Ataxia

Cardinal: 4

2036

ABHIK AND DARIN slowly trekked their way towards San Luis, which was about a two-and-a-half week trip. Abhik had never been more tired in his entire life. It was about seventy-two degrees, which was a luxury if you lived in Texas or India. To Darin, it was pretty hot. As the two made their way past Stamford, Texas, they stumbled upon something strange.

"Hey, Darin?" Abhik said uneasily. "What's that?" He pointed to something in the sky. It was very large, too big to be a bird, but too small to be a plane.

Darin drew his attention to the mystery thing in the sky, his eyes widened. "Abhik, run." And they both broke into a sprint.

"What is that?" Abhik said. "And stop running so fast!" Now that he thought about it, Darin would be really good at Kabadi.

Darin didn't answer back, only running. Darin knew what that flying thing in the sky was. Abhik was totally in the dark about the situation. He had no idea what was going on, but he knew that he should listen to Darin. Whatever was in that sky, made Darin look as if he was about to pee himself. So it was probably bad. But Darin knew running was pointless. That thing in the sky was his worst nightmare. It was what took Farin. Abhik looked back, seeing the flying thing in the sky was closer than it was a few seconds ago. He could see it a little more clearly. But it seemed to be somebody with wings.

What.

In.

The.

World?!

Abhik's eyes enlarged and his adrenaline kicked in and he ran faster than he ever had in his life. There was somebody in the sky with wings! Why hadn't Darin told him about this? Was this what Darin was talking about in Vivek's Little India? Silver? Was that Silver in the sky? The person with wings flew ahead of them, landing a few feet in front of them.

"Abhik! Get behind me!" Darin shouted, grabbing the boy by his shirt and shoving him to the ground behind him. "She's very dangerous and I need you to stay back."

"But Darin —"

"Be quiet, Abhik! Don't go anywhere, if you do, she'll find you." Darin planted his bare feet in the ground, baring his teeth.

The woman approached the boys and Abhik flinched, frozen. She had short white hair, with specks of black in them, which stuck up in all directions from flying. She had huge glowing yellow eyes. Feathers graced her skin nearly all over her body except for her face. She was wearing a sleeveless shirt and dirty jeans which feathers poked out of. She was wearing no shoes, and her feet were covered in white fur and little black talons. Was this Silver?

"Iris!" Darin shouted. "Don't go any further!"

So this wasn't Silver. She was called Iris? How did Iris even get wings? Where did she come from? How does Darin know who she is? What was she going to do to them?

Iris didn't say a word, she only got closer and closer. She kept staring straight into Darin's eyes, unafraid. As she came closer, Abhik saw something very strange dragging behind her. He couldn't see it very well at first, but it appeared that she had a feathery tail dragging behind her. Just how freaky was this lady?

When Iris was a few feet in front of Darin she broke into a run, which she ran really fast. She held out her index and middle finger like she was making a peace sign and she jabbed Darin's eyes. Darin cried out, falling to his knees. Iris darted her head to Abhik and he flinched, backing up. Iris hit Darin on certain points on his neck and he fell, out cold. How did she do that?

"Stay away from me!" Abhik backed away, muttering in Hindi. "I-I..."

Abhik could say no more. Iris stomped closer to him and he backed away, unable to say anything. No words came from his mouth. She stared at him and he waited for her to do something unspeakably horrible to him. All she did was take out what looked like a band-aid and came towards him with it. Abhik struggled to his feet and started running in the opposite direction. He didn't make it very far, though. Iris suddenly snatched Abhik by his jacket collar and she pulled his sleeve up. She taped the band-aid onto his arm and Abhik was out cold within a matter of seconds.