“Wake up! Helloooo?! Anybody in there?!” When I woke up this morning, I was really surprised to find Skylar lying next to me. I can’t find Kadaj anywhere. I’m thinking he found her last night while looking for something to light the fire. “Why won’t you wake up? I have so much to ask you.”
Why don’t you let her rest, while you cook the meat before it turns rancid. Kiara pokes her head in the burrow. You’re brother brought something useful. I look back at Skylar’s peaceful sleeping face. I wonder how she’ll react when she wakes up.
“Fine.”
The item that Kadaj has left behind is a pocket lighter. I wonder where he got it from. I wonder where he is. He had to have brought Skylar here last night, but did he run off himself?
I start the fire and turn the meat on a skewer that I made out of sticks. It’s a good thing they taught us how to survive out here or I would never be able to be this calm. I sit slumped forward with my face leaning against my hand. I’m starting to lose everything, but I don’t see why it has to be today. My birthday.
I hear something racing behind me. I turn to watch Skylar bolt from the burrow and find her way into the woods. “Sky, wait!” I manage to find my way to my feet and stumble after her. She’s too fast though, there’s no way I’ll ever be able to catch up.
Something starts to sprout from her back. Something starts extending to close the space between her and the trees. Something composed of white feathers.
Wings.
I keep running though. I don’t want to be left behind again, that’s all that happens. Always.
Hikaru speeds past both me and Skylar, stopping her in her tracks. She begins to take off, but has no chance to. Kiara pounces on her, enough to make her fall, but not to injure her. I finally reach her.
I lean over her so her eyes look into mine. Her eyes are full of fear. Worry. Something comes to mind, something that she had said to me before. Never let your fear show. It just let’s you opponent know that you’re weak, or uncertain of your next move. No matter how afraid of unsure you are, always try your best to be brave. She would tell me things like this every night. I never thought of why though, but looking into her eyes at this moment I realize something.
She’s not sure what to do. She’s showing that she’s weak.
“We’re not gonna hurt you, my brother brought you here for some reason.” I walk around her, so I’m down by her feet now. She charily sits up, probably making sure that I was telling the truth. She looks to the ground and starts fiddling with a leaf. I reach out my hand out in front of her face. She looks up at me.
I notice her eyes are the color of a clear ocean. I’ve always noticed that. They are always so beautiful. I’ve never told her, because it would seem like I have a crush on her or something, which is not the case. Every time I look at them though, I think of a calm, tropical ocean. It relaxes me.
“Come on.” She grabs my hand after hesitating once more, and I pull her to her feet. “I’ll keep you safe for now, in place of my brother.” I keep her hand in mine and lead her back to the burrow, Hikaru and Kiara trailing behind us.
Kadaj was right. She’s not the same Skylar I remember. Not the same girl who would always comfort me, and act like my older sibling. Not the same friend I had forever cherished. Something has change, and I know exactly what it is.
She doesn’t remember not to how her weakness. She doesn’t even remember saying it, because she doesn’t even remember me.
YOU ARE READING
Tainted Wings
Fantasy[Written in 2009] Skylar was born with wings, which was a plus, until she was kidnapped by Christopher, a scientist with plans to create a new species. He took her from her friends what family she had, copied her DNA, erased her memory all to make h...
