• Absolute •

][ XXVI ][

My throat closed up again and the next thing I knew I was choking and spitting out thick, gold fluid. My blood tainted the trampled, wild grass, looking unnatural and bright in the otherwise darkening, quiet forest.

I felt the downy, slick wet feeling on my back as my wings drooped in my relief. I knew that the more painful part was over. Now, I guess, I would just puke out my blood until I fell unconscious.

The feathers stuck to my skin where the sweater had been teared apart. My blood dripped off and down my back, soaking the sweater where it hadn't been ripped. My back was arched as I threw up, the muscles in my abdomen clenching painfully as I did. My hair was plastered to my temples and forehead, and with some effort, I teared my sweater apart and chucked it to the ground near me. I instantly felt the cold air on my heated, sweaty skin and felt a lot better.

I don't know how long I spent sitting there, on my knees, shirtless, in the middle of the forest, puking, until I fell unconscious. But the last thing I remembered was how the starts were beginning to twinkle, and how my wings spread out on the leafy ground, as I fell over in exhaustion.

. : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : .

When my eyes slid open, slowly and drowsily, I could see the moon. Its light reached my face through the thinning foliage of the trees, making me squint. I shielded my eyes and tried to turn over, off my back, but stopped and regretted it immediately.

My wings hadn't folded back into my back. They were still fully out, displayed boldly, and for anyone to see if they happened to come across me accidentally.

Pain shot through my left side and I instantly sat up, realizing that sleeping on my back was cramping my wings. And I knew I couldn't sleep on my side either, from the pain that shot through my wing and into my torso. It was like cramping your arm, or sleeping on a broken bone: you just didn't do it.

I ran a hand through my hair and breathed deeply. My whole body felt sore, as if it had taken every inch of my being to unfold my wings. It wasn't like I did it on purpose anyway. Remembering the knife that Lorin had given me - which I think had caused my 'episode' - I turned over, scrambling around in the fallen leaves, looking for it. A glint of metal caught my eye, and I reached for it, holding it cautiously.

Maybe it was cursed? Maybe it was a holy blade? Maybe it was supposed to react like that when it came into contact with. . .the supernatural? Who knew? Actually, Lorin probably did. I shook my head to clear it of the slippery questions, and sat back down, slouching and hugging my torso.

I had lain so long on the ground that my whole body had become frozen stiff, like ice. There were also leaves and twigs stuck onto me. Placing the blade down next to me, I busied myself by peeling away the leaves and sticks off my skin. I had to stop overthinking what had happened. I needed to move on and think about what I would do now. I knew I needed a new shirt or sweater, anything to keep me warm. And I knew I couldn't do that - because I would have to either go into a store and take one, or rob someone - with my wings displayed all out.

Unless I went to Rachel.

Of course I still wouldn't want her to see my wings, it was too . . .personal to me - it would feel like I had walked into her room completely naked. So now I had to wait. Or forcibly make my wings disappear into my back once again. It was a choice of freezing or agonizingly pull my wings back into my body. I chose the latter because I couldn't stand the cold any longer.

I squeezed my eyes shut and breathed in deeply. Hesitantly, like a fish coming to the surface of the water, I felt my wings begin to move. Soon enough, there was a wild gust of wind all around me, blowing the leaves around and also drying my skin and hair of sweat. I realized what was happening and I stopped trying to fold my wings in. Instead of doing that, I had began flapping my wings, creating a wind big enough that it blew the leaves off the highest branches of the tall trees around me. I sighed and slouched where I say again.

After a long moment of thinking, I made the decision that I would creep around town, making my way to Rachel's house. I would then try to get her to come outside, into the shed despite having my giant wings out, and ask her to get me something to wear. All the while, I would try - if I can - to make my wings disappear. I would rather have Rachel not see them for a third time. With that plan in thought, I stood up, unsteady at first from the weight of my wings, and began to make my way out of the forest by listening to the sound of a car driving by a distance away.

. : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : .

There hadn't been anyone on the streets despite it being a Saturday night thankfully, so I made it to Rachel's house quickly without being at the risk of being seen.

I now stood under her bedroom window, looking up and waiting. Her bedrooms light flashed to life and I enacted the second part of my plan into action. This was going to be so cheesy and desperate, but I had to do it.

Throwing a small rock at her window, I waited for her to come and open it. She didn't. I threw another rock and waited once again. This time, she slid her window open and poked her head out, looking around cautiously with a frown on her face. Instead of flailing my arms to get her attention, I simply moved my wings, creating another gust of wind. She looked down at me, a Oh! forming on her lips. Without another word, her head disappeared back inside, and a few seconds later, her bedroom light shut off.

Knowing that she knew what I was asking for, I made my way to the shed and waited for her. I closed my eyes as I leaned on the wall inside the shed. When I heard her approaching, I opened my eyes again but I didn't see her. Instead I saw Lorin in the doorway of the shed, holding up a black hoodie for me.

"Don't worry, Rachel's coming with new pants as well."

++++++++++