Owww….every bone in her body hurt. She slowly opened her eyes, to find herself, not on the ground as she had expected, but lying on a luxurious bed in a dark room. Shandra sat up, startled and it felt like needles had been stuck in her from everywhere. Bad move. She lay back down, wondering what was going on. The last thing she could remember was….falling. And then it all came back with a flash. Shandra, for committing a terrible sin against heaven, you have been sentenced to…exile. On earth. You are doomed to wander forever on the earth, your beautiful white wings changed to a terrible black, never dying, but never truly living, until you redeem yourself.  What had she done that was so bad…? She tried to remember, but fell asleep.

“Is she awake?” Shandra heard an oddly familiar male voice whispering outside her door.
“No, but…wait, I think she is now” A female voice replied.
“Should we go in?” The first voice asked.
“I think I should, but maybe…you should stay here, the shock of seeing you might be too great, for her mind is still recovering.”
Shandra pretended to be asleep as she heard the door open.
“There’s no point in pretending to be asleep, I know you’re awake.” The female voice said.
Shandra opened her eyes to dimly see a shape standing at the end of the bed.
“Nice to see you’re awake, you had us worried there for a while.”
“Where…where am I? Who are you?”
“You’re safe, that’s all that matters. The debt is repaid”
“What debt…who ARE you!” Shandra tried to sit up so she could see better, but the figure held her back.
“That’s not a good idea yet, you aren’t healed completely”
“Well answer me!”
She heard a sigh emerge from the darkness
“I had forgotten how stubborn you and your kind were, very well, but only those two questions for now.”
The figure sat down in a chair beside the bed that Shandra hadn’t noticed before.
“You are in my house, and I am Lenae”
“Well that’s helpful” Shandra retorted sarcastically.
“No need to get upset, I gave you your answers, and if they don’t make much sense, then next time, ask better questions.” Lenae replied. “Now, would you like something to eat?”
“I shouldn’t accept anything from you…it could be…poisoned!”
“Now, now, don’t be ridiculous, if we, er... I wanted you dead, then I could have just left you the way I found you.”
Shandra thought about it and realized that this ‘Lenae’ was right.
“Alright then, I suppose you’re right”
“Ah, I never get tired of hearing that.”
Lenae left Shandra alone with her thoughts.
“Gods, is this ever weird…I wonder who she is…who that other voice is…why does it sound familiar…what is this debt she is talking about and most importantly how the hell did I get here!”
A few minutes later Lenae came back with a tray of food.
“Can you sit up?”
Shandra strained, and it hurt but she slowly sat up, propped against the pillows.
“Why does it hurt so much?”
“Ah, ah, ah” Lenae waved a finger at her “No more questions until you eat something” She set the tray down and left again.
Shandra stared at the food, debating with herself whether or not to eat it, but she felt so hungry and weak, that she couldn’t help herself. The food was good, fresh fruits and toast, but she was still curious, so she ate fast and waited for Lenae to come back.

‘Oh Shandra, why can’t you just leave them up there…come down and stay with me.’ ‘No, Kieran, for then I could not protect you and your sister.’ ‘We can take care of ourselves… and you too, just come and we can be together forever’…’Kieran, let’s just focus on here and now.’ She felt herself leaning in to kiss him

She woke up with a start from a dream that seemed so real…but yet, she knew it couldn’t be.
“Ah, you’ve awakened again. Are you ready for some answers now?” Lenae was sitting in the same chair as before.
“Who is the other person in the house?”
“There’s no one else here, right now.”
“Don’t lie to me, I heard him earlier and I’ve heard him before…somewhere”
“You shall have to discover that on your own, soon. “
“Fine then. How did I get here?”
“Why we carried you, of course.”
“Why am I here? Why do I hurt?”
“Ah, finally a question I can answer. You are here because I, and my brother owe you a great debt…and it is our fault you were forced to leave in the first place. You are in pain because…well, falling from that high up is bound to hurt, even for an immortal.”
“What am I? What are you?”
“Goodness, you really don’t remember much, do you? I’m sorry, but I can’t tell you too much, your memory needs to come back on its own, so I suggest you go to sleep”
Lenae left again, and Shandra could hear her outside the room, once more arguing with the other voice.
“Lena let me see her”
“No, brother, I don’t think she even remembers you yet.”
“Please Lena.”
“If you truly love her, you will wait. I’m the psychological expert, remember.”
“Fine. But as soon as she is ready, tell me.”
Shandra heard two sets of footsteps fading away. She sighed and lay back down, trying to remember something…anything.
“Shhaaannnddraaaa…don’t you remember me? What we shared?”
A voice echoed in her head and she was shocked out of her half-sleep. Feeling a little better, she stood up and looked at herself in the mirror across the room. A thin face framed by copper hair stared back at her. She was wearing a black nightgown that came down to her shins. “What is going on here?” Shandra saw the door, and was reaching for the handle when the voice sounded in her head again “Shandra…come to me” She reconsidered going out, but couldn’t resist her curiosity, and stepped out the door into a long, deserted hallway.
She started walking down the hallway to her right, for no particular reason since there was no end in sight. Shandra had been walking for about five minutes and had come to some stairs when she heard shallow breathing behind her, about ten paces. She tensed and waited for something to happen. Someone put a hand on her shoulder “Hey you shouldn’t be…” Shandra grabbed the hand and turned around quicker than the eye could see. She stopped as she found herself staring into the most beautiful eyes she had ever seen. They captivated her, and for a moment the two of them just stood there, staring at each other until a noise coming up the stairs behind Shandra. It somehow broke the spell his eyes had on her and she let go of his arm and turned around, embarrassed.
“Kieran…you better not be where I think you are” Lenae’s voice floated up the stairs.
“And where would that be, dear sister?” Kieran replied from behind her.
And suddenly, her mind made the connection “Kieran…that’s the same name as”…the man from the dream flashed in her mind, close to her “Oh gods, it’s him…” she fainted, and although she did not know it, he caught her tenderly before she could hit the floor.
“Now look what you’ve done” The last thing she heard before fading out of consciousness was Lenae’s voice, scolding him.
She woke up, once more in that large, comfortable bed, with Kieran and Lenae standing over her.
“Hey, you had us worried”: Lenae said
“Well, don’t be, I feel fine…”
“No, you shouldn’t have gotten up yet.” Kieran interrupted you
“Now, I want some Gods-damned answers!”
“Alright, alright, I suppose we do owe you some.” Lenae reluctantly admitted
“What did I do to get myself exiled?” You ask
“Oh, good, you do remember some things, that means your memory is coming back.”
“Just answer the question…please”
“Gee, so impatient.”
“Cut her some slack, Lenae, you would be too.” Kieran defended her.
“Ah, but I wouldn’t be in this situ-“
“Just PLEASE answer the question!” Shandra exclaimed
“Okay, okay, you were protecting us from the…hunters of heaven”
“Why were they after you?”
“Well…let’s just say we’re not exactly on the list of those going to heaven”
Kieran gives an indignant snort “Come on, sis, let’s give it to her straight so she knows what she’s gotten herself into.”
Lenae sighs, “If you really think that’s necessary, Kieran”
“Shandra, they were after us because we are …”