Wings

Chapter 24: Katie

HA, YA BITCHES I GOT THE PEN AND BOOK!

I woke up to Gail shaking me, her eyes bloodshot.

"WAKE UP, WAKE UP, KATIE, I JUST REALIZED SOMETHING!" Her eyes were wide and wild, full of excitement.

"What?" I said groggily.

"We're not on Earth." She breathed.

"What clued you in?" I said sarcastically. Gail pretended to be hurt.

"Tyler's gonna explain stuff to us." She said. That got me going. I dashed right out of the bed..... Except it wasn't a bed and I was a good ten feet in the air.

Shit.

I frantically tried to position myself to break the fall and waited, a burning sensation in my chest..... And waited..... And waited.... Where the hell was the ground? I looked up and Gail had me IN HER FRIKING HANDS. I had shrunk. I tried to stand up and then realized that I wasn't even human. In shock, I tried to yell at Gail for doing this too me. A small smirk crossed her face and she whispered, "Katie, if that's you, then fly." And with that, she dropped me.

I took her advice and I frantically flapped my wings. I found that I was actually going up. "AWESOME!" I chittered. I flapped around, growing used to this new form, and I soon flew off in a random direction. I could barely see and kept slamming into things.

:If only I knew what I was!: I thought.

:A bat. Use your echolocation, click your tongue and avoid where the sound comes back.:

I frowned. I knew that, but who the hell had said that? And HOW WERE THEY IN MY HEAD??

I took the advice anyways. Clicking my tongue, I found that it was much easier to fly. It's not really how scientists explain it. It's more like playing an arcade game with the little lasers coming at you, like an obstacle such as a tree. You have to avoid them or, boop!

And, as such is requires of life, I went boop.

I fell right into the outstretched palm of, you guessed it! Tyler. His eyes burned into me as he studied me.

"Katie?"

I nodded, or tried to.

"How are you a bat?"

I rolled my beady eyes and chittered, "How am I supposed to know?"

Clearly understanding me, with a blank look in his eyes, he replied, "What the heck are you saying?"

I sighed and tried to fly off, but he had my foot. Ow.

"I'm taking you back. We have stuff to do." And with that, with me protesting as a tiny bat, he carried me back to the main group. When we got there, Ella wrinkled her nose.

"What is that?" She asked.

"A bat." Ani replied.

"It's Katie, right?" Gail smirked.

"Thank you, Gail. Yes, this is Katie." His voice was very nice to listen to.

"So, can I hold her?" Ella swiped me from him and stared me in the eyes. I saw the laugh coming. That burning sensation came again, a little stronger this time, and Ella dropped me as I turned back into a human. Because I feel quite nice today, I will spare writing down the sharp details of my first words when I was back.

"Good." Tyler's voice was the same, but his eyes were more dangerous. "Now, about where we are—"

"NARNIA!" Gail screamed.

"Ah, no. By now I think you've figured out we're not on Earth. And I also think you've seen a wee bit of magic," his eyes shot to Ella and she paled slightly as he continued, "and now it's time for me to explain it to my best." He cleared his throat. "I have a confession. But we'll get to that later. We're on a world called Orpheus—"

"Like the Mythology? That's stupid." Gail rolled her eyes.

"No, but this is where your Mythology came from." He gave a patient smile. "Anyways, we were pulled through a rift in space—"

"Like Doctor Who!" Gail again.

"Umm, sure, but this was a massive one. You may be wondering how I know all this? I'll get to it in a moment." The patience was wearing thin in his voice. "For now, we should be more concerned about the wildlife. I assume someone has seen some animal?"

Ani nodded. "Of course!" Which earned her a sharp jab in the ribs from Ella, who looked very uncomfortable.

"Do you want to share something?" Tyler asked, turning to her.

"Uhhh, no thanks." She tried for a smile and failed.

"Met any wildlife? Wolves, bears, squirrels.... Butterflies?" His eyes narrowed dangerously.

"N-N-No." She stuttered.

"Oh really—?"

"Lay off, Tyler!" Gail looked kinda ticked off.

He paused. "Tell me, then, is she lying?"

"Well, of course she is—! How did I know...?"

"All in due time. But first," His eyes began to glow and he lifted his hand at Ella. Something flickered behind her and suddenly a large pair of butterfly wings were visible.

"Whoa." Me.

"Double whoa." Ani.

"Triple whoa. Plus a triple holy shit." Gail.

"No butterflies, eh?" Tyler chuckled dryly.

Ella was paler than death. "How did you do that?"

"Magic. I'm not human."

Gail burst out in laughter and became serious. "I believe you."

"I don't. Probably some freaky hologram." Ani frowned.

"Nope. I can prove it." He looked at Gail, nodded, and closed his eyes, holding his hand out in front of him. Flames burst out and danced upon his palm. He closed his hand and it was extinguished. The only one who seemed unsurprised was Gail.

"Told you he's telling the truth." She smirked.

"I'm Tyler Atherson, and I'm—"

"An alien who thought his planet was dead until recently and has magical powers and wicked wings!" Gail's hand shot to her mouth as she silenced herself. "I'm sorry!" She squeaked.

Tyler laughed. "Correct!" The air behind him shimmered and a massive pair of brown wings emerged, stretching luxuriously. "You have no idea how nice it feels to finally stretch!"

The rest of us, especially me, gapped, except for Gail, AGAIN.

"How?" I asked.

"Seven Planes of existence." He smiled and laughed. "All in due time."

"Speaking of magic, has anyone seen the silly ball of nonstop giggles and annoyance?" I looked at everyone, especially Tyler, as if he had something to do with it.

And they all stared back, speechless.

"She's probably being Reina. Ya know, running, getting in trouble." Ella said, and Ani smiled.

Gail was freaking out. Not really. "I hope she turns up soon."

"She'll be fine." Tyler frowned, looking rather unsure of something.

Wonder what it was?

And then I woke up, for real.