Chasing Starlight 💫

22. Ashala. Part. 2

Ash:

Squinting against the sun, Ash turned her head and peered down. It was like the world was speeding below them. Suburbs came and went. Cars on freeways honked their horns as Keenan and Ash flew overhead. His wings fanned around her, pushing gusts of air into her face, blowing her hair in unruly directions. She wasn't about to complain, especially while he was staring up a plane as if he'd discovered a potential threat. A growl came from his throat. Ash clawed his coat as he flew faster, so fast that the plane was soon a distant memory. Looking past Ash, he studied the scenery below.

"Where are you taking me?" Ash shouted.

"A place you have forgotten."

"How could you possibly know what I've forgotten?"

"It's all in here, Little Star," he said, inclining his head towards hers. "Your mind is a labyrinth of half memories, pain, and black gaping holes, but I found a way through."

"You did?" she whispered, feeling more fragile in his arms. "But people forget things. That's normal."

"Most people don't have their memories adjusted."

"You're lying."

"Am I?" He grinned.

Ash suddenly wished she had wings of her own. Keenan already had too much control now that her life was in his hands, but to know her every thought better than she did... "What did you find?"

"Answers."

"Prove it."

His brow raised, and Ash swore she was having a moment of déjà vu, but his hair should have been sandy blond not black. "Patience, Little Star."

Ash huffed. This was not a time to be patient. More like a time to scream. Maybe Lücan or Will will come to rescue me?

Nobody's coming for you, Keenan said in her mind. Just as well. We are here.

Ash peered over her shoulder. They were speeding over grassy plains that would soon lead to a sharp drop of cliffs and ocean. Every so often a house dotted the land, and to her far left a small town, with ferries docked along the pier. None of it seemed familiar. Keenan had to be lying, and that made it harder to hold onto him.

The air skimmed over her skin like ice. Below, a tourist center was bustling with visitors walking along zigzagging boardwalks that sloped down grassy hills and rose to a cliff. They flew over beach and volcanic rockpools that led out into the calm waters, and still kept flying. Ash squirmed against him, fearing they would never stop. At this rate, they'd end up in Tasmania or the Antarctic or circle the world for the rest of their hour. But Keenan's wings broke into a glide and he descended towards a small rock island where hundreds of seals lazed under the sunshine. He lowered Ash onto the top of the rock, giving her a view of the seals on the lower rim. As Keenan hovered in the air, she turned on the spot, taking in this little piece of the world he'd chosen just for her. The wind blew, carrying the smell of seawater and fishy seals. She frowned. The seals reeked, but there was something comforting about it.

Walking from one end of the rock to the other, she carefully inspected its bumps and colors, feeling as if she was should be searching for something. She stood at the edge, looking over at the tourist center and the people walking along the ramps up the side of the hill, wondering if they thought Keenan was a huge eagle with black wings circling the island or whether they stared in wonder at the boy attached to those wings. Cars had already spotted them on the freeway, so the secret was out. She pulled out her phone and checked the local news. It was worse than she'd imagined. Every article had big photos of Keenan flying over the freeway, taken through somebody's windscreen. Her multi-colored hair was as clear as day and her school uniform was rising too high. She was just thankful that no one could see her face. She gulped at the headline: 'Flying boy and girl seen over Melbourne freeway. Elaborate hoax? Angel? Or a feat of advanced technology?'