Blue Wings {COMPLETE} {UNDER EDITING}

Chapter 20 - Sarah

As we drive down yet another desolate road, I bob my head to the electronic music blasting into my ears, staring out the window. I hear a ding, but ignore it until there is another ding, before I pull my earbuds out, turning to Kevin. "What is that?" I ask as it dings again.

"We're almost out of gas. There is a gas station up ahead. I'll fill up there." Kevin responds. I shrug my shoulders, putting my earbuds back in when something catches my eye. A few yards in front of us, three mangy teenagers jump out from the trees, running towards the gas station. Suddenly the surroundings begin to darken, and I roll down my window, peering out at a massive black cloud that covers the sky above us. Kevin swerves into the gas station, breaking to a stop before jumping out, staring up at the sky in horror. The sound of beating wings reaches my ears and as I stare at the cloud, I realize that it is not really a cloud at all.

"They're... people." I whisper out loud.

"Uhm, those don't look like the winged creatures you've been looking for..." Kevin states, grabbing my wrist and pulling me away. We run back to the car, but one of the creatures swoops down, landing in front of us and glaring down at us with large black leathery wings open at his sides. I scream and the creature opens his mouth, showcasing his large sharp teeth that match his  pointed claws, and runs at me. Out of no where the creature lets out a high pitched screech, throwing his hands in the air before falling to the ground, a girl appearing behind him with a bloody knife in her hand. I back away but she does not attack me and instead throws me a pocket knife. "Stay close to the building. Attack anything that gets too close." She commands with a rough voice. I nod and she runs off, meeting up with two other teenage guys.

"Those are the same teens we saw running across the road earlier isn't it?" I whisper to Kevin.

"Yeah, I think so." Kevin whispers back as we inch towards the building. We stand with our backs to the glass door. I hold the knife in my shaky hand, watching the teenagers as they spread out over the parking lot. They all wear torn clothing with blood stains, and each a distinct bulge on their back. I follow the girl as she speeds over to a lone creature, her tangled brown hair flying behind her and a knife clasped in her hand The creature turns to her, his lips moving as if speaking to her, but she does not stop and instead shoves her knife into his chest. His eyes close and he drops to the ground as more creatures surround the girl.

"Sarah!" Kevin's yelp draws my focus back as a creature runs at us. Before it reaches us, a  tall teenage guy with a head of messy brown hair rams into the creature, throwing it off  balance and drawing its attention away from us. The creature throws himself at the guy but the teen quickly side-steps behind it at almost lightning speed, stabbing the creature in the back and killing it quickly.

Suddenly the mass above us begins to plummet to the ground, driving the teens together until a mob of creatures surround us on all sides. The teens slash at anything that comes too close, but there is no end to the onslaught. In the odd silence, a creature screams out in a high pitched shrill, joined by the rest until the air is filled with ear-splintering noise. We desperately cover our ears in attempt to block out the sound, withering in pain. Suddenly the creatures begin to fly into the sky in large masses, turning back the way they came until the only ones left on the pavement are the slaughtered ones. The teens exchange high-fives, grouping off away from us. I walk up to them curiously, hearing the brown haired teen speak, "Lose some feathers Liz?" He says, holding up a pair of white and blue feathers to the girl.

"Whoa!" I exclaim, butting into their circle and running my fingers along the feathers briefly before the guy pulls them away. The group exchanges worried glances backing away from me.

"Wait, no. Look." I begin, pulling out the white feather I have from my backpack and holding it out to them.

"Where'd you get this?" The girl demands, taking it from my hand.

"I followed these giant birds to an abandoned skyscraper in New York." I explain. The two go silent, sharing glances as if communicating without words. After a few minutes the girl groans, mumbling 'fine' under her breath. The guy smiles and turns to me, spreading a small pair of brown wings that have white and black specks sprinkled over them and white coating their tips. I feel my mouth drop in awe.

"You have wings?!" I almost shout, receiving a glare from the girl. The guy bumps her with his shoulder, giving her a look and she sighs, revealing a wing of her own; larger than the guy's and entirely white with a brilliant blue on the tips.

"So, that was your feather we found? You were at the skyscraper." I question the girl.

"That skyscraper was my home until we were attacked." The girl mumbles, a brief look of sadness in her eyes.

"You were attacked at home?" Another teenage guy with overgrown blonde hair and multiple healing cuts on his face and arms butts in, his question directed towards the girl. The taller guy glares at him, "Yea, we managed to take out a bunch of those giant birds before the building exploded though."

The blonde guy becomes outraged, gnashing his teeth together. "You brought an outsider to our home and it EXPLODED?" He almost growls.

"If you forgot, I have wings too." The tall guys snaps.

"Enough!" The girl yells. "You two are acting like children. We were just attacked by a mob of devils and you want to argue about this?" The two quiet their bickering but continue to glare at each other. I glance at the taller guy, noticing a new blood stain on his side.

"Uhm. I don't want to intrude, but you're bleeding." I comment. The teen lifts his shirt revealing a deep slash along his side, blood oozing steadily from it.

"Ow, that's deep." He mumbles, shifting on his feet

"I could stitch that up for you. It's the least I could do since you saved our lives." I offer. The guy glances at the girl as if asking permission, waiting till she nods before turning back to me. "That'd be nice, thank you."

"Come on, I might have some supplies in the car." We find our way over to the car, it's windows completely blasted in from the creatures, spewing glass over the pavement. I rummage through it, finding a first aid kit, telling the teen to sit in the door as I pull out the stitching equipment. The teen pulls off his shirt, revealing large muscles and abs.. I swallow and begin stitching his side.

"Is there a name to my doctor?" He asks, watching me work.

"Sarah." I whisper.

"Nice to meet you Sarah. I'm Mack. Blondie over there is Dylan, and the girl is Liz." Mack introduces me, glancing at me with a smile.

"Well, it's a good thing we met you, otherwise we'd be toast." I tell him.

"Actually, it's probably the opposite. You wouldn't have been in danger in the first place if you hadn't met us." Mack states, leaning his head back.

"Those things.. they were chasing you?"

"Unfortunately, yes. Liz and Dylan have been running a lot longer than I have though." Mack replies, watching his friends as they clear the pavement of the bodies, talking quietly among themselves.

"Who... or what were those things anyways?" I ask, shivering at the memory of the creatures inscribed into my mind.

"Well, we call them devils. Basically they're creatures built by this lab.. Periodic Solutions Center to -"

"Wait." I cut him off, a sickening feeling starting in my stomach. "You said, Periodic Solutions Center built those things?"

"Yea, that's where we got wings too." Mack responds, fluttering his feathers. I drop everything, standing quickly as my stomach sinks even further.

"What? What is it?" Mack asks, concern in his voice.

"It all makes sense now.. The birds, The constant working.. The ring... It all makes sense.. " I ramble on, shaking my head and leaning against the side of the car to stay upright.

"Sarah?" Mack grabs my shoulders. "What is it?"

"My father." I murmur, "He's the owner of Periodic Solutions Center."