The Winged

13- Consequences

Micah vanished in the shrub of the forest in a matter of seconds. I didn't have time to feel happy. The floor swelled quicker than I could breathe.

I barely had enough strength left to catch myself before the collision. I threw out my wings seconds before the fall would have become fatal and slammed into the dirt.

I went skidding through dirt on impact and and smeared mud all down the front of my clothes. Not very graceful.
I coughed a few times, my wings now hanging limply on my back, dry leaves and moss all around me as I lay dazed on the forest floor. The impact had left me seeing stars... but I was alive. I'm alive. That was something.

"For goodness sake," a voice sighed above me. Footsteps pounded through the floor. His foot actually swept directly over me as he strode towards where I had thrown Micah. For one dreadful, sickening second, I though the human was going to stomp on me. Crush me under his foot, right here in this dirt. Kill me. But the shadow passed and the footfall sent a throb through my very un-crushed body. Still breathing, still shaking. So I was still alive. And that meant I still needed to get away.
I could only frantically pick myself up as he rummaged around through the bushes.

He was brushing around in the leaves and branches, searching for the small boy, but I knew that he was lost. I allowed myself a second-long smile, the expression stinging my my face. The greenery was too thick, and I knew that Micah would have rolled far away from where Sam was looking. He was gone. Safe.
The human groaned under his breath.

I scrambled up, slipping on the dirt under my boots. Micah was safe, but I wasn't. Now on my feet, I began to sprint as fast as my legs could carry me in the opposite direction and towards the nearest bush I could see. My arms hurt with each pump, but I couldn't stop— I refused to let my strength give out yet. Panting, I gritted my teeth as my back cried out in pain. My already stinging wings were being jostled around as I sprinted. But it didn't matter, it didn't matter! Just keep running, run, run before he catches you! My mind screamed it at me. Run.

That bush I had set my sights on was within reach now. I hadn't expected to actually be able to escape after setting Micah free; I had already tried to prepare myself for what I knew would happen. But it seemed Sam was too distracted with finding the boy to notice that I too was getting away. Find the Hollow, find the Hollow-
It was the only thought than ran through my head as I tore towards cover. Get home, get home! I screamed inside my head a dozen times, willing it to be true. Leaves crunched with every step I took and flurries of their fragments hit my face in the breeze. Find the Hollow, get home, escape. I was so close! I had almost reached the cover of the dense foliage when I heard a soft laugh behind me.
"Now, I know that you're not trying to run away from me."

I could only try to run away from him faster as footsteps thundered towards me. Some awful, thick shadow proceeded to block out the sun. I bolted desperately as the giant footsteps grew closer to me, a single leaf beginning to cover my body as I finally made it to the bush. Gritting my teeth, I leapt forwards in a last-ditch bid to get under the cover. I was still reaching in midair when air went rushing past me and the jar was slammed over my tiny figure.

I smacked into the glass wall and was thrown backwards into the dirt. A shallow panting echoed in my ears. It took a moment for me to realise that it was my own breath I could hear. I blinked and opened my eyes, the floor crunching with each breath I drew. The start of a headache crept into the front of my head. Probably from the impact of hitting the glass. Looking all around me, I realised what had happened within a moment. Dread filled my body as I pushed myself up. Oh, no-
I scrambled to my feet, staring around in a frenzy at the glass cylinder that had engulfed me. No no no no! Groaning, I crouched low to the floor and tried to slip my hands under where Sam had slammed the jar over me, but the glass rim was pressed down onto the floor, keeping me from escaping. I whined weakly. No, I was so close! I couldn't be trapped again!