A small picking sound filled the silent, silver waiting room. It was coming from me. My thumb and pointer moved over each other in one continuous movement.
"Are you doing that just to annoy me?" Caton said, grasping my fingers so that I stopped picking at them.
I pursed my lips in a fake pout, "Nervous habit," I answered.
"Why? You worked hard for this. I don't think there's any other harpy in this room who is more qualified for this, than you," he spoke
I loved the way he talked, with authority and knowledge. Like he was giving a speech to a hundred people. But instead he was talking to me. The girl with the shortest wingspan and the saddest dream.
"Haven?" A tall man with brownish black wings asked not looking up from his clipboard.
I stood up straight almost instantly, eager to show I was worth their time. "Present!" I announced. Several faces looked up at me.
"Right this way, ma'am. We will do a quick physical first and then get right to your test," The man spoke not looking up from his clipboard.
I walked through the doorway corresponding my speed to match his as we walked through another silver hallway. He led me past five identical doors and finally stopped.
"Ma'am I hate to inform you that we do not have any female doctors and.... well it is required to strip for this full physical. Will this be a problem for you?" He asked not looking me directly in the eye.
"Not at all, sir," I listened to my voice say. I stretched my shoulders in hope's of looking taller, but it was no use.
He hesitantly opened the door and I walked in my head held high.
"Good luck," he squeaked.
Confidence. Its what separated me from every one else. Even if it was fake, it was still confidence. A young doctor led me over to an area that was designed for physicals.
"Um..." the doctor began ushering to my uniform.
"Of course," I answered not letting him endure this embarrassment longer. I hated to think that I was getting undressed in front of an audience of boys, but I was and I couldn't help notice when they all stopped what they were doing to stare at me in my undergarments. The doctor luckily, was a professional.
"Please spread your wings," he asked.
I spread my white wings as far as they would go. Hoping they'd look longer than they actually are.
He prodded and poked at the wings, even going as far as picking off a loose feather. "Seven point five foot wings spand. Quite small, may I say, for a soldier," He said, a hint of mischief in his tone.
I knew that should have felt like a punch to the stomach, but in spite of myself, I smiled. "Oh yes. I know. That is exactly my motive," I answered.
He was puzzled by this, "but surely a woman of your well.. splendor was offered a job where you would be able to show it off. This career just seems like a dead end for you in my opinion. You may have the mind for it, my dear. But you definitely do not have the wings spand for it nor body."
"I was, in fact offered a contract for modeling," I stated bluntly, "I turned it down though, to much disappointment."
He was clearly confused in my statement unable to wrap his head around the concept of a pretty girl turning down a modeling contract so she could be a soldier "But why?"
I used to be furious when people asked me this but now I was just tired, "because I do not want to spend the rest of my life pretending I am an air headed ninny on the cover of nearly every magazine showing off an inanimate object as well as my body. Doctor, sir... I want to do something good with my life and not being treated like having perfect facial structure is an accomplishment. I want to work for my dreams, to be acknowledged for something worth being known for. That is why I have chosen to turn down the life most girls only dream of having to be a soldier."
His cheeks flushed a bright scarlet and without looking me in the eye he muttered, "you can go now, ma'am."
I let the water drop from the ceiling as I let the memory dance in my head. The iron bars that surrounded the cage sparkled faintly in the dim light. My wings no longer were white due to the amount of grime in the cell and my hair stuck together in greasy clumps on my forehead. I dropped my head, ashamed of what I had become.
YOU ARE READING
Wingbeat
Ficção Geral(Originally known as The Flight of the Ocean) Haven has grown up her whole life being told she was not good enough by nearly every one but her childhood friends. In spite of what every one says she is training to serve the noble kingdom of Skye, in...
