Moon Angel

Chapter 33: New Places

Chapter 33: New Places

I flew mostly at night, using the moon as a source of energy to sustain my flight. I found I could get quite far during one night. When the sun began to rise and my energy waned, I found islands to land on where I could rest. As soon as night fell once again, the moon replenished my energy and I leapt back into the sky. I had worked out the co-ordinates from Google maps and navigated my way there using the stars and the Moon.

I touched down in New Zealand during the night. I landed in an area where there weren't too many lights around. It seemed to be farmland or something like it. I had seen a lot of lights when I had flown down signalling a town or city nearby. I folded down my wings, hiding them under my jacket, and I slung my bags over my shoulders. It was a lot more comfortable carrying them on my back, without having to have my wings out. I walked in the direction I thought the lights were, although I wasn't too sure as I couldn't see any nearby that minute. I walked across the farmland, having to jump a few fences. I reached a road, which seemed to be a highway gaging from how fast the cars were travelling. I walked down the road, in the direction the majority of the cars seemed to be heading. I passed a sign as I walked down the road. "Haere Mai: Welcome to Tauranga." I guessed that 'Haere Mai' was a greeting of some sort, perhaps in the native tongue of the country. I knew multiple languages but it did not seem to be in my vocab. I continued walking down the road, mostly walking through ditches to avoid the cars speeding past. Lights started to appear on the horizon and the city named Tauranga came into sight. The outskirts of the city were suburbs and the centre of town seemed to only contain a few high rise buildings. It was a small city surrounded by water. I had already passed many waterways and the centre of town sat along the waterfront. I had walked past hostels and backpackers on my way into town but they had not yet opened for the day. I sat down on one of the benches along the waterfront to wait. The sun began to rise, sending rays of yellow sparkling across the harbour. It was beautiful and the land and hills around the harbour were lush greens. It looked just like a postcard. I had landed in paradise.

I didn't know what I was supposed to do now. I didn't know the first thing about what living a normal life involved. At Omega I had trainings to take part in, meetings to attend, missions to go on... There were never really spare moments to just stop and pause. Now I had all the moments I wanted and I didn't know where to start.

The sun was high in the sky by now, and I stood up, heading back to where I had seen the Youth Hostel. It wasn't a very permanent solution but it would be fine for a couple of days at least, or until I worked out what to do with my new-found freedom. The receptionist at the desk gave me the key to my room and I walked up the stairs to find the right door. When I finally found my room, I put my bags down at the base of the bed and flung myself on top. I felt like lying there forever, but I found I wasn't actually that tired, even after flying all evening to get there. I stared at the ceiling for a while. The sun came through the window reminding me that the day was only just beginning. I sat up and looked out onto the street below me. There was a new place outside that I could explore. What was I waiting for?

***

I spent the day wandering around the city, seeing the sights. I bused out to a location called The Mount which was so-named due to a mountain, or rather a very large hill, that sat on the end of a peninsular. Beaches ran down either side of the peninsular and I walked along one of them. The skies were clear and sunny, the beaches white and the ocean blue. It was the ideal day.

For a while it felt like I was on holiday, enjoying the views amongst the hundreds of others who had come out on a hot day. For once, I was in a beautiful location with time to spare. I didn't have a target or a mission occupying my thoughts. I could just relax and that concept was quite foreign to me.

I found an empty section of the beach and sat down, digging my fingers into the sand. The sea breeze, the fresh air and the warm sand beneath me felt heavenly. I realised that while I had seen beaches before, I had never had the time to truly enjoy one. I looked around at the other teenagers on the beach and it suddenly hit me just how different I was from them. At least I knew how to dress and how to talk like them, thanks to the Etiquette classes Miss Dunn took us through, but there was something about them that I longed for. The carefree ease that seemed to seep out of their behaviours and habits. It became clear just how much Omega had shaped me, and how much I had missed out on.

Even though I was trying to relax, my mind whirred inside. My senses were on edge, my instincts telling me to record every detail, check for exits, assess for risks and possible threats. I tried to push it all out of my mind and relax, but I couldn't seem too. They had been drilled into me, until they became habits, instincts.

Eventually I stood up and dusted the sand off my body and hands. I wandered back to the bus stop and waited for the next bus to come.

A/N: Hope you like it :) Please review.

By the way, I have added in a chapter- Chapter 19: Shot down. If you had already read past it, it doesn't influence the story too much, but you may like to go back and read it. It is a sort of buffer chapter between the three year jump and Em's death.

Thanks guys :)

-Bubbly xx