Band of Angels

     Light struck my eyelids and I startled awake with the sense someone was watching me sleep. And the light. The light filled the room, but the lamps were still turned off and the drapes were pulled closed. As I took in the scene and tried to make sense of it, I heard them. Softly, humming. Whispering. My eyes adjusted and I saw them. Angels.
     'You're here?'
     'Of course. Where else would we be?'
     'So it's time?'
     'Ready?'
     'Let's hit it then.'
     The closest reached out to me and I rose from my bed and left with them.

     Sun filtered into the room through a crack in the drapes. A young woman and man entered and saw the body on the bed.
     'We're too late. I am so sorry, Uncle you died alone.'
     The young woman's eyes filled with tears, but she caught it.
     'Honey, look!'
     'What is it, Babe?'
     'He smiled.'
     'Nah, dead people look like that sometimes.'
     'I'm telling you when I said he died alone, he smiled. I saw him do it.'
     'I know finding him like this is a shock, but--'
     The young woman sat on the edge of the bed and held her uncle's hand.  'His hand is still warm. We must have just missed him. Do me a favor and open the drapes, would you?'
     The sun on his face made her uncle's smile appear to deepen.
     'Babe, I see what you mean about his smile. Wherever he is, your uncle is happy.'
     'He's with friends.'