Flight School: Prey

Real Fantasy

There was a feverish buzz that filled Io's homeroom on the morning of the winter solstice. He found it rather exceptional—how everyone was talking about the same thing and not quite losing their attention regardless. He wasn't able to do that.

He was pleased however, with the shortened schooling hours just for today. V had made clear that a special occasion deserved special treatment before declaring that on the day of the winter solstice, class would be limited to the first two periods of their timetable—which technically meant that the sparrow was free as early as ten o' clock.

Nash (being the salty person he was) had made an off-handed remark about the nature of such a luxury; though he—having received no invitation and thus having an entire afternoon free to do whatever he wanted—benefited the most out of it. Vijay however, was happy to oblige. He too, had been pleased with the announcement.

This had left Io quite troubled indeed, for it was only a matter of time before he would be left alone to fend for himself in the darkness of light.

He sighed.

The thought had left him with questions that found no answer. He was craving for someone to talk to, and it was in this very instance that Pipa surfaced in his mind.

Maybe I'll drop by later. Yes, I'll do that. Mrs. Goldfinch will know how she's doing. I hope there's news of her recovery.

These scattered thoughts, well-intentioned, seemed to be gutted by something else upon the dismissal of homeroom.

The sparrow had just emerged out of class along the corridor when he felt as if he was being watched.

He glanced up fearfully, searching the floor above.

Nothing.

Or was it?

He felt as if he had missed something; something he was looking at but wasn't seeing.

Was it a figment, a shadow of his mind that he felt?

He didn't know.

All he felt

Were eyes.

_____________________________

The sparrow lingered outside the ballroom in his freshly ironed uniform and neatly pressed blazer—questions, still, flitting about in his head.

In the end, he had decided against dropping by the infirmary for fear that someone had been watching him after all. Leading them directly to Pipa wasn't the best idea, and perhaps it also provided more time for Io to carefully prepare his uniform and run through the silly dance once more.

Not that anyone would invite him to one, really.

In the present moment however—the excitement was heightened to a new. It scared him, really.

The social mood was surely aesthetic and pleasing to the eye—but to be surrounded by so many people and yet feel as if he was quite alone; that was highly discomforting indeed. It left the caged heart rather unsettled. Displaced, even.