Beauty Passing - Hannah Sawyer (warren buffett book recommendations TXT) 📗

As I lay in the alley bleeding I remember the fear that built up inside of me. I had only tried to help. Can anyone hear me screaming? I feel so drowsy.
“Help is coming. Just hold on.” A woman’s voice. She sounded so calm, and yet I was here scared of death swallowing me whole and without leaving any trace of my pitiful existence.
“I... I can’t be dying. I’m too young.” I feel myself almost choking on my tears.
“I hate to say this but if it’s your time to go there is not much you can do. But I promise I won’t let you go without fighting.” I opened my eyes to look at the woman. Her face was emitting its own light. The pain was starting to drive me insane.
“Hush child. I am here.” She whispered. Looking up into the stormy clouds above she cried. “Father please give my gift to her and let me die in her place. I am ready to go.” She sat holding me in her arms, her soft touch made me sigh and relax. I sat there on the soaking wet floor of West Side Avenue so confused and sure of my death I did not argue with what she was saying and I believed that when an almost blinding light shone it was my death.


“Can we get her into this cubical please, all staff now! The patient needs us urgently. Marie in charge of airways, Jane stats and obs. Where is the surgeon?” a male voice boomed above me, the various noises that surrounded me made it clear I had arrived at the hospital. I made an effort to tell them I was awake but all my energy seemed to have abandoned me.
“He’s here sir.” A woman shouted over all the staff
“Well get him in here we need to determine the course of treatment she requires. Louise have we got those bloods and fluids going in yet?” the man appeared to have control over everything.
“Just connecting them up now sir.” The woman I assumed was Louise replied. I finally managed to get out a moan to tell them I was awake.
“What’s your name love?” he leant over me now so I could see him. “Do you know what your name is?”
“Yeah... yeah my name is Esther Agate.” I managed feeling dizzy and still overwhelmed by what was happening around me.
“Do you remember what happened to you?” then the memory came back to me.
“He stabbed me. We had been arguing about money, I refused to give him my purse so he stabbed me in the side of my ribs.” The pain in my ribs was starting to really burn now.
“Right Esther we are just numbing it so we can stitch it. We think that is all you will need. Stitching and plenty of rest.”
About ten minutes had passed and the pain was starting to fade now; they were preparing to stitch it.
The pain had been unbearable. I wasn’t sure if that woman I had seen was real or not. The doctors decided to keep me in for a few days until they believe that I am well enough to go home.


After four days I was glad just to get home and go to bed, in my own king sized bed. My chest didn’t seem quite so bad now, and I knew it would take time to heal. As I entered my house I smiled, Jenny from next door must have cleaned it whilst I was in hospital. She was old enough to be my mother but she was my closest friend. I was so excited to be home; hopefully I would be able to go back to work soon. As I sorted through my mail I saw a card of some sort in the massive pile of junk. I didn’t recognise the handwriting; I tore it open, a get well card from work. I went into the kitchen to discover it fully restocked. Jenny had to have done it that as well; I would have to get her something to say thanks. She wrote a note,
“I didn’t get milk or bread because I did not know when you would be home. There’s plenty of ready meals in the freezer and tins of soup in the cupboard. Pot noodles on the windowsill. See you soon from Jenny”
Smiling at this simple note, I turned on the radio and turned it up quite loud. My neighbours would all be at work or university so it didn’t matter. The beat of the music running through the house.
Walking round my almost spotless living room, I suddenly started getting this feeling like something was wrong. Jenny hated using bleach, she refused to use it. But all I could smell was bleach. I rushed outside and hammered on Jenny’s door, she might not be home but her son would. Nothing in the house stirred. Panic started to rush trough me. I ran back into mine and found my phone book called both her and her sons mobiles, voicemail. I suddenly felt so sick, my chest was burning and my back felt like someone was crushing it. I grabbed my phone calling 911; the wait for the police was going to feel like the longest wait in the world.
When they finally arrived I gave their names and they looked into it for me. Jenny had not been in work for two days and her son Joseph was taken into hospital two days ago after being found on the side of the road bleeding. Joseph was a year older than me but he was so kind and caring I couldn’t believe anyone would want to hurt him. I was terrified, Jenny was my closest friend and now she was missing. I politely asked the officers to leave so that I could rest.
I took my painkillers, staggered into the bathroom and turned on my shower. I wanted it to be as hot as I could handle I wanted it to melt away the aches and pains. Also try to soothe my fear and doubts. The warm water felt like the torrential down pour that had washed away most of my blood as I sat in that alley just four days before. After my shower I gently re-dressed my wound, pulled on my soft vest top and pyjama shorts. I entered my room and smiled as I noticed my king size bed made up for me. The pain in my back was starting to become unbearable. I slowly lowered myself between the soft lays of bedding and after adjusting the pillows a few times I started to drift into a deep sleep.


