Spread Your Wings

Chapter 2-Leaving

On instinct, Izzy unzipped her suit, letting her wings come out and drop her safely to the ground.

When she looked up, everyone had mixed emotions. Fear, confusion, and anger.

Izzy looked down, wondering why they felt like that. Was she naked? No, she was wearing a t-shirt and shorts. Was she injured? No, but her wing--Izzy realized what it was. She had just revealed that she was peculiar.

Izzy exited the tube, noticing the bubble of space that everyone gave her.  She walked over to Jessica, just to test what would happen, but Jessica ran over to her mom, screaming.

And then everything was chaos.

Most people screamed and ran out with their parents following, but Izzy got a few touches on the tips of her wings from some curious people.  Izzy even saw Dave run out of the room.

Finally, when it was all over just her mom remained.

"You're peculiar," her mom stated, her bottom lip starting to quiver.

Izzy nodded. Her mom's lips were quivering so much, that she wasn't able to talk.  Her mom waved her over, wrapping her in a shaky hug.  They walked out together, arms wrapped around each other, silent.

...

Later that night, Izzy heard her parents talking about her. 

"The orphanage doesn't accept peculiars." Her mom whispered.

"Then dump her out on the street.  I don't care." Her dad hissed.

"I need to at least know that she's getting food." Her mom insisted.  "Please, help me sneak her into the orphanage."

"By doing what?" her dad asked.  "Wait, I have an idea.  Cut off her wings."

"No!" Her mom yelled. 

"Fine.  Then I'm dumping her on the street."

"No!  Don't dump her!  Okay just cut off her wings!  Just don't make hurt.  When are you doing it?"

"Tomorrow.  And don't worry.  She won't feel a thing."

Izzy panicked.  When your dad says he's going to cut off your wings--which probably doesn't happen often--the only thing to do is panic.

She grabbed a handful of clothes and threw them in a small backpack.  She tiptoed downstairs and grabbed bottles of water.  She also grabbed some leftovers in little containers.  She considered bringing a slab of chocolate cake, but decided not to.

As Izzy crept through her window, her backpack over her shoulder, her little puppy Ginny whimpered and placed her paw on the window sill.

"Fine Ginny, you can come." Izzy sighed.  "I'm such a sucker for your puppy eyes." She picked Ginny up, and climbed down the tree by her window.

As she walked away, Izzy felt tears prick her eyes. She was leaving behind her overprotective mom, her school, and her home.

Izzy set Ginny down and turned away.  Ginny was trained to walk without a leash, so Izzy didn't worry when she ran over to a bush and started barking.

"Ginny!  Heel!" Ginny reluctantly walked over, still slightly yelping at the bush.  Izzy turned, looking at the school where she had been bullied, the trash dumpster right next to her house that smelled, and the indoor skydiving where her peculiarity was revealed.  Filled with renewed hope, she marched forwards, away from her town.

"Ginny, com--" she was cut off by a hand clamping over her mouth.  The hand smelled like mint and lemon.  It smelled like her father.  Just then a needle was pressed into her arm.  A sedative.  Izzy started hyperventilating.

Before long, though, she couldn't see, feel, hear, or do anything.  She was knocked out cold.

But before she was knocked out, one thought flashed through her mind.

What's going to happen to me?