The cherubic baby made the circle, not to trap them but to bind them together. The circle would only last for a few minutes. But the energy contained within would bind them.
Of course he wasn't actually a baby. Micca was ancient. Older than the Earth itself, in fact. And the circle wasn't a real circle either. It was many circles, all perfect, yet making an imperfect shape by looping together.
But the circle and baby had something very important in common. Both were very powerful. If only the mortal world knew such wonders existed, what seemed worth spending entire lifetimes on would be put in perspective.
"Don't you ever get tired of this, Micca?" asked an old man, sharpening his scythe casually.
"Of course Midnight, but just like you, I have a purpose. Without us, the world would become stagnant."
"You are right... But I can't help but wonder if they are any better because of all this? Why not just let them do what they do, at least for a few decades?"
"That's an interesting idea. Maybe in a century or two we can try it. They'll be more advanced then. I for one would love some time off."
"I look forward to it, Micca. I guess I'll leave you to your work. I have my own to see to, unfortunately."
"I know, I'll be there first thing in the morning. I just needed a few hours to unwind... Yes, Sir. I understand." said a well dressed man into a cell phone. When he hung up, he sighed.
"At least I had a few hours away from the office. The fireworks were spectacular. And this is the first sunrise I've seen in years. Beautiful!" he exclaimed, enjoying the view from the rooftop. The church had been the perfect place to spend New Year's Eve.
The invisible circle surrounding him and the clock tower high above him swirled and pulsed. Slowly one thin thread bound the two together. When it wrapped around his wrist, he felt panic for a fraction of a second.
"Must have been something I ate..." He mused, shaking off the feeling. He smiled, knowing that he wouldn't have a chance to sit and watch another sunrise for a long time. Might as well enjoy it.
Micca watched him with pity. Humans had such a short lifespan to begin with. And then they chose to waste most of it doing things that they hated. Things that really didn't matter.
Midnight appeared, having finished his tasks. Micca nodded, then said "My work here is done. Another year, and he will be your problem. I hope he puts his final months on Earth to good use."
"I hope so too. The hardest part is when someone begs for just a little more time, because they never did anything. It's hard to see."
"I know what you mean. And yet, even when we gave them extra years, most of them just went back to what they were doing..."
Cover image is from Canva using their gallery. Edited by me, and my own original artwork added.
