The sun was shining strongly and a slight breeze swept up the sand of the desert hills when an angel appeared in the sky. The surrounding air became thick with clouds and dust while the angel descended to the ground. Now the sunlight only dimly lit the world. The angel’s white robe got caught in the wind and moved around their legs with the breeze. In their hand was a rusty sword. With dark, unseeing eyes the angel had looked at the sky while sinking down from heaven but when their feet touched the sand they looked down for the first time.

A vast, stony desert spread before them. In a distance, the only sign of human life came into view. A small village, close to the mountain range that filled the horizon.

The sword was let go and fell with a silent thud onto the ground. The weapon that had been held with a tight grip until now, was seemingly forgotten. Only an empty hand remained, which slowly closed around nothing.

The angel began to walk down the hill they had landed on. The gravel moved with every step and made their body sway from one side to the other. The further the angel walked towards the bottom of the hill, the more their feathers started to fall from their back. At first one, then two and then three until all of them had left their place. No bones where to be seen where once two beautiful wings had been. The never-ending breeze that had settled in the area playfully covered the hill in brownish white feathers. The angel seemed unaware of this.

When the angel had reached the bottom of the hill they stopped and stood silently in the wind. The warmth of the ground seeped into their feet. These were their first feelings. Then with a slow motion they took hold of their halo and let it fall to ground as well. At first it stood straight on the gravel, but a moment later it fell to the side and vanished. The sun had come through the clouds and lit the ground in various shapes.

With the next warm step the angel took, a deep breath filled them for the first time and in the silence of their breast, a heart began to beat.