Human Feathers: Black and White

Chapter 2: The Impossible

The hastily plugged-in alarm clock on the cardboard ‘side-table’ read 2:25.

Damien opened his eyes and blinked a couple of times. He was lying on his stomach on his bed. He tried to remember what happened and how he got there, but he couldn’t concentrate.

Then he tried to turn onto his back and thought hard to keep conscious.  For some reason, he felt bent out of shape and uncomfortable. Pain ached through areas on his back that he never felt before. He got up, but some odd weight made him feel heavy, and he almost fell over backwards. Plus, he just really had to pee.

Damien groggily walked down the hallway, but stopped short in the doorway of the bathroom like he’d just been running for his life. He felt his heart try to fly out of his chest and he stopped breathing as if ten people kicked him in the chest at the same time. The mirror just across from him reflected something way different than he was expecting… but it was him. His hair was the usual jet black, wavy, and shaggy, and his eyes were the same dark, coffee brown. His arms were just as long; his stature was still tall and skinny, yet held no hint of being wimpy; but, looming like a giant shadow behind him, two extra appendages pronounced themselves majestically and fearlessly, unwilling to be looked over.

Chocolate colored feathers, so long they hit the floor as they sagged, were covering all areas in the doorway. It looked like a giant eagle was standing behind him, and yet… how could that be the case? Damien swallowed hard as his stomach dropped. These weren’t eagle feathers.

They were human feathers.

His feathers.

His wings.

Damien grasped the corners of the sink as he refused to fall over. “I’m dreaming.” He gasped, blinking as if trying to open his eyes. But every time, the brown, fluffy tower of feathers behind him kept reappearing in his reflection. “Come on, wake up!” Even violently splashing water on his face wasn’t doing the trick. Damien pinched his arm hard. “Ow!” he flinched. His feathers all stood up on end as he did.

How could this be real? Damien stared into the mirror. His expression was all shock and awe. Then he had a thought: If I’m not dreaming, then other people will notice me. He quickly darted out of the bathroom and down the stairs to where he knew people would be. After all, showing someone might help him get a grip. If they didn’t see his wings, then he knew he was finally going crazy.

Damien stood panting in the doorway of the entry room. Immediately, Hannah, Mr. Kuris, and Rebecca looked up at him.

The room was silent… only for three seconds. That’s when Hannah let out a terrible scream and dropped what she was doing immediately. Ironically, that’s the response Damien had been looking for… maybe in an alarmingly hopeful way.

Pallid Rebecca jumped in shock as Hannah’s voice pierced the air. She looked at Damien like a puppy that just got fussed at. Horrified, she flicked her eyes over to her father expectantly. Mr. Kuris stood as still as a board as he stared at Damien. He seemed almost dead, suddenly, as his dark eyes pierced the boy to the soul. It almost appeared as if he knew something…

“WHAT ON AVIANA!” Hannah yelled out as she panicked and turned Damien’s back toward her. Damien stumbled on his feet as she pulled on one of his wings like she had expected it to fall from his skin, but it was obviously connected because his shirt was ripped to reveal the soft blend from light skin to dark feathers. “What is this trick?!”

Damien held his face in his hands with dread. Nope. I’m totally sane. He slowly turned to Hannah and faced her, who had gone frozen. “Mom, I have a problem.”