Ebony Wings

Chapter 2

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!

I reached over and slammed my hand on my alarm. Disoriented with sleep, I wrestled with my sheets until they untangled from my legs. I sat on the edge of my bed yawning and stretching. I scratched my arm softly. An image flashed into my mind: an arm—my arm—covered in long scratches.

I jumped up and rushed over to my mirror. I looked down at my arm then into the mirror. My refection stared back—flawless. I saw no cuts or bruises. I tore my nightshirt over my head so I could inspect my torso. After several poses, I felt content I had seen enough. Enough of nothing. No scratches, no bruises. My ribs didn’t even hurt from when I hit the lamp post.

It was a dream. I scoffed. It had seemed so real. The thing that attacked me. The attack. The fire. Then I let out a breath I didn’t know I had been holding. It was just a dream. Albeit a freaking scary dream—a nightmare worse than normal, but that’s all it was. I prepared to take my shower as I felt the weight on my shoulders lift.

I made my way downstairs backpack slung on my shoulder. I could smell bacon, toast, and orange juice? That was weird. Maybe dad spilled it while he dashed around the kitchen making breakfast. I entered the kitchen and made a beeline for the island table. I flopped my bag onto a stool and took the one next to it.

“Morning, sweetie,” dad said and placed two pieces of toast and a pile of bacon onto my plate.

“Are we having orange juice this morning?” I asked through a mouthful of bread.

“No, apple.” I looked at the glass by my plate. It held apple juice as proof. Dad went on, “Well, I had a glass when I got up this morning.”

“Oh, did you spill it?” The smell was almost overpowering now. He must have spilled it on the island.

“No, why?” He gave me a curious look.

The victory smile I had been hiding faded. “Nothing, just curious.”

Maybe it was allergies, or maybe this was one strong batch of orange juice. I munched on the rest of my breakfast mulling over the smell. A loud crash caused me to shoot straight up. I almost fell off the stool I was sitting on.

“What was that?” I asked straining to hear for any other sounds. All I heard was my dad’s laughter.

“That was the ice maker in the freezer.”

“Oh,” I felt stupid. “Didn’t it sound louder than normal?”

“Someone’s a little jittery this morning. First day nerves?” Mom said as she walked in and grabbed a piece of bacon off my plate.

“Hey!” I pushed my plate away from her reach. In response to her comment, I said, “You know me just worked up over nothing.”

Mom looked up at the clock, “It’s seven-twenty. When is Eve coming to pick you up?”

As if Eve was responding, we heard the horn of her car honk twice. It left a ringing in my ears. I jumped off my stool and grabbed my bag, slinging it over my shoulder. I made it halfway to the front door when I was stopped short by my mom.

“Okia wait.” I spun around so she knew I was listening. “Remember your father and I are going to the Zutax company dinner tonight so he can report his findings to the board members.” Dad worked as a business correspondent, so he would do research on different aspects of the company and show them how they could do better. Company dinners weren’t anything new.

“Alright, I got it. I’ll find something to eat.” I started toward the front door again. “Love you!” I called before I closed the door behind me and walked down the driveway to Eve’s car. Her car wasn’t anything special, other than it was newer than mine. And the black car was way sexier than my beige one. Call me petty.