Eros' Angels (Sparks of Darkness Part One)

6: Zoe and Cam, Sitting in a Tree

Zoe's thoughts lingered on Cam, her boyfriend in the year above her. He wasn't at dinner. In fact, she hadn't seen him since school. She wondered where he could be- at his cabin, maybe? Or helping clean up? Zoe just couldn't find him.

There was a movie night showing in one of Westbrook's auditoriums. Maybe Zoe could find Cam there? As soon as dinner was over, Zoe trudged to the hall, walking across the grounds of the camp with the others, when suddenly she was pulled aside.

She looked at the person who had grabbed her. It was Cam, finally.

"There you are! I've been looking all over for you!" Zoe exclaimed, wrapping her arms around him.

"And I have been... doing something for you." Cam grinned, his eyes sparkling. His wings sprouted out of his back; they were massive, a good 3-4 metre wingspan, cream with beautiful brown speckles, blocking out the fading light of the day, enveloping the two. "Hold tight."

Zoe tightened her grip as Cam's wings began to move. With a few wobbly but powerful beats of his wings, Cam lifted into the air.

Zoe gasped as the ground flew away from them, shrinking by the second. Wonder took her as the ground lifted away from them.

Wonder faded to fear. The ground was so far away. What if she let go? What If Cam's arms wrapped around her slipped?

Zoe threw her legs around Cam's torso for extra strength. She began to panic as Cam's wings stopped flapping and they began to glide, not far from camp, maybe a hundred metres from the nearest fence. Cam softly landed on the forest floor, still holding the shaking Zoe tight.

Zoe's eyes were screwed shut until she realised they were on the ground. She slowly untangled herself from Cam, dropping to the ground.

Zoe looked, confused, at Cam as her fear slowly disappated.

Cam said nothing. He placed a finger to his lips, telling her to be quiet, and beckoned for her to follow him.

Zoe watched as Cam began to scale a nearby tree. She followed, her hands seeking the same handholds as his. Cam was sitting on a high branch waiting for her.

At first Zoe didn't recognise what was so special about this tree branch. She had opened her mouth to ask why they had just climbed up a tree when Cam raised his finger to his mouth again and slowly pointed to the leaves around them.

The tree was filled with tiny flickering candles and lots of birds. Baby doves, little sparrows, peaceful pidgeons, tiny native species, every kind of bird you could think of. They were all asleep around the two, their feathered chests rising and falling. Cam was grinning at Zoe, sitting so close their legs were touching. He put his arm around Zoe's shoulders, and Zoe leaned into him, enjoying the sight of the forests, the mountains, the sleeping birds.

Suddenly Cam spoke after a long silence. "Wake up," he said, loud enough to wake the birds.

The birds suddenly rose into flight, and a cascade of colour surrounded them, a whirlwind surrounding the tree, masking Cam and Zoe's kiss from the outside world.