<p>“Tell me a story, Angel,” said the Monster.<br />
“Once there was a man,” The Angel said.<br />
“What happened to this man?” Said the Monster.<br />
“This man was shattered into three pieces.” The Angel said. “Eventually, though, three became four.”<br />
“Did it hurt?” Asked the Monster.<br />
“Very much,” The Angel said. “And it still does. But it’s not all bad.”<br />
“Why is that?” The Monster asked.<br />
“Because now he will always have friends.”</p>
<p>“I do not understand,” The Monster said. “What is a friend?”<br />
“A friend is someone who cares about you.”<br />
“Are you my friend?” Asked the Monster.<br />
“Yes,” said the Angel. “I will always be your friend.”</p>
<p>“How do you do it?” The Monster asked.<br />
“Do what?” The Angel said.<br />
“Keep going,” The Monster said, “How do you keep living?”<br />
The Monster sighs. “It’s so hard.”<br />
“I have hope,” The Angel said.<br />
“What’s that?” Said the Monster. “What is hope?”</p>
<p>“It means I believe things are going to be better,” The Angel said. “And they will.”<br />
“That must be nice,” The Monster said.<br />
“Do you believe?” The Angel asked.<br />
“No,” The Monster said. “I do not… hope. Not anymore.”</p>
<p>“That’s sad,” The Angel said.<br />
“Yes,” The Monster agreed.</p>
<p>“Do you…” The Monster paused. “Do you also hope for me?”<br />
“Yes,” The Angel said.<br />
“What do you hope for me?” The Monster asked.<br />
“That you will begin to hope, too.”</p>
<p>“Where are my wings?” The Monster asked.<br />
“They hurt so much, but I cannot feel them!”<br />
“Your wings are gone,” The Angel said.<br />
“You cannot feel them because they are not there anymore.”</p>
<p>“What’s happening to me?” The Monster said. “It’s so cold!”<br />
“It’s going to be okay,” the Angel said.<br />
“I can’t breathe!” Said the Monster.<br />
“Angel, what is happening to me?”</p>
<p>“When the man shattered, one piece took all the pain onto himself. It broke him,” The Angel said.<br />
“Am I this man?” The Monster said.<br />
“Yes,” the Angel said.<br />
“Are you this man?” The Monster asked.<br />
“Yes,” The Angel said.</p>
<p>“Angel, where are you?” The Monster said. “I can’t see you!”<br />
“I’m right here,” The Angel said. “But I can no longer feel you.”<br />
“I cannot feel you, either!” The Monster said. “Help! Save me from the cold!”<br />
“I cannot,” the Angel lamented. “I wish I could, but I cannot get to you.”</p>
<p>“It’s so dark,” The Monster said. “It’s so dark.”<br />
“It’s so cold,” The Monster said. “It’s so cold.”</p>
<p>“Where are you?” The Angel cried. “Come back to me!”<br />
“I do not know!” The Monster said. “I cannot!”<br />
“It’s so cold. It’s so dark! It hurts, Angel!”<br />
“Just focus on my voice,” The Angel said. “It’s going to be alright.”</p>
<p>”How do you know this?” Asked the Monster.<br />
“Because I have hope.”</p>
