United We Stand

23. Wings

I walk out of the obstacle course room exhausted. My grand wings drag behind me, too heavy to keep them tucked. I trudge through the training room, making some people stop what they're doing to stare at me.

I keep shuffling painfully, the remains of my leggings flying everywhere. I reek of mud and blood. Drops of blood trail after me, making me feel bad for the janitor. My shoulders sag, and my arms burn with irritation.

My heart is still beating fast from going through the obstacle course again. There was no other way to get to the door that leads into the training room. I pass the boxing ring, where the fighters are looking at me with looks I can't even describe.

I shouldn't have done this, I think. Some people on the yoga mats stare at me with sad or shocked looks but no one's gets up to help me. A heavy feeling settles over me, making me even more tired. Before I can rip my gaze away from the yoga people I trip over my foot and fall.

When I realize my eyes are closed, I open them and see the wooden floor only an inch away from my face.

The grip on my arm shifts as the person hauls me to my feet. I wince at the pain spreading in my arm. Jade comes into view, offering me what seems to be like a small smile. I accept it with a small nod, too tired to argue. Jade puts a strong arm around my waist to support my weight. We both walk out, apparently heading to the nurse's.

I honestly am grateful Jade grabbed me because, 1. I wouldn't have the energy to pick myself up. 2. I don't know where is the nurses office. And 3. I couldn't have walked all the way there by myself. We walk in silence, saving my saliva. We stop in front of a room with a door wide open.

A golden plaque that says Nurses Office in big black bold letters is on the wooden door. We walk inside. Some waiting chairs line up to my right with a wooden night table full with magazines.

A metal desk is right in front of the doorway, with a computer, some stacks of paper and some photos of a family. The man behind the desk looks up boredly. His eyes widen when he sees me. He doesn't even ask "how may I help you?" He jumps from his seat to replace Jade and supports my weight as he walks me down a hall behind the desk.

He leads me into the closest room, leaving the door wide open. I don't see Jade, making me roll my eyes. Typical Jade. The man sets me down a bed with the crinkly thin paper on top of it. My wings lay to each side of me. The man kindly smiles at me, not saying a word. He looks around his middle ages, wearing bright blue scrubs. He nods and scurries out of the room, closing the door behind him.

My arms lay limply on my thighs. I slouch against the wall behind the bed. The door opens, revealing a girl. She looks at me with the most sincere smile I've ever seen. She looks no more than fifteen, wearing a nurses outfit.

Her short blonde platinum curls shine in the lightening of the room. Her baby blue eyes shine with kindness. Her lean body moves almost as gracefully as Jade's when she walks.

The girl is probably not that tall. She probably is a bit shorter than me. Her shoulders are relaxed, so is her face expression. She places a clipboard on the small desk that's in the corner of the room. She's pretty, in a angelic kind of way. Just when she's a foot away from me she clasps her hands in front of her.

"Hello, I'm Sibyl, your medic." She says, her voice like honey. Smooth and light. A sudden question pops into my head. Is she a beastie? If so, I wonder what her power is. I try to smile but it turns into a grimace. Sibyl takes a step closer. "May you tell me how you got those injuries?" She asks, tilting her head ever so slightly.

"I, uh, went to the obstacle course in the training gym room thingy." I answer, my voice hoarse. Sibyl nods, as if she actually cares. It looks like she does. "Where does it hurt?" She asks, walking closer to me. "My arms, legs, I feel really tired. And my wings." I say. Sibyl didn't seem fazed by my wings when she came in, she still doesn't.