Wings

angry

I groaned again. “Not in the mood, Kestrel. What is my one rule in the morning?” She nodded slowly. “No BS, drama, or other crap within an hour of you waking up. But seriously, Melody Claudia Wing, I think your name is now literal.” I sat up groggily, vaguely remembering that I had had a dream about flying. Maybe I was still dreaming. But no, Fate decided that it was time for the dog doo to hit the fan. As I sat up, I looked over one shoulder. True enough, there was a pair of glossy black wings sprouting out of the spot where my tattoo had been the night before. The symbol was glowing, and I felt a slight strain in my back as my body realized that the new muscles in the wings weren’t quite strong enough to support themselves yet. Or not. As I became more aware of my surroundings and woke up, my newfound wings woke up with me. They waved slowly, and I took control of my emotions and tentatively shifted the muscles in my back enough so that the wings kicked in. Within three seconds, they were fully extended, stretching to a span of about ten feet. Great. Just what I needed was to be more intimidating.

I think Kestrel was surprised by how well I took the wings. She was more stunned than I was, honestly. It explained a lot. The flash of black I had seen in the mirror the night before, the daydream in the shower, and the air thickening around me while I worked on the Angel. Not to mention my makeshift blanket the night before, although that was more helpful than the other glimpses. It was a bit of an ironic gift, considering my mind had left the ground years ago. Now my body could join my head in the clouds.

I flexed my wings experimentally, feeling the stored power there. Suddenly, I stood up and strode into my bedroom, fully intending to get dressed before testing my wings in the air before Kestrel stopped me. “Mel, what are you doing? Aren’t you the least bit freaked about this?” she asked carefully. I grinned at her recklessly, startling her a bit. “Kes, I just got wings. I have wanted to leave the ground for years, and now I can. Don’t you see how much of a gift this is?”

Kestrel looked almost like she was scared of me. “Kestrel Radia Darkenn, I am leaving the ground. Don’t try and stop me. Remember, I have wings now. I can feel the power in them, even if you can’t, and if I were you, I wouldn’t get in my way. I am leaving, and if you can’t see the irony here, then I sincerely pity you.” I was almost growling by then, and Kestrel was practically cowering in front of me. I was tall to begin with, and my death stare was creepy on the best of days. With the wings, my bedhead, and the almost manic edge to my voice, the best adjective would have been demonic. Stalking past the terrified Kestrel, I walked into my room, changing into a pair of my favorite jeans, a worn pair of combat boots, a black tank top, my glasses, and a single purple contact. I grabbed a silvery parka on my way out of my room, and a lightweight backpack.