Glitches in My Code

Murky

The water shifts slightly, revealing a feminine face beneath the surface. It was soon joined by another, then another. The faces rise as one, and the creatures burst forth from the water. 

Not quite human, but not quite inhuman either, they tower above me. Feathered wings lay folded on their backs, dripping with water and glistening in the sunlight, short and dark, sleek and oily. Their hair is long and dark, blending into the wings where they meet while falling far past them, hanging down to the creatures' waists. They look like angels but are in no way angelic. These were angels that had been twisted, made dark and disturbing. These were angels that had lost the halos they had never quite had, leaving them in deeper darkness. They had fallen from sky to water, and everything about them agreed.

I took a step back, mere feet from the edge of the nearby cliff.

"We have arisen! What is it you wish us to do, human?" The tallest of the creatures steps forward. She seems to be the leader of the group. Her skin is darker than the murky depths from which she had come, her eyes midnight black. Everything about her appearance screams "evil", but I somehow knew I could trust her.

"I... I have nothing I want you to do," I stammer, baffled by the situation in and of itself. "I don't even know why you have "risen" or whatever you called it." The leader exchanges looks with some of the other members of the group, apparently confused.

"If there was no reason for our summoning, we shall return to the depths." Most of the group turns back to face the water, but the gaze of the leader lingers. Her dark eyes are glossy, and her shoulders are sagging ever so slightly. As they prepare to dive back into the water, I shout, my cry echoing across the water.

"Wait!" They glance back. "I do have a reason for... for summoning you!" I stammer, thinking of every word only moments before they pass through my lips.

"What is it that you wish for us to do?" The leader's rich voice is tinted with confusion.

"I want... I want you... I want you to do what you want to do, without bringing harm to others, for the rest of your lives!" I start out sounding unsure of myself, but soon conviction floods my voice. "I want you never to return to the murky depths of the water unless it is you who wishes it. I want you to never again fulfill somebody else's wish unless you want to. Do you understand me?" 

A look of confusion passes over the leader's face, and moments later, there's a gasp from the group, which had turned to face me while I was talking.

"They mean that we are free! They freed us from our imprisonment, Nahma!" A small and seemingly young creature pushes to the front of the crowd, midnight blue hair falling in front of her eyes. I watch as a look of realization dawns on the leaders face, and she stares at me.

"Is what Bothre says the truth?" I nod, and she pulls me into her arms. They are thin but strong, shaped by years of work. I hear murmuring within the group, but I ignore it. "Thank you," she whispers, voice faint. When she releases me from her grasp, I look over at the young creature, whose face is split by a wide grin.

"Thank you!" Her voice is high and chirpy, like a small bird's song. As I watch, her wings seem to pale, going from a near black to a pale greyish blue. I look around at the group, seeing many others with similar changes, ranging from a smoky grey to a nearly white blue.

The young creature, whose name I assume is Bothre, runs to the leader and says something. A slight commotion ensues but is soon resolved without a word in my direction.

"We are forever in your debt." With that, they turn and begin to run towards the edge of the cliff. As one, they dive off of the cliff, whooping and hollering. They spread their wings, catching the air beneath them.

I turn around to head back home, stopping in my tracks. Bothre stands there, wings tight against her back, an embarrassed look on her face.

"Shouldn't you be with the others?" I ask, concerned. She shakes her head.

"No. I asked if I could stay here. I don't know how to fly in the air, anyways. I was born after we Fell, after all." Her voice is calm. "I figured I could either stay with you or return to the lake."

My mouth nearly falls open. 

"Of course you can stay with me! It might take some getting used to for the both of us, but we'll manage." The joy on her face is pure and immeasurable.

Bothre would stay with me for the rest of my life, but I never saw the rest of them again.