Wings Of Despair - Prologue

Chapter 5 - His First Job

Yuto made sure he double-checked his belongings in his bag, as he fiddled with the faulty front door. Snab hissed from the intrusion of Yuto's hand, as it slithered up his arm and lazily burrowed within his scarf. Yuto smiled softly as he scratched under its chin, before he made his descent from the building.

He walked along the pathway just above the coastline of the lake, he wasn't sure where to start his search. He glanced over the railing, the waters surface glimmered from the sun. He rose his gaze towards the other side and noticed an abundant of colour; he assumed that was where the Botanic Garden was, so he softly jogged along the pathway. The couple of people that walked past gave him a side glance; did they know he was part angel? – he failed to consider they might have judged his attire.

He must have entered the main town, as the number of people and vehicles picked up. Yuto slowed his pace, as the path he followed now trailed away from the coastline.

"Shit." Yuto mumbled under his breath, though decided to follow it once more. He just hoped he didn't get lost.

...

He got lost.

Yuto was somewhere in the middle of Yxes town, as he frantically searched for a solution on his tablet. He realised there was a bus route that stopped at the Botanic Gardens, so he aimlessly walked until he found the nearest bus stop. He took in the time table as he awaited for the designated bus, oblivious to strangers prying eyes.

He noticed his bus approach after ten minutes. A couple of people stood near the curb and flagged the driver down. Yuto trailed at the back of the line, as everyone else made their ascent into the vehicle. He noticed most payed with a card, so he fished his own out. Once he was on, almost all the seats were taken. Now he was very aware of the eyes that pierced through his skin, as he walked down the aisle. He saw an empty seat next to a chubby, masculine-presented person with dishevelled jet-black hair.

"Excuse me, can I sit here?"

They glanced towards him, then scooted over politely. "Sure."

Yuto settled himself with gratitude. The person had sickly-pale skin, with dark brown eyes. They wore a zip-up jumper; bright red covered the sleeves and torso, then tapered to a forest green around the stomach. He wore black sweatpants, with cheap black and white suede shoes.

Yuto tapped his red boot against the floor, as his eyes wondered aimlessly towards the blurred scenery.

"So," Yuto started, as he tried to start a conversation. "Where are you off to?"

"Botanic Gardens." He answered politely, as they glanced towards the window again.

"No way, me too!" Yuto stupidly grinned. "I'm excited to see the different kinds of flowers there!"

The person scoffed amusingly. "You must be new in town; that place isn't much. Just a sad excuse of a cash grab. Wouldn't be worth travelling anymore than 20 minutes to see it."

"Oh..." Yuto shrunk, then tried to tease the stranger. "Well then, why are you stopping there?"

"I live in the area."

"Right." Yuto nodded awkwardly, left to fiddle with his fingers.

Just as the person was grateful their conversation ended, Yuto started another.

"Anyways, I'm Yuto. What about you?"

They sighed. "I'm Allan."

"That's a pretty cool name!"

"It's nothing much."

Yuto shrugged in disagreement, before he moved onto another topic. "What's your favourite animal?"

"I don't know."

"Come on, surely you have one!"

They contemplated for a little bit. "Birds, I guess? Pied Butcherbirds specifically. They have a nice singing voice."

Yuto didn't know what animal that was, but played it off. "Cool!"

"What's yours?"

Shit. Yuto panicked. "...Snab?"

The pair shared meaningless conversation whilst they awaited their stop. Yuto came to learn that Allan worked at IGA, they were on their way home from his shift – he'd changed from his uniform prior. They were roommates with Bill, who worked at some Insurance company with his father.

Yuto almost started another topic when Allan suddenly stood. The bus stopped and Allan ushered Yuto out. The pair tapped their card and stood at the stop, as they watched their bus drive off.

"Well, it was nice meeting you!" Yuto giddily smiled, he held his hand out.

Allan took it and shook, they wore a satisfied grin. "Feelings mutual. See you soon."

The sleeve of Allan's jumper shifted, it exposed a weird rash wrapped around their wrist. Yuto didn't comment on it.

"Of course! See ya!" Yuto waved as Allan walked off.

He hopped in one spot; ecstatic he made a friend. He was glad he got lost.

...

After he was blindly led by the footpath once more, he stumbled across the Botanic Gardens. There was an archway that beckoned people to scope through the park, flowers of all kind woven through its grid. Tall, neat rows of hedge acted as fences, as it seemed to wrap around and capsule the entire park. There was a labelled sign that accompanied the entryway:

'Welcome to Yxes Botanic Gardens!'

Under the arch was a sloppy, uneven, gravel pathway that didn't match the flowers expectations of elegance, as strayed rocks were kicked aside purposely by other visitors.

Yuto inhaled optimistically, then strode through the archway with a huff. The colours suddenly died, Jacaranda trees kept the vast, bland plains pleasing to the eye – and they weren't even in season yet. The hedges not only surrounded the park, but it led along the gravel paths as well. This seemed impractical, it was a maze. Leaves from the gum trees shook from the crisp, chill-induced wind, as the unkempt weeds swayed soothingly towards the abused, artificial grass. There were little to no flowers beyond, all the budget spent on the archway as an upfront to what the entire park lacked.

It seemed Allan was right about this place being a cash grab.

As Yuto made his descent within the graveyard of mother nature, he swore he heard a stream of water. The gravel winced in agony as Yuto sped his pace. He twisted and turned, as his sense of direction slightly vanished with each step he took. He turned a corner, suddenly met with a water fountain – he was surprised they had the funds for it. There were two people sat on the edge of the ceramic sculpture, their backs faced him. From the description James gave him, those people seemed to be the soon-to-be couple.

Yuto glanced around comically with his entire body, as he tried to find a place to hide. He decided to dive into the hedges, twigs poked awkwardly along his body. He crept along the hedge, until he had a closer shot at the pair. He shuffled through his bag and wielded the Lance in his palm. He held it vertically, as he summoned a bright blue arrow from thin air. A bright blue string attached itself to each end of the Lance, it acted as Yuto's bow. He wrung the arrow back, until he released it from his grasp. It painlessly phased through the first person's arm.

He'd successfully made his first shot as a Cupid.

However, he still needed to make his next shot before he could call it a day. He once again summoned an arrow, wrung it back with the strings guidance, then shot the second person. There was an immediate gleam in their stare, as the couple hushed their confessions. They embraced one another, then shared their first kiss.

Yuto felt unnerved.