discontinued // my winged warrior // phan

❀ Fourteen ❀

~Journey~

Dan

Ever since I was young, I've always done things that were wrong. Sometimes I yelled at Phil, sometimes I left my home and stayed in the woods instead.

But usually those instances could be justified with some kind of excuse. I yelled at Phil because I was afraid, I left home because I needed a break.

But the reason I lied to him was much worse. It was because I was a coward.

A disgusting, pathetic coward.

I couldn't face telling him the truth. I couldn't tell him that I had wings, I couldn't tell him the we used love each other, and I most defiantly couldn't tell him that I was leaving without him.

That night, I knew that if I saw him I would break. I would tell him. So I didn't let myself. After I left Phil, I went home and grabbed what I needed. I had to leave immediately.

My mom was already asleep when I pushed the door open. I tiptoed upstairs as quietly as I could, and softly shut the door to my room.

I knew I'd be flying with whatever I took, so I tried my best to make the bag light, putting in only the bare essentials.

I left a note on the table, telling my parents that I'd be out at Phil's that night. It was a believable lie.

I took a long hard glance at my room. Then I left. I couldn't afford to look back again.

☾❀☽

I walked hurriedly along the pavement, and started thinking. About when I was younger. I let my aching head drown out my stinging heart.

One memory clung to me in particular. When I was eleven or so, I wanted to know if there was anyone else like me. I needed to know that I wasn't alone.
I went on my mom's computer, and searched for hours.

The most I could ever find were fairy tales, about people who lived in the mountains, and walked in the clouds. I'd always assumed that's where they would be, if they were anywhere at all. In the mountains.

I looked around, examining my surroundings. The edge of the city. I could see the trees already.

I had no idea where I was going.

I didn't know where the mountains were, which mountains I was going to, or how long it would take to get there. I did know that I would have to stay hidden, though. And I knew I had to get there.

In the beginning I flew exclusively below the tree line, and away from any trails. It was slow, and boring. Dodging trees with limited visibility made me feel trapped. Like I was being ineffective.

On the second night, after the moon raised in the sky, I started to follow it. I left the trees below me, and went higher.

The very second I got above the clouds, something strange happened. I shifted my direction ever so slightly. My wings started beating more automatically, and my whole body knew exactly where it was going. I, on the other hand, was just as lost as before, but my instincts weren't. Some piece of me had a plan, and I had to trust it.

I kept flying like that until light started to show on the horizon. For fear of being seen somehow, I dipped down quickly, and circled into the woods that were somehow still below me.

I landed lightly on the pine needles below me, and curled up on the ground. I wrapped my wings around myself, as fell asleep. I almost forgot about Phil.

☾❀☽

It was hard. Very hard. Sleeping in the day, flying by night. Some days I stayed in cheap motels, but I mostly slept in the woods. Every few days I would run to a convenience store to eat something.