Their Wings

Chapter 8: Black

I had never been more terrified in my life. There Luke lay in front of me, so still I almost thought he was dead. The only thing that stopped me from going into hysterics were the minute rises and falls of his chest, showing that he was breathing. His wings had retracted, and his aura was a soft golden glow surrounding his form.

 I realized suddenly that I trembling. The magic wind Luke had conjured had disappeared the moment he had hit the ground. Mr. Nelson was nowhere to be seen, and I was quietly grateful for the small relief. I was still reeling from the display of power he had just put out. And it had all been over me and some decision I had to make.

 I looked back down at Luke and wandered what I was going to do. I couldn’t carry him back to the school and I couldn’t leave him either. Something told me to stay by his side. Suddenly there was a rustling of leaves. It had come from the forest lining the far side of the parking lot. I raised myself onto my knees and spun around, trying to glimpse what was moving in the shadows. Footsteps clattered to my right, near the entrance to the parking lot. My head whipped around, trying to track the sound. Then there was a small gasp behind me, and I almost got whiplash spinning so fast.

 She was crouching on the ground near Luke’s body, her eyes wide. I guessed she was just a bit younger than me. Her skin was the colour of coffee and she had black hair that fell in tight ringlets to just below her shoulders. She was dressed in a forest green t-shirt under a black leather jacket with black skinny jeans. She wore a pair of green suede boots that came up to her knees. Her aura was a light green that rippled and twisted with each movement she made. Her arm reached out and her fingertips hovered over Luke’s forehead. I saw the two auras react to each other and I let out a small gasp. Immediately her head turned towards me with a small frown creasing her brow as if she had only now noticed my presence. Her eyes were the same green as her shirt. 

I suddenly realized she was talking to me and I shook my head to clear my thoughts.

“Um, I’m sorry, what did you say?” I said.

“I asked who you were and what happened here?” she said gesturing to Luke’s prone form. Her voice was commanding and I felt obliged to answer.

“He was defending me.” I replied. The frown deepened as she looked back down to Luke. She shook her head and bit her lip.

“What were you thinking Luke?” she said quietly. She straightened up and took off her jacket, dumping it in a pile next to Luke’s head. She leaned down and I saw slits cut into the back of her shirt. My eyes widened.

“I think you should get inside. You’ve caused enough trouble.” she said without looking at me. My eyebrows raised in shock.

“Alright seriously, I need you to leave. You can’t see this.” she said, raising her eyes to look at me. I shook my head mutely and the frown returned to her face.

“Listen, you don’t know what you’re getting yourself into here. Just forget you ever saw this and run back to your little normal life”

“Actually I do know what I’ve gotten myself into -…”

She cut me off, “No you don’t.”

She was interrupted by a groan from below her. We both looked down at the same moment to see Luke sluggishly blinking his eyes and trying to rise. The girl placed a hand on his shoulder and pushed him back to the ground.

“No, you are staying right there until I get some answers.” she commanded him in a serious voice.

He rolled his eyes from his place on the cement. “Come on, you’re scaring Ella.”

I frowned at the mention of my name. The girl released her grip and he slowly sat up, grunting a little. He let his wings out through the slits in his shirt and they cast a faint glow over us. The girl’s eyes widened and she nudged him sharply.

“What the hell are you doing?” she whispered in shock.

He rolled his eyes and looked at me. I met his eyes and he smiled.

“So I’m guessing you remember what happened, otherwise you would be running away screaming.” Then he frowned. “It’s your birthday today isn’t it?”

“Yeah, I turned 17. And the scars kind of make it hard to dismiss it as a dream.” I replied.

 Luke’s eyes had widened when I had said my age.

“Did you say 17?” asked the girl. I nodded and she turned to look at Luke with huge eyes.

"No wonder he attacked today. The changes are already visible” said Luke, his eyes roaming over my face.

“What?” said the girl and I simultaneously.

“Oh, I almost forgot. Ella this is Michelle, Michelle, this is Ella.” He said, gesturing to each of us in turn.

“Hi.” she said, “Sorry about earlier, I was really rude.” She smiled and I immediately began to like her.

Before I could reply the wind picked up again carrying with it the scent of Mr. Nelson. The three of us jumped up immediately and looked at each other. The scent grew stronger along with the wind until it was almost like the one Luke had conjured up.

“We have to go now!” shouted Michelle over the wind. Luke and I nodded together, sharing a glance. Suddenly something burst out of the trees and we spun around to see it. Mr. Nelson was crouched on the ground, the shadows surrounding his entire body.

I heard a flapping noise beside me and turned to see emerald wings sprouting out of Michelle’s t-shirt. The two walked forward until they were in front of me, shielding me. Their auras, gold and green, crackled against each other. Mr. Nelson growled low in his throat. He leaned back on his haunches and stared at the two angels before him. He brought his hands together and let the shadows collect in his palms.

Luke’s voice rang out above the wind, “I told you Nelson, you may not touch her.”

“And then there were two, but alas they were not enough.” Mr. Nelson didn’t raise his voice but we heard it all the same.

Michelle said, “Well isn’t that just a little premature?”

Mr. Nelson shook his head and stood up, his hands invisible behind the black mass surrounding them. He spread his hands out in front of him and smiled.

"Not at all.” he drawled. He flung the shadows at us, exactly like he had done before. The moment it made contact the two otherworldly being collapsed onto the cement, unmoving. I fell to my knees beside them, staring. Their auras were stained with the swirling black. I heard a noise ahead and looked up from their bodies to the monster in front of me. He had moved while I was staring at Luke and Michelle. His head was shaking as he strode towards me, a lopsided grin on his face.

Suddenly the parking lot swirled around me and then disappeared completely. I was back in the clearing where I had met the shadows. I looked ahead and saw Mr. Nelson smirking at me from a few feet away. I don’t know what came over me then but I somehow knew what I had to do. I rose to my feet and walked towards Mr. Nelson. He raised his eyebrows at me as I stood in front of him. He raised a palm and suddenly from nowhere I felt a surge of power inside my body. It built up, higher and higher until it reached a peak.

His eyes widened as I closed my eyes, smiling slightly. I let everything go, feeling the energy rush out of me. The last thing I remember before everything went black was the rustling of feathers.