Moon Angel

Chapter 10: Lunair

Chapter 10: Lunair

That night I had my third dream. It was the same as the first one. Well, mostly...

The city was burning again with the same anguished cries filling my head. The dream played out the same. My mother coming into the room and the two of us running out, down the footpaths of the city. The soldiers came like they had before and started to gesture to me, but something was different this time. I could hear what was being said. It was like I had somehow remembered what had been said that day.

"Give us the girl," one of the men said.

"No," Mamma said. "She belongs with me."

"She belongs with us," the man said.

"The last place she belongs is with you!" Mamma spat at them.

"You are wrong. She is a Lunair and shall be taken with us. It is for your own safety. We don't know what she could do. We have our orders."

Mamma pulled me closer, wrapping protective arms around me. "But she is so young," Mamma's voice faltered.

"Orders are orders and Lunairs and Lunairs," the man replied. "There is no exception, even for... you." The man looked away. "Take the girl!"

The other soldiers pulled Mamma away from me and roughly carried me away, as I kicked and screamed.

I looked back to see what I had in the first dream. Mamma slumped against the ground, sadness filling her eyes.

The soldier went around the corner and I kicked again, harder, and this time I caught the soldier by surprise. He dropped me and I scrambled away, running around the corner to where Mamma had been. I had to get back to her. But when I got there, she wasn't there. I looked around quickly to see her being led away by some other soldiers in the opposite direction to me. I started to run after them when the soldier who had dropped me turned up behind me, grabbing me by the collar of my dress and tossing me over his large shoulder. He joined the other soldiers again.

"This one has fight in her," he said to the others. "Always like to see a little fight in a Lunair. Not many of them have any." The others laughed at this and they kept walking. I struggled and kicked one more time but it was useless. I wasn't going to get away again.

I woke up as the dream ended and lay in bed with my eyes open, just staring at the ceiling. I felt frustrated. Sitting up, I dangled my legs off the side of the bed. Why did these memories never give me the answers I was searching for, but only bring up more unanswered questions? It was clear that I was something called a 'Lunair' but what was that? What did the man mean when he said 'Always like to see fight in a Lunair. Not many of them have any'? Is being a Lunair a bad thing? What did it even mean to be a Lunair? So many of these questions swirled around in my head. I got out of bed and threw open my window. I climbed onto my windowsill and jumped, my wings opening up behind me. I needed to clear my head and a flight in the night air always worked. I searched for the largest tree I could find and settled in its branches, wrapping my wings around my small figure. This spot was one of my favourites. The air was always so clear above the forest. It allowed me to think about everything. I didn't know if I would ever work out who I was. Sometimes I wished I could just be human. At least they knew what they were. Even a bird knew who it was. Then there was me. I didn't even know how I had got to Earth or even what my parents' names were. Maybe this new programme, Omega, would be a good start. I sat in the tree, staring at the stars and the moon, breathing in the pine-scented air. I eventually made myself go back to the house. I would have spent all night outside if I could, but I had to get back. I stood up on the branch and flew back to my room, climbing back through the open window. I passed my mirror on the way to my bed. I was still wearing my white silken nightdress and with my wings still half extended, I looked like a creature out of a story book, slightly unreal. I turned around to see the sun had moved higher into the sky, spreading its pink and red light into my room. It must have been about six in the morning. There was no point in climbing back into bed, so I decided to get dressed and ready. Breakfast would be soon anyway and then we would start the long trip to Omega. I was nervous but excited to get there. What would be waiting for me? Would it be good or bad? For some reason I couldn't wait to find out.