Featherlight

3. Two Bagels And Twenty-four Pretzels

MELINDA

I was in a hurry to get back to my last class.

Flying high above the clouds and merging into the sky, it was close to impossible for a human to see me.

I took a left turn, and glided downwards, squinting my eyes hard to avoid the strong friction of wind.

My navy blue mask covered all of my face, otherwise I would have strong windmarks.

Still, I had to squint my eyes. One time I tried wearing glasses, but they fell off again and again. It was useless. So, back to squinting I was.

The closer I got to the ground, the more details I could pick up.

There were two police cars, with policemen scattered around the jewelry store.

I tuned my hearing on the one with a megaphone.

"Come out with your hands up, and put your weapons on the ground!" He shouted.

A third police car pulled up on the otherwise closed off road.

I landed on a panel apartment's rooftop across the jewelry store.

"I repeat, come out.." I tuned my hearing inside the jewelry store, and the policeman's voice immidietly faded.

I picked up nothing. Concentrating harder, I felt my temples throb with a forming headache.

"The fuck's wrong with you!? You said we'll be in and out! But you took fricking hostages!" One of them yelled. He sounded young, maybe no older than I am.

"Stay on the ground, woman!" Another scolded a crying woman with a baby in her arms, pleading. He sounded like an adult.

I quickly realised there were more than two armed man, when a third voice chimed in.

"Let's just go out! It's not too late, dad, right?" He was much younger than the other boy.

"Shut your fucking mouth! You speak when you're spoken to!" The 'dad' yelled at his son.

"Talk about father of the year." I said to myself under my breath.

So, dear old dad forced his two sons to rob a jewelry store with him, and took hostages.

I was about to glide down, but something stopped me.

My enhanced hearing picked up a slap, and a feminine voice.

"How dare you disrespect your father! You both will do what you are told! I.."

I couldn't listen a momment more. That was toxic.

Rage bubbled up, and my wings spread on their own accord, itching to fight.

I pushed myself off the ledge, and flapped my wings.

I glided fast towards the policemen, who all whipped their heads towards me to the sound of whistling wind and heavy wingflaps.

"Holy-"
"What the heck?"
"God is with us!"
"What the hell is that thing!?"
"Do we shoot?"

As I glided just before the main entrance of the jewelry store, I folded my wings, and they merged into my scapula.

"I'd rather if you didn't shoot me. But you can try." I said as I landed gracefully, stepping out of my glide.

I opened the door, and time yet again, seemed to freeze.

The three men and the woman looked my way, the 'father' aimed his gun at me.

A single bullet, aimed straight for my heart, rang aloud.

I lunged forward, rolling to lessen the impact. I kneeled in front of the hostages, and another shot was heard.