Fallen Angels by Patricia Hickman

Author:Patricia Hickman [HICKMAN, PATRICIA]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: FIC000000
ISBN: 9780446554824
Publisher: FaithWords
Published: 2008-12-14T05:00:00+00:00

Angel and Willie arrived just as the school bell rang.

The lone school building housed all of the educational rooms for every child in the hamlet of Nazareth. Fourth grade up to eighth grade studied in the same hall, while the younger children applied their attention to the basics of learning in a rear quadrant. High school students studied together in a drafty hall of a room, a few intent on college entrance exams, while the rest dreamed up ways to check out of school, never to return. The entire school-house possessed the similarly boxed shape of the row houses that dotted the path into the schoolyard, bearing a hipped roof and windows so small the school appeared to squint in the sunlight.

Angel told Willie to count his pencils. As he did so, she checked his mustard-and-salt-pork sandwich, rolled it back up in thinfoil and handed it to him. “Watch your things. I can't look over my shoulder all the time to see you haven't forgotten anything.”

“I feel like a fool going in that younger class,” said Willie.

“Miss Coulter says you'll get caught up if you'll work’ at it. Then you can move into my class. Act like the preacher's son and they'll treat you with respect” Angel enjoyed the new identity to a certain extent, the gifts given to them, however used they might be, and the occasional free pullet for the cook's pot. While she cried herself to sleep at night languishing for her mother, she hoped for the best of both worlds—her mother here in Nazareth with the trappings of being a Gracie. The simplified solution kept throwing itself upon the rocks of reality. “We have to make ourselves better people, Willie, while the gettin's good.”

“We ain't better. We're just liars,” said Willie.

“You got it all wrong. God put us in this place so we can climb out of the mud, away from Nubeys and no-account uncles.”

“Maybe we're no-account Angel.”

“I woke myself up the morning Daddy came in and said he was sending us off to Claudia's. I knew right then that God had a special plan for my life, just like Granny always told me.” Angel had never shared that with anyone.

“You're bananas.”

“Listen, we know we can't stay here forever unless God wills it. That letter from Philemon Gracie, it said he was delayed. What if God did that to give us extra time? Next few weeks we get another letter. He's had another delay, maybe a year. Maybe more. That gives us time to make ourselves better. Like people who grow up and go off to college.”

“You give me salt pork in a biscuit again; I am turning into a salt lick,” said Willie.

“At the lunch bell, you meet me out on the school grounds with your books. We're going to get you caught up. This whole idea of being a Gracie, it's for a reason”

“I know. You lied.”

“Meet me at lunch.” Angel found her classroom, a room full of hand-nailed desks with mismatched shaky-legged chairs scooted up beneath them.

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