Clipped Wings

XXVII

July 27th

Harper stole a spring roll from Quinn's plate practically deep throating the thing to hide the evidence. But Harper being Harper started to gag and choke on the oily cylindrical treat. Quinn being the greatest friend in the world instead of helping Harper just laughed at her. Well the fun was cut short when Harper started to gesture for a tissue. Unfortunately for her Quinn was the worst at charades like the literal worst. At parties you would never want to be paired with her as she would just bounce up and down on the sofa making frustrated grunts unable to ever guess correctly. So Harper just helped herself picking up the napkin spitting out the contents of the spring roll earning her a gag from Quinn as she wiped her mouth.

"Thanks for helping me babe. I appreciate it." Harper jokes as Quinn rolls her eyes.

"That is what you get for being greedy and stealing a spring roll from my plate." Quinn retaliates as she picks up a prawn toast from Harper's plate to get even at her and of course Harper was not impressed.

Especially since Quinn had been very adamant she didn't want prawn toasts she only wanted veggie spring rolls. Moving her plate to the arm of of the sofa to the left of Harper so Quinn could not get her grubby fingers on any more of her food.

"So glad we decided to be friends again." Harper mutters as Quinn shoved her face with a fork full of noodles a few of them dangling out like a beard.

"You couldn't ever get rid of me even if you tried to kill me you know I would just haunt you till you died yourself." Quinn states muffled by the food she had in her mouth which made Harper gag. That was in called for Harper thought she hated when people spoke with their mouthful.

"Would be worth it." Harper mumbles stabbing her fork into a piece of sweet and sour chicken.

Harper's chest started to tighten , gasping she held her right hand against it pushing it as if it would take away the problem. Assuming it was probably heartburn knowing her luck with crispy chilli beef the two of them were like the most problematic coupling you could meet. One moment it was great the next it was painful a bit like her friendship with Finnegan she thought. Quinn frowned placing her from on her plate turning to Harper properly watching as she looked like a woman in early stages of labour breathing through her contractions.

" You alright babe need some Heart burn relief thingy ma bobs. You know you and crispy beef don't get on." Quinn questions getting ready to put her plate on the coffee table and route through the Harper's bathroom cabinet for the heartburn relief.

You silly , silly girl. A male cackled in Harper's head as she choked on her breathe. It felt like someone was sat on her chest when in reality no one was at all.

Harper's eyes widened in shock recognising the name almost instantly he had been in her head constantly over the past few weeks whether she liked it or not. But she couldn't tell if its focus was targeted at her or if it was a memory of Lilibeth's. But what was said next made her realise that it was specifically for her.

You think I don't see what you're doing. I see it loud and clear sweetheart and I am not gonna let you two get away with it.

Harper grabbed at the air around her taking in shallow breathes as it was the only way she could get any air at all into her body. Quinn started to panic flailing her arms around like a flightless bird or Finnegan when he sees a baby screaming. This was out of her depth and she was scared Harper was going to die. She wasn't but her mind fell into that dark area pretty quickly as she watched Harper scratch at her chest just below her scars. As if breaking into her chest would help the air flow. Her wings turning grey as if they were losing life a couple even falling off onto the sofa.

"Babe ... breathe ... you're scaring me. What has that dark angel Finnegan done to you. Do I need to get Uncle Jack on him I swear. Your wings. Calm down." Quinn panics as Harper shakes her head which was not the most helpful answer for Quinn leaving her frowning but still flailing about like a flightless bird unsure whether to continue eating her food or pace around the room grabbing anything and everything she thought might be helpful.

Harper closed her eyes trying to distract herself from what was going on. But she couldn't all she could se was his bright red eyes and hear that snarl in his voice as he cackled. Unable to get away she herself thought this is it , mum I am coming to meet you. There felt like there was no way she was going to get out of this time third time was the charm. Waiting for that bright light to blind her , end the suffering.

A hand touched her back softly moving the hair away from her neck. The touch didn't feel menacing at all it felt nice and soothing. Instantly regaining the ability to breathe. It was a miracle. Looking around she saw the bright blue sky and she gasped in awe. There he was standing in front of her in all his glory. His hair being blown slightly in the wind causing a few of his more curlier pieces to fall against his forehead. As his half open shirt blew open even more revealing his glorious chest which she didn't mind at all. It was a spectacle worthy of being on display at a museum and she knew he knew that being as vain as he was. Her hair in loose curls as a ring adorned her finger she would recognise any day.

It was the ring her mother kept in her jewellery box for when the two of them managed to book and go on a trip to Disneyland. Tears of joy fell from her eyes knowing they did it and they did it together. Regardless of what was going to happen next , this was the best moment of her life.

"I'm sorry this had to happen." He whispers and Harper shakes her head.

"I thought I could end it. " He continues as Harper's dress catches in the wind.

"It's fine I know." Harper somehow whispers but it felt like an out of body experience as he grabbed hold of her hand holding her tightly kissing the top of her head as she remembered he had done to Lilibeth the day he killed her.

.A single tear fell from her left eye and he wiped it gently away. Smiling at her sadness also clear in his eyes. His hand trailing its way to her neck.

"I ..." He starts