Feathers and Shadows

Chapter 12

Within my alternately fading and recovering consciousness I experienced pain, relief and sounds of agony. I don't know how much time passed before I finally awoke, but when I did I was in a room on a bed. I panicked and started thrashing about, then I realized my hands weren't bound. I got up slowly, looking around the dark room. I felt my hands along the wall until I found the door, as I go to turn it it slams open, smashing my nose and sending me sprawling against the wall behind it.

"Oh my god, Ruby are you hurt?" A familiar voice asks. The light goes on, blinding me for a moment. My eyes adjust and Dylan's visage materializes in front of me.

"What am I doing here? Why were you not there after school? WHAT THE FUCK!!!" I screamed at him.

He sighs and says, "It was Jay, he must've overheard us because on my way out I ran into his buddies, they held me back for a good five minutes, and when I got out there you were on the ground bleeding horribly, and Jay was...." He trailed off.

"He was what, Jay was what?" I yelled back.

"Dead."

I reeled back away from him, " What do you mean dead? Last I knew he was...." The memories came flooding back, the punching and kicking, my screams for help. His laughs of amusement. I shuddered and cringed when his hand came to my shoulder.

"Don't touch me!" I yelled out of reflex. He backed off, hands raised and sat down. I slid down the wall and sat there. He stared at me while I tried to get my wits together. Eventually I spoke up again, "He really is dead?"

He nodded, " Yes, his skull was crushed."

"Crushed?", I said sitting up, " by what?"

"Can't really say. All I know is that he was dead and his brain was a pink mush." His shoulders dropped and he looked away. I didn't know what to do. I wanted to reach out and comfort him but the thought of touch brings back the feeling of pain.

"You should get back into bed, you had two broken ribs and I think you have internal bleeding." Dylan said.

"Then why am I not in a hospital?" I said.

"Because the ribs have already healed, its only been an hour. I brought you to my house instead."

"What!" I tore off my shirt searching for anything that said broken bone, all I saw were purple splotches along my right side. I stared in disbelief, and pressed on them to be sure. Yep, no spiking pain, just the throbbing that comes with bruises.

"How?..." I started to say, then trailed off distracted by the purple and blue. The colors have changed.

"I figured you for one of us, but no Angel I know heals that fast." He said standing up.

"Angel? What are you talking about?" I said.

"Here, I'll show you." He started to take off his shirt.

"Wait a second there buddy, if you try something I will...." I stopped completely because out of his back sprung enormous black wings. They had to be at least nine feet long, and were such a deep black that I could lose myself in them.

"What.......how......" Then I lost consciousness again.

When I awoke again I was back in the bed, only there was a plate of food on the nightstand beside me. I sat up, less stiffly then before I noticed, and brought the food to me, I ate in silence, there was some Mac and cheese with corn and a glass of water. I downed the water, I was really thirsty, and started to sit up again. No sooner had I stood up there came a knock.

"Come in." I said. He opened the door and asked if I was ready to go home. I nodded and pulled on my jacket, only then did I realize I wasn't wearing my clothes.

"Umm.....," I said getting his attention, " where are my clothes?"

He started to blush and muttered " I had to umm..." He trailed off scratching his head.

"You had to...?" I said back warningly.

"Ummm" he swallowed.

"You..."

" Your clothes were bloody and torn so I....................changed you."

I stood in silence for a moment, must've been longer then I meant because he turned worriedly and said, "But not your underwear or anything just your shirt and pants...." He trailed off again. The slap was quick and painful.