You Have Wings?

Chapter 9

They landed in a warehouse, the same warehouse Panuleon took Corey to when he fainted. They fell to the ground hard, but the angel made sure the human landed on top him.

Corey sat up, processing the pain and the confusion of being in a different place so fast.

"Try to stay calm," Panuleon soothed, not knowing how to deal with a panicked human.

"Who were they? What happened to their eyes? Are you hiding from them?" Corey asked in a daze, not able to stand up. His legs were too wobbly to use.

"Let me heal you first." Panuleon moved his hands close to Corey's face, but the human slapped them away.

"No, you need to tell me."

"Okay," Panuleon sighed, admitting defeat. "Those men are what we call demons. I tracked them the night I found you in the alley. I heard them talking about an angel, and it was me who they were looking for. I did not understand why as they said I would lead them to a boy. I didn't understand that either, until now."

Corey listened and he didn't understand.

"Demons?" he whispered. He couldn't concentrate. His face hurt which Panuleon could already feel.

"Let me see," the angel said. Corey's lip was busted, and his left eye and cheek were bruising badly. The angel rested his hands on his face and focused.

Corey could feel the cooling sensation covering his skin, soothing into his muscles. He closed his eyes while the pain grew bearable. It took thirty seconds until the injuries had gone.

"Thank you," he said and poked his face to be sure it was all healed.

Panuleon knew he might need comforting, though he didn't know how to give it to him.

"Are you okay?" he asked, watching closely.

"I'm fine, just confused. You said that you were supposed to lead the demons to a boy. Is that me?"

"I wasn't sure at first, but yes. I still don't know why. There is something special about you Corey, but I don't know what."

Corey sighed and look down at his hands.

"I'm just a normal boy, a human. I'm nothing special," he thought to himself as Panuleon rested a hand on his shoulder. "Why am I being dragged into all of this?"

"Don't trouble yourself, I will find out why they want you, but most importantly, I will keep you safe." The angel felt an odd buzz through the hand that touched the human.

"Wait! I can't get my mum her paint!" Corey sighed which and the angel smile.

"You met demons who hurt you because of me, and you still think about your parents. Humans are interesting creatures." Panuleon stood up after a moment of thought. "I'll be back very soon." With the familiar glow of his wings, he vanished.

Corey was then left to stare at the walls around him, quickly feeling alone and vulnerable.

Now that he looked around the warehouse in daylight, it appeared to be abandoned. The walls were grey and chipped with mould growing in some corners. He stood up when he noticed it wasn't just cardboard boxes, there was old rusty machinery which had been vandalised.

His head was ringing with things he couldn't explain. Angels, demons, supernatural creatures. Everything he knew so far felt like a lie. In school, nobody taught him that these beings actually existed, so why, out of all the people on earth, is Panuleon showing himself to a seventeen-year-old boy who's on a summer break from sixth-form?

Before Corey could think further, Panuleon landed right in front of him. If it was any closer, he would have landed on top of the human.

The angel looked down while Corey looked up. Their bodies were touching; they could feel one another's warmth.

Panuleon's cheeks flustered and he took a step back. He ignored his blush and held up the paint.

"Oh, thank you so much!" Corey took the tin and smiled with gratitude. "He managed to get the right one," he thought.

"We need to get back to your home before your parents start to worry," the angel said. "I'm not sure if it's safe to walk." He was thinking about the demons. The Angel is sure they don't know where Corey lives, and he doesn't want to risk them being seen. "Let's use the sky."

Corey felt nervous. It felt strange when he is left with the confusion of travelling so fast.

Panuleon stepped closer and coiled his arms tightly around Corey's waist, pulling him into his chest.

"Ready?" he asked while looked down, Corey really was rather small.

The human was trying his hardest not to blush. He felt safe in the angel's arms; it was strangely comforting, maybe even a little more than what he anticipated.

"Yes," he said when he saw the faint glow of Panuleon's wings. Quickly, the brightness took over and in a flash, they were gone.

No more than ten seconds went by until they landed in Corey's hallway. Panuleon found it difficult to keep his balance with another person, but managed to stay on his feet.

As soon as they stepped away from each other, Corey's dad appeared from the kitchen doorway.

The boys froze as Richard looked at Panuleon with surprise. Luckily, his wings were not showing.

"Oh, hello," Richard said politely, watching his son. "Who's this?"

"Uh, this is my friend Panuleon," Corey said as they glanced at each other with the same expression, knowing they would have to make things up as they go along.

"Ah, It's nice to actually meet you Panuleon, I'm Richard, Corey's father." He walked closer to shake his hand.

"It's nice to meet you too," Panuleon smiled.

"Thank's for the paint son." Richard said as Corey handed it to him.

"Here's the money," he smiled but regretted it. His dad would question why he didn't pay for the paint. "O-Oh, the shop assistant dropped the paint on Panuleon's foot, so she gave us it free of charge," he lied.

The angel was finding the situation rather amusing.

"Yes, it hurt," Panuleon said, trying not to chuckle.

"Ouch, does it still hurt?" Richard asked. "We have some ice if you need it-"

"No, It will be fine." Panuleon glanced at Corey who was glad he understood what was happening, "but thank you."

"I'll take this to your mother." Richard pointed to the paint and walked back to the kitchen.

Panuleon followed, eager to meet Corey's mother. He finds humans fascinating. They can be so different from one another yet, so similar too.

Samantha was looking at two paintbrushes when they walked in. She was also surprised to see Panuleon.

"Does Corey not bring home many friends?" The angel thought before she hurried over with a grin.

"Hello, who's this?" she asked her son while he twiddled his thumbs.

"This is Panuleon."

His mum said hello again before sharing a quick glance with her husband, trying not to show how excited and happy they were that their son has finally brought a friend home.

Maybe Panuleon meeting Corey's parents wasn't such a bad thing after all.