Wings: More Than Just Two Worlds

Chapter 4: New Friends

Cyrus Azure

Age: 7

Species: Iridescent

            "Aren't these shells cool Teric?" I exclaimed, collecting as many into my violet pail as I could. The shells were white with delicate light blue shading. "I'm goanna give one to my friend C. I can guarantee you'll love him if you ever get the chance to meet him."

            I paused from picking seashells off the pink sandy beach, staring outwards to where the sea met the sky. The clouds looked almost as if a painter created each cloud with swirly texture. Beyond the horizon an Incandescent kingdom flourished. Its unknown wonders always seemed to play with my curiosity. I turned to Esoteric, smiling, "I hope you're having fun; I don't know if I can ever sneak us out here again." If we wanted to go outside, we were only permitted to the courtyard. Every now and then I would escape the watchful eye of our servants. A good king needs to experience the world, so I always brought Esoteric with me.

            Esoteric crawled to my feet, picking up a ridged seashell, staring up at me with beady eyes. He grabbed onto my legs to pull himself up and put the shell in the violet pail. I smiled, "Let's play in the water!" I rolled up Esoteric's blue pants. His small little handheld onto mine as I walked him to the shallow sea. We played until the sun set into a brilliant shade of orange.

            I carried Esoteric on my back; he fell fast asleep. One of my hands held his little, red sun cap while the other a pail full of seashells. I couldn't wait until Esoteric learned to talk. As I enjoyed one of the few pleasurable moments of my life, the memory of Leo violating Eve came to mind. I shook my head trying to forget about it, but such a memory could never be forgotten. The clearest waves washed away my footprints from the pink sand. For some reason I felt like something wasn't right.

            Ahead of me was a brown, wooden lifeboat washed up to shore. I saw a shirtless boy crawl out. He didn't have any scars on his back, so I knew his species was original. Originals are those born with no wings. His heritage was East Asian, I could tell by his eyes. He lifted a young bleach blonde, iridescent girl, with short hair. Both her arms were dislocated, and her leg bared a gash seeping out blood. Her feathery wings hung limp as she hardly held on to consciousness. The boy saw me and shouted, "Please help us!" As he ran to me carrying the girl, I noticed a limp.

            The pale in my hand drops to the ground. These kids were my age, if not, younger. I looked around flustered as I hurried to their aid. I claimed panicky, "I don't know what to do." I didn't want to say the last part, but I did, "If you follow me my father could help. He's really smart." My trust for him diminished, but if anyone could help them, he could. The castle stood at the top of a mountain, overlooking the sea. Together we ran up the rocky path as fast as we could. The castle was in sight. Many kingdoms called it the castle of gold. Gold, red, and black made up the unusually pleasant exterior.

            When we made it to the castle, Leo came running through the black, spiked gates roaring, "What the hell were you thinking! Why didn't you tell anyone?! It's dangerous out there!" An entourage of maids and butlers followed him as well as nobles.

            The boy collapsed with the girl in his arms. I yelled, "They're hurt, they need your help! Look at the girl's arms and the boy's leg!"

            Leo lifted up the boys head with his gold, metal boot, remarking, "Why should I help them. They don't belong to our kingdom. They are not my people. The boy doesn't even have wings."

            "At least help the girl!" I begged. A maid took Esoteric off my back. I held onto my dad's legs shouting, "If you have the power to help someone then use it. That's what mommy always told me. She told you that too!"

            He picked up the kids, one in each arm, muttering, "This is the only time I'll ever do something like this." He took them back to the castle where he fixed them up in his lab. I'm sorry I didn't get the chance to see you today C. We're still friends though... right?

.           After many hours of waiting, I went inside my father's lab. I saw, on one of the yellow test tubes, a note written on an old torn piece of paper. It read:

            I waited for you, but you never came. If you still want to be my friend, meet me here tomorrow okay :) I never told you this, but you're my first friend too. -C

            I tucked the note in the pocket of my shirt mumbling, "I'll make sure of it."

            I found the room where the girl and boy stayed. The animal wallpaper was nice, especially the pile of comic books in the corner of the room. The girl and boy slept next to each other on a bed someone would usually see when going to the doctors. They had strange black marks on their arms that weren't there the first time I saw them. On the boys left arm the letter K centered roman numerals. The girls left arm was the same, except she wore the letter N.  I questioned, "Are you feeling better."

            The boy woke up, rubbing his hazel eyes. He yawned, "Yeah... thank you-"

            "Cyrus," I said, filling in my name, "What's your name?"

            "I" He began before blinking his eyes a few times, "I don't know."

            He nudged the blonde girl asking, "Hey, what's my name."

            "I don't know," she mumbled rolling over to her side. Then she sat up realizing, "Wait, what's my name?"

            Leo entered the room, answering immediately, "The girl is now project N and the boy is project K." He smiled to the kids, "You should heal nicely. Your kingdom burned down in flames, correct?" Both of them nodded. Project N broke down in a hysterical cry. Project K comforted her in his arms. Leo went on, "You will be staying here with me, in my lab. You're now mine and will do as I say."

            Project C entered the room. Something seemed off about him. We smiled at each other without letting Leo see. We kept our friendship a secret from him as long as we could. Leo informed, "Project C will take you to where you'll be staying." His face turned more serious when he requested, "Cyrus... I would like a moment alone with you. We need to talk about your little... excursion today. Meet me in my office." Leo left, giving the final words, "You have disappointed me."

            I didn't take his words to heart. After what he did to Eve, his thoughts meant absolutely nothing to me. I did ponder on the idea, how did I disappoint him? Now I know it was being too compassionate. I looked at the three projects, realizing each bared the same mark on their arms. A single letter centering roman numerals, spreading from the inner wrist to their elbow joint in a straight line. I grabbed onto all three of their arms asking, "How did you get these shiny marks?"

            "They're tattoos," project C clarified in a negative tone.

            Project N told me, "I woke up and I found it there."

            "mmm hmmm," Project K, hummed, "I think they're pretty cool."

            "They aren't cool!" Project C blurted with anger, "They mark us as Leo's experiments... All that is to come is pain."

            "What do you mean?" Project N shrieked, latching onto project K's arm. Her skin was fair while his a healthy shade of tan. They complemented each other nicely.

            Project C sat down, and hugged his legs, as he wailed, "I can't handle it! I lost more blood than a body holds! I felt pain no one has ever felt before. I'm scared. I'm scared of the future. I'm scared it will never end. I'm scared my sister will go through the same pain."

            Project N and project K both grew fearful and broke down in tears. Knowing what Leo did to Eve I could only imagine what horrors awaited. I felt panicky. My whole body trembled. I choked, backing up to the exit, "I-I... I... I have to go." I closed the door behind me, resting my back against the smooth wall. We may have all been young, but neither of us were stupid. I slid down, shaking my head.

            Your devise is disgracefully cruel and your blood is colder than ice Leo. I will never forgive you.