Metal Birds

Chapter 6: Cliffside Residence

Fom rural Liverpool to the coast near Dunleer, Ireland August 1934

Arthur woke up to sunlight.

Half lidded eyes turned about to stare at the golden beams that worked through the cracks in the broken wood that made up the doors. He groaned, tightening his grip on something... a bag perhaps... he rolled over. He was comfortable here, using his wings as support on something soft. He furrowed his brow and attempted to sleep a bit longer.

He could hear a hen clucking not too far away, and he rolled over a bit farther as he heard the animal grow closer. Why did he have to be bothered now? He winced as he felt a beak pecking at his hair, and quickly raised an arm to push it away.
"Go away..." He groaned softly, before pulling that bag and its contents to lay over his head. The hen kept clucking incessantly. It was too late to sleep now.

"Won't you just shut your mouth!" He exclaimed in annoyance, finally sitting up. The hen let out a squawk of surprise, hopping off of the bag and retreating down from the loft. He sat up and rubbed his eyes tiredly, brow furrowed in annoyance. It didn't take him long to remember that he was still in the barn, and he still needed to get to Ireland.

He finally stood, brushing himself off in an attempt to get off all the straw. He pulled up his coat a shook it, before freezing as he heard a voice.

"Hello? Is someone up there?"

His stomach sank as he heard the voice of an old man grow closer, and a soft clanging on what he assumed to be a ladder. He turned, stuffing his coat into his bag, which he slung over his shoulder; and he bolted for the doors to the loft. He rammed his shoulder into it, too panicked at the thought of being caught in a man's barn loft in the early hours of the morning.

He let out a yelp as they crashed open, and he went sailing for the ground. He stretched out his wings, aware that his chest barely brushed the ground, before he began flapping frantically, not even daring look back as he positioned himself to go skyward.

He didn't notice where he was until he was far up, and he was sure he would not be seen. He finally looked around, letting out a breath he didn't know he had been holding. The sky was pink and lavender, and he saw the sun peeking over the horizon. The sea raged as it always did to his left, but he kept flying along the coast.
Why had he been so afraid? He could have easily gotten out at a slower pace. He laughed to himself, feeling the light adrenaline rush slow. He was being foolish, and he had probably just given a poor man a heart attack.

With that, Arthur turned his weight to the left; aiming in the direction of the sea. He felt the wind pick up, becoming stiff and cold; and he relished in it. Really, why had he stayed there for so long? He smiled, shaking his head a bit as he thought. He hadn't gone so long flying in a while, and he could feel himself slowly regaining strength.

Even then, he found it somewhat difficult to control himself. The winds were ramming into his lithe form from left and right, from above and below, and it was hard to maintain control. He had to keep his wings awfully stiff, and he could even feel some feathers loosen. He needed to preen again. Perhaps when he got to Seamus' then he could.

He hadn't seen Seamus in a while. He wondered how his brother was faring. Arthur's thoughts snapped away as he let out a yelp, rightening his course as he began to spiral. He beat his wings a bit, growing low to the water in order to keep from falling again. The wind wasn't so bad, and the waves peaked lowly above the water. He let in a breath, closing his eyes to smell the ocean. It was wonderful.
After a moment, he uncertainly lowered a hand to brush the water. It was startlingly cold. He loved it. It surely wasn't water to swim in, but it was a refreshing chill that caused his whole body to shudder and seemingly become more alert.