Chai

Chapter 11

"Is something missing?

You look confused.

A linear timeline

You wished to pursue

A chapter is missing,

And I stand accused."

I bolt upright. My heart pounds. Cold, dry flesh leaves phantom marks on my face. I scream as the voice chants louder and louder, "The lost timeline, the lost timeline, the lost timeline." Gizmo bolts in and grabs my face. His heterochromic eyes lock onto mine. He's sweat drenched and pulling me close. He whispers, "Shhhhhh... baby, I'm right here." His hair is the colour fresh snow, and I frown. I pat it, and he smiles happily. He whispers, still holding me close, "Kate, I'm sorry... I tried to stop it..." Before I can ask, a strange man in a brown shirt stride through the door. He has a long black tail that almost gleams in the moonlight. His strides are long and stiff, like a military sergeant. He has no light in his eyes, yet they are green as bile and twice as disgusting. My blood runs cold as he smiles at me with a mouth full of needles and eyes full of insanity.

The man croons, tail slashing back and forth like his tongue over his jagged jaws, "Are we done here, little brother?"

Gizmo growls.

"Ms. Alexander!"

*

I groaned. I sat up, wings hanging like pendulums. The librarian stood before me, arms crossed and face sour as curdled milk. She spat, black ears pressed back, "Does this look like a nursery for little babies like you to take a nap?"

I moan, voice groggy, "What?" She sneered at me, lip curling to expose sharp fangs. I gagged. She sneered harder; hands curled into fists.

She cried, tail taking the appearance of a bottle brush, "YOU BRATTY OWL!" She grabbed my wings. My body slammed into the floor. The carpet was rough and hot as she pulled me wings-first towards the door. She panted and strained as she hauled me out, muttering the whole way about owls. The frigid air burned my skin as she threw open the light wooden door. You wouldn't believe the next thing she threw. Yep. It was me.

SLAM.

The door shook the building as I face planted in a nearby snowbank. I sat up, tears rolling down my face. I gently wiped the snow off my face. I found my backpack half-open in the snow beside me. I checked my wings for damage, only finding a few large bruises from being dragged. I had just started contemplating flying again since the accident too, which made my blood boil.

Wait.

Images of Alice's mom, a sour old woman, flashed across my mind. My eyes widened as I stared at the door. My heart dropped. What did Alice tell her?

"Kate! Kate!" Gizmo dived down and wrapped his arms around me. He kissed my cheek and squeezed me so hard I could barely breathe. I whimpered with relief. I sagged into his chest. He pulled me right against him as the tears started. He rubbed my back and placed tiny kisses on my neck and cheek. "I'm sorry, Kate. I'm sorry. Come on, let's go." He pulled me to my feet and guided me into the car. He cradled me as we drove to his place, kissing my cheek and holding me close.

His house loomed before us. It was dark, so dark I couldn't see the steering wheel.

He clung to me. His heart raced. I tried to look him in the eyes.

He muttered, "It's not too late."

Before I could ask for clarification, something clicked, and I was pushed back against the door of the car. His lips were soft, but urgent. His lip rings stirred a million butterflies in my chest as they rub ravenously against my bottom lip. Warm hands wrapped around me and pulled me ever closer. My seat belt came undone, and I tried to remember the wikihow I read on kissing.

Not too much tongue, try to move in sync with his lips, don't bite, move your lips gently... or was I supposed to be more aggressive if he initiates it?

I kissed him back, repeating the mantra in my head.

I was tugged into the drivers' side, but it felt like another world, as I pressed my lips against his in a tender embrace. A safe world, free from the daily wars and deaths. Safe from pain. Safe from loss. Safe from everything and everyone. He pulled away. He began kissing down my neck and then quickly pecked my lips.

I gasp, eyes closing and heart racing... "Babe..."

HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONK!

I screamed, wings flailing. I clawed and fought. I screamed louder to compete with the intruder.

Gizmo laughed, putting a warm hand over my mouth, "Love, that's the car horn." He picked me up and set me in the passenger side before exploding with laughter. Yes, that same hyena on meth, jet engine in a blender, crack headed laugh. The car shook.

Heck, the Earth shook.

The blackhole at the centre of the galaxy shook.

He pouted, arms crossed, "You don't like my laugh, babe?" Crap.

I stuttered, eyes wide, "No no no, I like it babe. I love you...r laugh... it's just loud and caught me off guard..." His eyes shone in the darkness, and he crawled over the console. I stuttered, "Like... it's hot and I like it, it's..." I glance at my lap, shaking.

He grabbed my jaw and tipped my head to face his. He played with his lip ring and stared at my lips; eyes bright with mischief. He leaned in and whispers, his lip ring brushed my lips, "Let's try that again?" I leaned forward and he smiled. He brushed his lips against mine, then pulled away and whispered, "My beautiful owl... We should go inside." I nodded, dazed. He picked me up and carried me into the house.

I've been staying here off and on as I get my mental health sorted out. He had a roommate, as elusive as he was. The guy was Nick or something, I never saw him myself. However, his shirts did appear strewn across the house a few times, much to Gizmo's dismay.

Anyways, we sat on the couch, awkwardly trying not to look at each other and just stare at the TV. His cheeks were dusted with a thousand roses. His hand held mine with a warm strength I have never felt before he, or since he last, held my hands. Occasionally, when he thought I was fixated on the TV, he would run his fingers across his lips with wonder dancing like fire in his eyes. Not that I didn't, as the TV caught his attention, gaze upon his face with equal wonder and awe.

"Hey Kate, can I ask you something?"