floor.

Plip.

Mia looked at the lantern’s gentle flame.

“I was sure I could do it alone,” she said.

Gabriel’s smile was soft. “You did many things yourself. Then you let someone help.”

Mia thought about that. She did not feel small for asking. She felt lighter, as if she had set down a heavy basket.

Outside, water ran along the garden path. Near the old bridge, something made a faint rustling sound beneath the rain.

Mia turned her head.

“What was that?”

Gabriel listened. The sound came again, soft and small.

“Perhaps we will look when the rain is gentle,” he said.

Mia held the lantern close, and its warm light rested between them. She was still worried about getting home, but she was no longer alone in the shed.

The rain sang on the roof, Gabriel stayed beside her, and the little flame shone steadily - though the path home would have to wait.

End of chapter one. 4 more chapters and about 7,699 words in the full book.