The Angel of Earth

by

Rodford Edmiston

Epilog

A being of light moved through the empty canyons of the ancient metropolis, the only sounds those of wind and waves and the occasional bird. It flitted along, the waters below reflecting its glow.

The illuminated figure moved a bit lower, so that it now maneuvered among the flooded structures, noting that such long-time landmarks as the Empire State Building still stood unaffected. This was largely due to specific efforts to protect these icons. The entire former city was now a nature preserve, had been for thousands of years. Except for those few buildings deemed of enough historic importance to seal against the slow rise of the sea, nature was allowed to progress unopposed. The entire island on which the Statue of Liberty stood was currently protected by a high, sturdy dike, for example. Pumps - ranging in sophistication from motor driven pistons to circuitry drawn on the floor of the lowest level - took care of rain and leakage.

How much longer this effort would be deemed worthy the figure didn't know. Hopefully for a considerable time. For nostalgia's sake, if not for any practical reason.

Naturally, there were no signs of human activity. There hadn't been humans living anywhere near here - anywhere on the entire Earth - for centuries.

The vague, glowing form lifted above the buildings and hovered for a moment. Then it moved to the mooring mast on the Empire State. There it solidified into an angelic form, which held casually to the ancient steel.

Malak looked over the scene. Not merely the flooded - and soon to be flooded - portions of what had been by some accounts the greatest city ever to grace the surface of the Earth, but well beyond. The whole coast - every coast - had been affected both by the rising seas and the abandonment.

Malak was in a quiet, philosophical mood, contemplating the slow changes to the world over what to the planet was merely the recent past. However, that mood was interrupted by a distant call. A message from beyond the atmosphere.

"You're going to be late for the ceremony," came the missive.

"You young people are always in a hurry," said Malak, amused.

"I'm over 99% of your age."

"Young people," Malak repeated, amused. "Don't worry. I'll be there, and on time."

He transformed again into his glowing state and shot away, moving quickly, now, but still staying relatively near the surface. He was glad to hear from his old student, and very glad she had made it. Not just to the gatherum, but to here and now. There had been times when he hadn't been certain about Melody, but she had continued to pleasantly surprise him. As had humanity as a whole.

Beyond the boundaries of New York, outside the area preserved for - hopefully - the next large chunk of eternity, Malak soared above the forests and long abandoned habitats. Actually, all of Earth could be considered a park these days, with most areas left to grow as wild now as they had before humans. Few indeed were those who could even still be counted as human, even among the trillions who lived someplace other than Earth. Malak mused on the changes he had seen, as he finally began to climb.

There had been some tough and doubtful times, but they had made it, collectively and in some cases even individually. Malak rose into the sky, the air growing thin, heading for the meeting. Marveling for the first time in a long while at no longer being the only one who could do this.