Angel Wings

Chapter 3

The car strolled along the street and Will peered out of the windows, looking for somewhere to park. All along the pavements, cars were already lined up nearly bumper to bumper.

"Oh, man." He complained as they travelled the length of the road. Large houses were built up either side of them, with tall walls and high fenced gardens. Many of them had driveways filled with luxury cars that peeked out of electric gates – seemingly to separate them from the outside world. They could barely see through the railings and hedges but Izzy could make out tall, double door entrances with steps rising up to them.

Her mouth opened involuntarily, "Oh my gosh."

"I'm going to have to park the next street over." Will said, his voice a little more strained than normal.

He drove to the end of the street and then turned left, into another street. It looked essentially the same – just with the addition of trees lined up along the grass which was bordering the pavement.

"Well now we know how he eats out everyday." The pitch of Will's voice had risen.

Izzy stared at the buildings as they passed by in slow motion. They were all made of a mixture of red and brown bricks, glued together with thick layers of mortar and decorated with vines that hung down from the grey slate above. Speaking of which, the rooves were shaped like crosses, reaching out the entire width of the building and splitting it vertically to cover the tops of the foundations. Their stormy grey colour stood out underneath the yellow, warm glow of the streetlights, which were dotted around.

The whole atmosphere felt slightly eerie yet strangely appealing. It felt like she had been thrown back in time and was looking at the same buildings that a noblewoman may have done a century or two ago. She felt the same fascination that they would have had – a Dickensian fascination with the old houses before her that could have been home to an undercover detective or a bustling Christmas party.

Even though it was only September, she felt as if she had been thrown into the middle of Winter. A cup of hot chocolate and a book for company, she would have been sat curled up in one of the upper bay windows; in a window seat of course. Add a blanket, a small purring cat and a long warm night gown and then she would be living a secret dream.

Everything seemed to be tinged with a touch of irreality and she wondered what life would really be like for the residents. With that much money it would surely make life easier. Did they ever dress up in finery and take tea in the parlour? Did they ever sit in their large, oversized gardens underneath a blossoming apple tree to write in their diary as time passed by, without a care in the world?

She blinked and tried to refocus on the current moment – a sense of longing tried to pull her back into her daydreams but she resisted.

"I'll park here." The car jerked right as Will quickly slid into what was possibly the last empty space in the entire street.

"Do you think they ever feel like they're living in a fairytale?" Izzy asked him.

He put the handbrake on with a click and switched the engine off.

"Not sure." Will shrugged as he went to undo his seatbelt. "I don't see Tyler as the type, really."

Following his lead, Izzy undid her seatbelt and they both got out of the car. The air outside had a chill that made her shiver.

Will's car locked with a beeping noise and he looked at her with a half smile.

"Should've brought a coat."

The two of them walked together back around the corner and up the street to Tyler's house. It was recognsiable from the rest due to its large, illuminated decorations which hung around the front gates. Assorted stars clung to the railings – party décor.