ace of spades

eight - here i am, pry me open

Tossing my second pearl out the window I could see his figure running down the path. Quickly I stepped from the ground and jumped, swiftly gliding towards him. By now the noise of the door will have woken up the other boys so he needed to get out fast. From the air I linked my elbows under his shoulders and pulled him off the ground.

For a moment he thrashed like he'd been taken by a vulture, but after noticing me he calmed. Continuing to fly I placed him down at Fundy's house.

"They'll be looking for you at your house. Explain to Fundy what happened and stay here for the night. I'll tell them you ran towards Ponk's place." Before I could turn to take off again I felt him grab my wrist. I turned my head to him and he just mouthed, "Thank you." I returned a nod and took off towards Ponk's and looped around towards the community house. Landing in front of the three distraught boys.

They began to shout questions and I waited for the yelling to pause.

"I heard the window open and when I came in he was gone. He must've had a pearl on him or something. When I chased after him he went in the direction of Ponk's place. I searched around for a moment but couldn't find him."

Dream did not buy a word I said. And he was angry.

"C'mon we're going back inside. Sap, George, go north to Ponk's see if you can find him." When we re-entered the house he didn't say a word, but I knew I was supposed to follow him.

I've never been scared of Dream. Never had a reason to be. I've always been on his side. He's strong but I am too. But right now, the look in his eyes is more terrifying than I'd like to admit.

"You let him go. You helped him escape. I KNOW YOU GAVE HIM THAT PEARL." His voice may have shook the ground it was so loud, but I was focused on the sword he was tightly gripping.

One thing my brother taught me was when someone was angry you keep an eye on their fists, and if they have a weapon you watch it with so much intensity you could will it to move.

"You pity him. You don't even know what those discs are. You don't understand." He was pacing the room but finally he stood to my left. "I would've thought Techno's sister wouldn't be as merciful to the weak. Disgraceful."

He didn't speak his words, he spat them. I watched the man I'd grown to know over the past few months, turn into the man I knew long ago. And with that my eyes watched as the sword rose. I had no weapon on me to block so I put up my arms in defense to a blow aimed at my skull. But my arms felt nothing. My head was untouched. Yet, I still found tears welling up in my eyes.

It's the first time in years I've felt so light. My wings have been growing since I was four. And for the first time, I felt nothing there. Dream had clipped me of my wings. Cut them clean off my back. And now I stood tearing up as he left the room. I could see Sapnap and George in my peripheral vision, standing at the stairs and beginning to run. George quickly moved in Dream's direction, and Sapnap jumped towards me. Before he could reach me though, I picked up my discarded cloak that sat on the floor from earlier, and I pulled it over my shoulders.

He shouted after me wanting to help, but I ran to my room. I shut the door firmly behind me as footsteps approached. My small satchel was still large enough to carry my belongings. I shoved my clothes into a bag, pulled my sword to its scabbard, and took a pearl from my pocket. The door swung open from behind me and Sapnap looked me dead in the eyes. I never got over how his eyes seemed to catch fire from time to time, and right now they were the color of the sun.

I expected him to stop me, convince me it was Dream's temper and it'd be okay in the morning. But instead I was met with him pulling me tightly into a hug. Somewhere from buried against my head he whispered something.