I woke in agony. It felt like my back was trying to split open, between my shoulder blades. I could do nothing to stop the tears from rolling down my cheeks. I couldn’t breathe, I needed help, my mind was spinning and the pain taking over. With a sudden scream I felt the air rush into my lungs and noticed the pain had stopped. I went to roll onto my back but realised I couldn’t. I forced myself to stand, noticing I felt weight on my back. I walked over to the floor length mirror I always covered whilst I slept and pulled away the deep red satin cover. With horror and shock I stood frozen before the mirror. I turned to look and my back better. I couldn’t believe what I saw. There in between my shoulders were two huge, white wings.
Panicked I called the only person I could think of, my brother David who was a priest.
“Hello? Esther?” David’s drowsy voice came through loud and clear.
“Are you busy?” I enquired
“No was sleeping. What’s wrong? You’re not in trouble with the police again, are you?”
“No... I need your help though... I don’t know what to do, but you would have to see to believe this.”
“What is wrong just tell me?”
“Will you please, just come?”
“Essie, I will come. Just promise me this is not a joke.” His use of the name he used to call me instantly helped me relax.
“It isn’t. Back door is open. I’m in my room”
“Give me ten mins I will be there.” He hung up. I placed my phone down on my desk.
Walking over to my wardrobe I pulled out my more appropriate jeans. But then again anything would be more appropriate than my pyjama shorts. I pulled out a halter neck top. I know it showed a lot of my back but I assumed it would be more comfortable than the vest, which was being pulled tight by the wings. I had to cut off the vest top. I dug in my drawer for a strapless bra, there long abandoned at the back it was. By the time David had arrived I was fully changed and sat at the table on one of my stools.


“Essie what’s wro...” he stopped mid sentence as he turned the corner. His face full of surprise and awe.
“I didn’t know who else to call. Help me?” I pleaded.
“I... I don’t know what to do. What happened?” he now looked terrified. Hanging my head I told him about the woman and how I thought I had imagined it all. By the time I had finished he was sat on the floor with his back against the wall and head in his hands.
“I have no idea what to do. But the sisterhood might. We will go to them tonight. You will have to sit in the back of the van.” He sighed. David always helped me out. No matter what, if he could help me he would. He never lent me money but he did what he could.
We waited until it was dark, then under the cover of a blanket I left the house and climbed into the back of the battered white van. I curled up in the back and cried for most of the journey. The sudden braking and the sound of a door slamming signalled our arrival. David flung the back doors wide and then went to knock on the looming, ancient and beautiful wooden doors, which I presumed was the entrance to the sisterhood’s realm.


A hooded figure answered the door, recognising David she pulled back her hood and hugged him warmly. Her face was scarred on the left side. She looked at me then at David,
“I did not know you had company of a fallen.” She smiled then looked directly into my eyes.
“It’s my sister, the wings appeared tonight.” She looked back at him then placed her hand on his cheek and closed her eyes.
“Welcome Esther. Do come in.” She opened her eyes and pulled her hood back over her head. I was unsure of how she knew my name, who she was and why had she called me a fallen. But I knew I had to trust her as much as I did not want to.
“So a woman gave you this burden?” the mysterious woman asked.
“I hardly think it’s fair that you seem to know a lot about me and yet I don’t even know your name.” She nodded
“Fair enough. My name is Sister Amelia, would you mind answering my question now?”
“I believe so. “We entered a room that was empty apart from several metal cabinets. At the end of the room was a stunning painted glass window of an angel