Reaching You

Chapter Five- Unraveling A Mystery

"You're an ANGEL?!" I exclaimed as we fell down together. Vincenzino ignored all my questions and remained focused on getting us down in one piece. I guess I took a bigger leap than I thought. His arms felt strong and sturdy unlike before, when I fought with him. His eyes were different too, they were blank and lifeless.

"When's your birthday, Hikari?" Vincenzino asked sternly. He didn't look me in the eye when asked that, instead he faced the opposite way.

What's going on? Why would he be asking me this? I questioned to myself. I walked to where he was facing but he simply turned the other way. "Are you serious?" I asked myself as I walked to that direction but he turned the other way once more. Sighing, I simply turned my back on his back and answered his question, "My birthday is April 5th."

"Well that makes sense since today is April 5th. How shall I say this, Happy Birthday, Hikari," Vincenzino said in monotone.

"HIKARI! VINCENT!" yelled Daniel as he ran towards us. He went towards Vincenzino first and said, "I think I stopped the cart, I just pressed this big red button. Anyways, YOU'RE AN ANGEL?! Why didn't you tell us earlier? Where'd you come from? Donalone? Somewhere far beyond?"

Vincenzino looked away and folded in his wings as he walked towards the cart. Once he walked right next to me, I grabbed his shoulder. "Look, it's okay to ignore us and walk away from these things but don't you think you could at least give us an explanation of what just happened?"

That's when he stopped and faced Daniel and I, "Since we are traveling together, I will spare you the knowledge of knowing that I am in fact not an Angel. Other than that, there is nothing more to it. Let's continue our ride to our next destination, shall we?" Vincenzino then took long strides back to his cart as Daniel and I slowly lurked behind. Once we settled in, Vincenzino started the cart and we all became consumed in daunting silence.

 * * *

"Why didn't you tell me it was your birthday? Anyways, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" exclaimed Daniel. Vincenzino said that we were allowed to talk since it was my birthday and that it was the only exception for making any noise in his cart. You could hear Vincenzino's sigh of regret in the front. It made me lighten up a little.

"Thanks Daniel and thanks Vincenzino," I said with my happiness shining with each word. In Donalone, when it was a person's birthday, they would simply get the day off. No one really knew of each other's birthday's unless you were in charge of an area.

"Instead of thanking us, why don't you take a look outside," Vincenzino gestured. I stook out my head and saw a couple of small buildings in the distance. They were in bad shape with tattered windows and crumbling structures.

"Are we going to stay there for a while?" Daniel asked curiously. He didn't seem to be too thrilled by the thought of resting in those suspicious buildings.

"No, once we pull up there, you'll know why we're going there. I do have to warn you about a few things, though. Firstly, now that you have wings, Hikari, you need to make sure that they're hidden. You can borrow a shirt from me with some slits in the back. Second, Daniel, make sure you do not speak of Donalone or your village or of any other place. Then, lastly, whatever you do, do not get separated from me. You need to stick by my side for the entire time that we are there," Vincenzino warned.

"Okay, I understand," I said.

"I understand, too, Vincent," Daniel mocked.

"One more thing, don't call me Vincent. I know you're joking around but enough with the nicknames. Same thing for you too, Hikari," Vincenzino sighed. You could hear the slight irritation hidden beneath his words.

We didn't talk afterwards, instead, we kept our focus on the changing scenery. Grassy lands soon died out to become dry rocky soil. The burning ball of gases disappeared, leaving a sea of bright lights. And the farther we got, the more we saw of the buildings. At night time, that area burst with light so much that it hurt to look at it for more than a minute.

"I guess it never was abandoned," I said to myself softly as the cart drew closer into the town.

Vincenzino stopped the cart on the outskirts of the area and told us that we had to walk for the rest of the night. I didn't mind since I was used to walking for long periods of time but Daniel didn't seem to thrilled about it.

With Vincenzino leading us into the town, my eyes began to wander. Strings of lights were hung on the tops of signs and ledges. Herds of people transition from one building to the next. Venders on the streets were yelling out sales to lure in customers. One vender began yelling at some human and a crowd began to lurk around them.

"Just ignore them and follow me. We're almost at our destination," Vincenzino warned.

It was hard to ignore them since they were making such a ruckus and when we passed by the crowd I heard a baby screech. The kind of screech that makes your stomach churn and makes your skin crawl. I couldn't ignore anymore.

I ran towards the crowd, pushing people aside, gently as I could. Slowly, but surely, I ended up at the front. A young woman was on her knees crying as the man in front of her raised a baby high in the air and let it go carelessly. "I'm sorry Vincenzino," I whispered. My wings unraveled and I jumped towards the baby and threw out my arms.                      

The baby fit perfectly into my arms, too perfect. I looked into my crescent formed arms and saw that the baby had no face. It's hands had black long nails and the back something pricking my hands. I turn the thing around and saw black little stubs coming out near his shoulder blades. I gasped, suddenly I didn't want to hold it anymore. It felt repulsive.

"HIKARI!" screamed a voice from down below. I look down with my eyesight set to the max and scanned the crowd. About ten feet away from the crowd, I saw Daniel wailing his arms around. No one paid attention to him and focused on me instead. Vincenzino wasn't near him and that was when I began to worry. Without Vincenzino, we'll have no way to find Helios or have any transportation.Though the lighting was dim, the lights from the building were enough for me to fly around and look for Vincenzino.

Wait, I can't look for VIncenzino right now with this things in my hands and Daniel all alone. I'll just give this thing back to it's mother then look for Vincenzino with Daniel, I thought logically. With a nod, I aimed my body towards the awestruck mother and stooped in low to drop the baby into her hands as I slow my speed as I get closer to Daniel. Right before my feet touch the ground, I pull in my wings and stick my feet out for a strong landing. Or so I thought. My left foot stumbled on a tiny hole in the ground and I lost balance.

"You need to be more careful miss," said a man's voice. My body was suddenly lifted and was settled back down on the ground.

"Y-you're not Vincenzino, are you?" I stuttered. The man in front of me looked exactly like Vincenzino but wasn't him. Something about him felt wrong and demonic. His eyes were dark and unpure, similar to Adam's. An unnerving smirk shook my body.

"Ha, no I'm not but let me be the first one to welcome you to Helios. A city in the works. The city where bountiful dreams flourish and die. The hometown of Vincenzino and I, Hiro Moore. Twin brother of Vincenzino, the man who had his dreams crushed by the day he was born," Hiro replied firmly.

The day Vincenzino was born? How does that happen? He makes no sense, I thought. My eyes observed him; his smile was fake, his eyes were fake, he was fake. I began to run away, I wanted to run to something. Where was Daniel? Where was Vincenzino? Was this really Helios? I wanted to know so badly but everything was clogging my train of thought.

Then something grabbed my hand and pulled me into it's arms. I quickly punched whatever was grabbing me in the stomach and tried to get out of it's hold. It covered my eyes with it's hand and dragged me. I kicked, screamed, but it only made it squeeze my wrist harder. That was when I used my last resort, I unfurled my wings and felt the arms back off me.

My eyes opened and found myself in a enormous clear box. Outside the box was pitch black with the only light coming from the bottom of the floor.

"Welcome, Miss Hikari. This is a little place where my dreams become reality and where Angels come to die."

And for the first moment of my life, I felt weak, useless, and ready to die.