Descended (Jahvie)

Ch 5: The Descent

*Dahvie*

As I walk through the forest, looking for vegetables growing, I let my mind wonder. We don't have to eat of course, but it's how we invite other groups to sit with us and listen to our story. Three months ago, we lost Jayy. One month ago, Jinxx and Jake joined us. Their style was just like Andy's, so the three of them clicked very well. I like listening to the music they wrote together, it has so much energy, like classic rock or metal from human times.

Man, Kelly was shocked when she saw Jinxx walking through the trees with us. She started crying at the memory, and it took her a few weeks to feel comfortable around him. But he's very light-spirited, always happy. He wants to make the most of his second chance at life here.

My last dream with Jayy changed me a little bit. I won't dare try to kill myself again, after he showed me what would happen. Seeing and feeling him in pain like that was unbarable. I haven't even cut since then, but unfortunately I have some battlescars on my wrists. And he kept saying "Just a little while longer." What does that mean?! I can only hope that he'll be here with me again soon. Three months since he left us, and still an hour never passes that I don't think of Jayy. He's my soulmate, I will never be complete unless he's by my side. I still feel the pain of his absence, but I just remember him saying "Just a little while longer," and my spirits lift a little. I trust him. I'll be with him soon.

I find a cucumber plant, and lift the leaves to see if they're ripe. There are vegetable plants everywhere somehow. The earth is getting greener and greener, with more vibrant plants and trees, and more animals scurrying about. The cracks in the earth aren't glowing as hot, and the sky shines brighter, with even more vibrant colors.

It might have been my longing mind playing tricks on me, but I swear I felt fingers running through my hair again. I smiled, and quickly turned my head. "Jayy?" My smile instantly faded, as I realized no one was here. I think I'm going crazy.

This has been happening almost daily since I dreamt of Jayy last. Sometimes I even feel as if I'm walking in a dream, frozen in time. Because this can't be real, my dreamland with Jayy is where I belong. It's where I feel complete and whole.

I fight the tear that swam in my eyes, and look back at the cucumbers. After tugging one out, I distinctly feel a hand brush over the spot down my shoulder blade, where my wings are hidden. Where they were torn. I spin around sharply, as if to catch someone, but again there's nobody. "Ah, come on." I mumble to myself, and press my palms to my eyes. Either someone is messing with me, or I'm going crazy.

I decide I'm crazy, after I hear a laugh in the breeze. So quiet, barely audible, like it's an echo of a memory. But it's Jayy's laugh, his cute, shy laugh. I accept my newfound insanity, and enjoy the memories of Jayy being echoed in my mind. I hear the laugh again, a little bit more present. Followed by one word: "Fly."

Fly? Like physically fly? I think to myself. I hear one more giggle, almost mocking, like I'm being silly. I haven't tried to fly in a long time. Whenever I extended my wings, a sharp pain shoots through from the torn area to the tip of my wing, and down my arm to my fingertips on that side. It was painful and disheartening, so I stopped trying to fly almost two months ago. But now, maybe it's healed more.

I set down the cucumbers and stand straight, letting my wings out. I let out a sigh, it feels so good to have them out again. I stretched them as wide as they could go out, then I stretched them all the way up and all the way down. I couldn't help but laugh a little, this feels amazing.

I started slowly flapping them up and down. There was a little pain in my wing, but enough to handle. I started flapping harder, hovering myself barely a foot off of the ground. The pain got worse for a second, then left. I laughed again in triumph! This has been the best my wings have worked since they've torn.