via undergraduate student KATHRYN ESPINO (Brunel University)
Arcia always flew above the clouds, often looking down on those still on the ground, pitying them.
She knew how lucky she was to be able to fly, wind beneath her arms and flowing through golden hair.
Every day she thanked her Creator, for being free from all beneath her.
However, one day she noticed something; she was completely alone. Arcia felt a sense of loneliness.
The only companions she had were the birds that shared the sky with her
but the truth was, she was afraid to go down and be among those she had grown with.
For many years, four hundred seasons in fact, she hadn’t come into human contact. Arcia felt scared, as she focused more and more on all of the terrible things that had happemed to her.
Just as she fell into a pit of despair, she looked into the blazing crimson sunset, with hope in her heart.
At that moment, an angel appeared to her. It seemed to be made of stone, yet through its resonance Arcia knew that it was guiding her.
Arcia became confused, not being able to comprehend what was happening, nothing like this ever happened to her before.
“Who are you...?” she asked nervously.
The angel merely stood there and held out its hand.
Arcia was somewhat bewildered at first, this was a very new and surreal experience
However, the angel had a conviction about it that filled her with a certain energy. The energy itself, she discerned, was from the stone that it was made of. Arcia remembered, from her time on the ground, that she had been drawn to wearing a stone of the exact same appearance. 'Jasper' she thought to herself, the angel was made from red jasper.
She trusted everything about red jasper and so that trust was easily felt for the angel itself.
Red Jasper Angel drew her closer with its magnetism, together they descended to the busy little town below them.
At first, Arcia was scared but the jasper angel transformed into a pendant and gave her the courage and strengthto speak to the townspeople.
When she told of her story above the clouds, they were in awe and welcomed Arcia with open hearts.
