No way in Heaven or Hell - Afterlife Series Book 1

Chapter 6 - That painful sense of déjà-vu - part 3

Eliana was standing by a paddock, watching three horses graze quietly. She knew the horses instantly. Blackstar was the eldest, so named because of a white star on his forehead and his gleaming black coat. The other was called Dancer, a warm chocolate brown. Her name came from the fact that she had white socks that Eliana had said looked like her legwarmers from her dance lessons. Eliana had seen her as a foal and always loved her. Her mother, Wind was a gorgeous amber champagne colored-horse. She and Blackstar were Dancer's parents. She came towards Eliana who stroked her soft head. Her big eyes looked at Eliana.

"Hey, girl... Yeah, I miss you too..."

Dancer had been given to Eliana from her birth. Her mother had taken some convincing but Eliana had eventually become Dancer's owner. She hoped someone would be able to take good care of them when her grandparents were gone. Just then, she heard laughs behind her.

There's someone here...! She thought with a jolt. I had better hide...

She meant to hurry into the barn behind her, but it was too late. She looked around, and saw her mother, her brother and her grandparents walking out of the house. Eliana stood frozen, waiting for the laughs to stop abruptly, for the gasps of shock... but they never came. What did come was what Eliana's brother Dylan said:

"Can you believe it's already been a year since Lea died?"

"I know, it still feels just as wonderful as it did the first day." her mother said.

Eliana felt like she'd been punched in the chest and the stomach at the same time.

"... You... don't mean that... I know you don't... It's impossible..."

They had had their disagreements of course, like every family does. But she had always known they loved each other...

It can't... it can't be real...

She felt tears start to sting her eyes. It couldn't be true. It just couldn't.

"To think she actually believed we cared about her!" said her grandmother.

"I know, how stupid can one be?" Dylan said. "Oh well, she was blond, right?"

They laughed. Eliana, though knowing it wasn't true, that it couldn't be real, wanted to run away. Her eyes stung and blurred. But she couldn't move. It was like her feet were stuck in cement. Her body could move but her feet were stuck. The laughs grew louder and lounder until her head felt like it was about to explode. Soon, it got so loud and oppressing she tried shielding herself by clapping her hands against her ears.

'STOP!" she screamed.

She sat bolt upright, gasping and shaking.

"Stop what, what's going on?" came a voice nearby.

Eliana jumped. But it was Khyros. He was sitting on a haystack a few feet ahead, looking down at her.

"... Sorry... I..."

He frowned slightly. She wondered if she was imagining it, but Eliana thought she could see a hint of concern in his eyes. Not really wanting to admit how true that was, she ran a hand through her hair.

"It's nothing. A stupid dream. Just a dream. It's nothing."

He raised an eyebrow, not looking fully convinced, but made no comment.

"What are you doing awake?" Eliana asked.

"I couldn't sleep any more."

She slid out of her blanket and went to sit beside him.

"Did you have a n-stupid dream too?"

He didn't answer. Eliana wondered if that didn't mean that he had. Or if he'd caught on her slight hesitation. Just then, a low rumble broke the silence. Eliana flushed.

"Oh..."

The rumble had been her stomach. And it hadn't been a small sound.

"Yeah, that's going to be a bit of a problem," Khyros said. "If we can't eat regular human food..."

Eliana considered that a moment.

"Who says we can't? she said finally. "I saw an orchard outside. Hold on."

She got to her feet and took off noiselessly. Moments later she was back sporting two little objects in her hand.

"Here," she said, holding one out to Khyros.

It was a large apple. He stared at her.

"How do we know we can't eat human food? I've never read anything saying so. And it can't hurt to try, right?"

He took the apple and looked at it. Eliana, though slightly nervous herself (who knew what it could do to them?), took a deep breath and bit into it. It tasted just like an apple should, and it didn't make her feel sick or cold or anything. Khyros, probably not wanting to look like a coward, bit into it almost at once after she had. He seemed wary for a few seconds, then seemed to come to the same conclusion Eliana had.

"Well, at least we know how to replace Ambrosia," she said.

"One thing we don't have to worry about. But I would suggest sticking to small quantities. I don't think we can take as much as our human bodies could."

"I agree," Eliana said.

Both of them decided not to point out that they'd agreed again. They decided to take off shortly after, despite it being broad daylight now. It was risky, but they figured that on the one hand, they couldn't afford to wait all day again, and besides, they could always fly away if they were seen.

"Plus, I doubt many people, if any, will believe it if someone says they saw two people with wings." Khyros had pointed out.

"I just hope no one will try and take a picture or film us."

"It would be a problem if we stayed in the same place, but we're not. Come on, let's go."

And so they took off.

It felt nicer flying in the daylight, despite the wind and cold. Though they had to take extra care to fly high so they could pass for birds. The one thing they had going for them was that no one was expecting people with wings, so that wasn't the first thing they would think of if they spotted her and Khyros above them. They'd think they were just eagles or some other bird. That way, they would only have to be careful about taking off and landing. They flew for most of the day, deciding they'd stop once they reached the harbour. Eliana had agreed (though reluctantly) to take some of the apples with them. It wouldn't last them very long though. They would have to hunt in the Amazonian forest.

"The Miami harbour shouldn't be much further," Khyros said.

"Yeah... we'll have to be careful, though."

The sun was setting. It would be easier for them to land unnoticed. Slightly. Hiding from millions of people? Not the easiest thing to do. Especially when...

"Argh!"

Eliana looked at Khyros. He was wincing and flying unevenely.

"Khyros? What is it?"

"I don't know, my wing suddenly started hurting... whoa!"

He was losing balance. And suddenly, his wing fell limp. He began falling towards the ground.

"Khyros!"

***************

Uh oh, man falling, repeat, man falling, mayday, mayday!

What will happen to them? Let's find out!