Blood. The taste of it thick on their tongue. Very common, expecially in cases like this. They took a deep breath and approached.

There was movement, they paused several feet from the car. There was still time, perhaps this one would find a way to pospone their appointment. Perhaps, someone would happen upon the accident.

They looked both directions along the road there was no one, the heat was palbable, even for them. If anyone were to find these poor souls it would be too late, they would have collected and left.

Adjusting the cowl of their cloak, they then took from their pockets the four small hour glasses. Two, already run out.

They touched their tops with one boney digit. Tiny splits appeared, somewhere within the smoking wreckage a small sigh and a sobbing call echoed, for only them to hear. They could see another, a man pulling himself out from the smashed window. They gave a quick glance at the hourglasses, yes, he would be the last one they collected from this place.

Whisps quietly rose from the vehicle, drifted toward them. The two souls circled them several times, they could hear the quite whispers, final thoughts of the dead.

"We have cookies at home."

"But I wanted those cookies!"

"Well I'm not making more until - Oh my god!"

"Mommie!"

Silence. The souls slipped into their hourglasses and then they were sealed.

Their bones ached, they felt the cracking pain, the smell and taste of blood as the vehicle crunched, folded, and penetrated skin. They waited for the phantom pains to pass.

A warm hand fell onto their boney shoulder.

They looked, but quickly turned away from the angel.

"It is not your duty to feel their pain." She said softly.

"I will know all of their pains, so they will not die alone, so they will forget." They handed her the two hourglasses, "Let them rest without these pains."

The angel smiled sadly. "We were not so different, once."

Their scowl sent the angel backing away, "You and I? I made a choice, you and the others... They watch. They give gentle guideance. They hide away from this!" They hissed. "I will not just watch, I will know, and I will suffer for it. Eternally, for those are the Laws of God."

"Victoria!" The screams of the man next to the car broke into their argument. "Oh God Victoria!"

They looked to the hourglasses again, "Even now, you'd watch. You'd feel pity, but you would not dare know what I know." There was still sand in each, one on its last trickles of sand.

The man was trying to pull another from the car. Trying to save a life that would soon be lost.

The last grain dropped as the man lay the woman's now empty body on the road.

A soft warm finger pressed to the top of the hourglass. They looked puzzled at the angel at his side.

"I am not afraid to know." She said resolutely, though her hand trembled as it pulled away.

Weeping, screaming, crying, deep soulful sounds of pain rose from the woman. The smokey whisp rose and circled the angel.

"How could you do this to us?" A pause. "What do you mean, if we weren't ment to-" she was inturrupted. "You said you loved me not her! You were going to leave her." "It is that simp-"

The angel fell to her knees. Burning hot tears flowing from her cheeks. They remembered the first time they had felt the pain, not only of a body but of a soul. They knew from the screams of the soul as it left it would be painful. More life ending than even the pain of the body. And they watched.

They watched as her wings crumbled like ash. They watched as the angel screamed her own agony as her way to the heavens, the connection to what lay beyond shattered like bone. They watched. And they were relieved.

They walked to the side of the man. He had abandoned the body of this Victoria and was sitting shocked, confused, bleeding, on the side of the road. They waited for both to end their suffering.

She'd been a brave one. But they had yet to see one recover from the fall, they were the only one who had felt the pain, both of life and of death, and continued on. They were hoping this one would be different.

Another angel would come, of course. There were souls to take to the worlds beyond. But perhaps now they would not have to shoulder this burden alone.