Blackbird

Chapter 7

Ilva threw open the door of Arbor's house and walked in like she owned it. I followed meekly after.

"Good to see you too", said Arbor, darkly.

I jumped and turned at the sound of his voice behind the door. He smiled slightly and shut the door firmly, shutting us in.

Arbor, I thought, looked slightly like a mouse. Sandy blonde hair, blue eyes and quite small for his age. Arbor spotted me looking.

"Enjoying the view, are we?" He grinned, and I blushed beetroot red.
Not one of my best qualities.

Luckily, Ilva saved me.
"No, she's merely struck by how much of a small freak you've become", Ilva stated, putting her leather jacket on a coat stand, and turned to Arbor, "She's my soulmate."

"Obviously", Arbor said, "Otherwise you would have killed her by now."
Ilva grinned.

They must have been friends for a long time for Ilva to stand that.

"Sorry, I'm being rude", said Arbor, "Milo, otherwise known as Arbor, at your service." He extended his hand. I shook it.

"Your house", I said, to cover the awkward silence I knew was going to come next, "How does it blend into the background?"

"Magic", said Arbor.
He turned to Ilva, "The bedrooms are down there. I'm sure you know where to go."

He disappeared.

"He's a bit of a weird thing, don't mind him", Ilva said, as if living in a disappearing treehouse with a weirdly small mouse man was an everyday activity.
"Don't worry," I say, "I've been used to weird things happening since I met you."
                               *
Five hours later and me and Ilva were on the roof of the treehouse, staring down at the small world below.
"I've got something to show you", Ilva said at last, "It's sort of a tradition that I do whenever I go to Arbor's house." She grinned, "Which isn't often, of course."

"Okay," I say, curious, "What is it?"
"Stare at the horizon" was all I got.

I focused my eyes on the sky, my eyes hurting from the flare of the sun. Then, something magical happened.

It caught me off guard. Suddenly, a smear of orange, red; a dazzling glow fell quickly. An array of colours, a blinding flash of pure energy. Light, magnificence, colour, all come and gone so quickly. I was breathless. Awed. I felt so tiny, and yet so big in this segment of the universe.

I had seen my first sunrise.

In Central Southwick, the buildings and the smoke has been enough to cover anything that might have been etched into the sky, so this was a new experience for me.
And it was amazing.

I glanced over at Ilva. She had a misty expression in her eyes.

I fell asleep on that roof, tricked into thinking that everything was going to be okay.

Author's note: Drawing done by Pink Lady :)