My feet pounded against smooth, almost crystal-like rocks. Different colored rocks littered my path as I willed them from the ground, making stepping stones to my house. I always made sure I sprouted one in front of me and one on either side, lest I lose my footing in the darkness. Books, pencils, cords, and my jacket jumbled in my bag. The last of the three rocks came up before I felt myself growing weak and I knew I couldn't use my powers any longer.
Just as simple as lifting a finger, my wings expanded behind me, thundering up the cliffside. I could barely make out the tiny blue light that illuminated the front door of the house, nestled safely in a cave. The wind that once brushed my face was now like razors against my face, a feeling I have grown to love. As I got closer to the house, I could see the different candles lit from within and bodies moving around. I landed on top of the rock above our roof, turned to the canyon of rocks I made, and in one swift move, plunged them back into the soil. I slid off the top of the smooth expanse and landed a little too harshly at the door that was already unlocked.
"Must you always be so loud when landing?" Theo asked, her multicolored eyes piercing me.
"Must you always be a pain?" I asked, setting my bag down.
"She's 11, it's what she does," Leo said, coming around the bend.
"Then when are you going to grow out of your phase of being a pain?" She retorted.
"About the same time you start making friends at school. So I guess never." He answered.
In an instant, Leo was thrown across the living room. He quickly recovered by forming fluffy clouds behind him, his laughter echoing through the house.
"We are trying to make dinner in here!" Otto yelled from the kitchen.
"If you have any help with it, it'll be disgusting," Theo muttered, returning to her book.
I laughed at my younger brother and sisters as I walked into the kitchen. Otto was standing on one of the chairs beside one of our mothers, Jenny, watching her chop some vegetables.
"Are you not scared of cutting your finger?" Otto asked, her pale grey eyes wide.
"Sometimes I am. But, I know that if something did happen, we have the medicines to fix it and my finger will grow back."
"Gross." I joked, causing Jenny to look up. Otto grinned and bounced off the chair, running to greet me.
"Hi dear. I didn't hear you come in."
"I was the cause of the squabble in the living room."
"Those two will fight over just about anything. If one has one opinion, the other has to take the other end." Jenny smiled despite the smile spreading across her lips.
"Otto and I must be the two perfect ones," I said, hugging her close to me.
"You're all perfect just the way you are," Lily said, coming into the kitchen. Her hands were covered in little pinpricks and some dirt.
"New outfit being made?" I asked my mother.
"Yes, I'm trying to make this one with soil and leaves."
"What protection will that give?" Otto asked.
Lily smiled. "It'll hide the weapons underneath."
"Sneaky."
"Quite. Geo, how was your day?" Lily asked, coming and wrapping her oldest and youngest daughter in her embrace.
"It was good. School and work were normal."
"She saw Nora today and Geo is in love with her!" Theo announced as she burst into the kitchen, going straight for the cookie jar.
"Dinner is almost ready," Jenny said, swatting the younger girl's hand away.
"I am not!"
"You are too! I can tell in your blush, the way you relax even talking about her, you practically have hearts in your eyes!"
"Stop telling my business!"
"Stop arguing," Lily said in a firm voice, and we both went quiet. "I remember a time when you two were inseparable. I could hardly even hold Theo to feed her without you being all up on her."
"That was probably before she could talk," Leo said, completing our family in the kitchen.
"I hate both of you," Theo mumbled, taking her place at the table.
"Hate is such a strong word," Jenny said, putting the bowl of mixed greens on the table.
"You and Lily use it to describe how the humans took over everything," I said, sitting next to my sister, attempting to defend her.
"That's different. We hate what they did, not the actual person." Lily said, washing her hands in the sink.
"There she goes, being poetic," Leo whispered to Theo, causing all three of us to laugh.
"You oldest three are the bane of my existence," Lily said, taking her seat next to her wife, who finished putting the bread, pasta with blood sauce, and garlic butter on the table.
"Bane is such a strong word," Otto said through a mouth full of bread, causing everyone to laugh.
YOU ARE READING
Suns Out Fangs Out
FantasíaThe Sun has gone out and no one knows why. But the vampires don't seem to mind.
