by Cherron Riser, Ashley Nicole Davis, Tara Ann Moore, & Taylor Lexus Brown
The city of Saint Louis bustled in the midafternoon, people coming and going, car horns honking, and chatter and laughter everywhere.
In a small pretzel shop downtown, a bright-silver-eyed boy twisted dough and listened to heavy metal through a pair of blue earbuds. In the main area of the shop, four more pairs of silver eyes watched him closely.
"Do you think he has any idea that he's different?" asked one of the onlookers.
"Did you, Tooka?" Sunyah smiled down at her youngest and newest charge, a super inquisitive fifteen-year-old boy who had been hidden away from Serpa in a New York orphanage.
"I did," he replied proudly. "I mean, I obviously never thought about being a bird, but I knew I wasn't like everyone else."
"Me too," chirped Kasha. She had been the first addition to the clan. A twenty-three-year-old bartender they had found in Louisiana. "I figured that's why I could never find a good guy, ya know, ‘cause I was too ... unique."
Sunyah chuckled and looked over at her brother Fallah. He was intently staring at their soon-to-be family member. He hadn't been the same since that night on the lake. Since they had lost Kalmutt and Verahn. But he was loyal and supportive, and she couldn't thank the Maker enough that she still had him by her side.
"Order for Sunny Farwell? Four pretzels and four Cokes?"
Sunyah turned her head toward the boy at the counter. She smiled slightly at the sound of her former name, now alias.
"So, uh, you want your food?" asked the boy. "Hot and fresh, just made 'em myself ... hey, you guys have bright gray eyes too? Wow, I never see many people with my eye color at all, let alone four in the same room."
"Maybe we're related," said Tooka with a smirk.
"Hey, that would be cool," the boy replied. "You'd be the first family I ever had. Ha."
Sunyah smiled broadly at the boy. She realized she had been blessed having been given to Annabelle so many years ago. Blessed to know family before rejoining the clan.
"Can I ask you a question?" She walked to the counter, studying the boy. His nametag read Donny.
"Sure, I guess so." He looked at her quizzically.
"Well, Donny," she continued, "do you like storms? Thunder and lightning?"
Donny smiled at her.
Sunyah smiled back and questioned him one more time. "Donny, do you like to fly?"
Allure of the Sea
Taylor Lexus Brown
