Avalon Isn't What It Used To Be

Chapter 11: Moss

"OWEN"! I screamed on the top of my lungs. Immediate and rapid thudding brought Owen charging into the room nearly tripping through the door frame.

"OWEN! THEIR BACK"! I spun around to show him my sparkling golden-light wings.

Relief washed over his face as he smiled, "Oh good... Their beautiful".

"I know"! I squeaked. Though I knew there was no weight behind that compliment, I couldn't care less. He left the room with a sigh.

"Owen"! I yelled after him as I floated into the air. He popped his head back inside, his eyes finding me when I spoke again.

"Owen, you need to open the window"! I pointed with a beaming smile.

"Right", he smiled with a chuckled as he proceeded towards the window. Before he could even have the window a third of the way open, I flew out, dashing through the air with speed, but quickly turned around landing back on the sill.

"You're not going to close it are you"? I asked eagerly, restless to take flight again.

He shook his head with a chuckle, "Wouldn't dream of it".

I squealed taking off into the air towards my tree.

"SHAE"! I screamed, flying through my door and landing on shae's floor with my arms spread in a hug. "Oh, Shae I've missed you so much"! I sat up quickly, "Oh the letter! I need to check the portal"!

I heard a shake before I flew out the door. I flew as fast as my wings could carry me, and dipped down towards my portal. Hmph no letter... Oh well!  I shrugged and took off into the air and flew as fast as I could back to Owen. I was there within minutes. I flew through his window and dove down as I was aiming to go down the stairs. But, I miscalculated and hit the wall with a bang.

Owen stepped out into view at the bottom of the stairs, "Ri, was that you"?

"O-w-w", I groaned as I held my head sitting up from the top stair.

"Oh my God, are you okay"?

"Are you kidding"! I shouted as I stood up quickly almost falling over. I caught myself against the base board, "No headache will be able dampen my mood! Not today"!

I teetered forward a few steps before dashing down the stairs towards Owen. He took a few steps backwards in surprise but caught me when I hit his chest with a tiny thump.

I grabbed fistfuls of his shirt as he chuckled, realizing it was my version of a hug. "Thank you so much for taking care of me when I was grounded".

I felt a soft breathy laugh on top of my head and his thumb phased through my wings as it brushed down my back, affectionately trying to return the hug. "You're welcome".

___

The weeks had grown a bit colder, and I knew that Shae was right, asking Owen to help me with the moss would shave days off the time it would take me to insulate Shae. This particular morning was 'Sunday', as Owen called it. A day he didn't need to work at the bar. So, I flew off towards his house knowing that he'd most likely be free. To my surprise, he was sprinkling some type of seed around the orchard.

I landed in the fig tree above him with a giggle as I watched him casually toss seed onto the moist dirt. I grabbed my Fae blade, and silently flew to the fig that seemed directly above his head and cut its stem. The fruit dropped down from the tree, but Owen had moved within a moment, not even barely noticing the fig.

He moved under the orange tree, as this new game brought a playful brightness to my eyes. Quickly, I darted into the orange tree and sliced through a stem. The orange dropped to the ground behind him, hitting the soil with a thud loud enough to make him pause and look back at the fruit. It amazed me how much ground humans could cover, even if moving slowly.