“Colton.”
“What?” snapped Colton, looking up sharply. His big blue eyes were filled with tears.
“What do you want to do?” asked Imorean, feeling taken aback by Colton's aggressive behavior.
“I want to be left alone. I want to be able to think. But I suppose that I will be getting neither alone time nor space to think.”
“If that's what you want we'll let you be. All you had to do was ask.”
Colton shook his head and looked away. Imorean frowned and got off the younger boy's bed.
“He staying here?” asked Toddy.
“I guess so,” shrugged Imorean. “He said he wanted to be alone.”
“Come on then. Let's give him what he wants.”
“All right,” nodded Imorean, falling into step next to Toddy.
When they were outside, Toddy looked at Imorean.
“I feel like I'm going to be sick.”
“I know what you mean, believe me. I had that same feeling yesterday.”
“Yesterday?”
“Yeah. I woke up yesterday. A day ahead of all of you.”
“I don't get this,” sighed Toddy as they walked across the campus.
“You're telling me.”
“I just want to go home.”
“Believe me. The feeling is mutual. If only I had a dollar for every time I had heard that today, I'd be able to pay back this evil scholarship.”
Chapter 6
Imorean found himself alone in the lobby of the dormitory early the next morning. Chairs and sofas looked forlorn, empty and devoid of students. There was no sign of life. Not a forgotten pencil or piece of paper lay on any of the tables. Dawn was just now coming into color and the lobby paled to gray, seeming somehow even emptier than it had in darkness. Imorean had woken up much earlier than Toddy, unable to sleep any longer. Part of his mind had felt too full of questions and worries and the other part of it was too exhausted to answer or properly resolve any of them. Imorean flipped idly through one of his biology textbooks that he had brought down to the lobby with him, intending to study for an upcoming test. The teenager drew his feet up onto the chair and halfway through reading the first paragraph began to wonder if there was any point. He looked out of the large front windows at the paling world. The limbs of trees were now visible. Shadowed skeletons against a gray sky. Imorean’s mind churned. Would any of them be getting their degrees now? Would they start taking different classes? What was the way forward? Angrily, he wondered if Michael and Gabriel had given any thought to their future and their wishes. Imorean looked back at his textbook and drummed his fingers against the pages. What a waste of over one hundred dollars.
The white-haired teenager was glad he had had an extra day to get used to his new wings. He thought back to the night before. It had been hard for him to watch Toddy struggle and fight with them as he had tried to put on his pajamas. Toddy had eventually opted to sleep without a shirt on, finding the wings too difficult to maneuver. Imorean sighed heavily and raised his gaze to the ceiling. No matter where he looked, there was no comfort. He was certain that other students on campus had experienced the same difficulties as Toddy. What had been done to them was completely unnatural. Briefly, Imorean wondered how much it would be to pay a surgeon to remove the wings. Then he shook his head. It would be far, far out of his price range, besides, where on Earth would he find a surgeon who would remove wings from a teenager's back and ask no questions?
Imorean covered his brown eyes with one hand. The bigger issue was how to tell his mother he had sprouted wings. Michael and Gabriel certainly knew how to put their students into awkward situations. What would his mother think? What would she do? Imorean pinched the bridge of his nose. She would probably panic. He wasn't sure if he could bring himself to go home. Michael's words from days before rang in his head. ‘Humans will not accept you’. But surely his mother would accept him, wouldn't she? Imorean sighed heavily and shook his head. Despite his misery, he had to admire the intricacy of Michael’s plan and the ability that the man had to keep the student body exactly where he wanted it. Imorean wondered what would happen now and what the students would do, if anything.
For the first time in many years, Imorean felt like a small child. He felt lost, vulnerable and alone. So very alone. He ran a hand over the watch on his wrist. His father’s watch. Touching it normally comforted him and made him feel closer to his long-gone father, but now it seemed to remind him of just how isolated he was. His mother was thousands of miles away. His father, beyond the grave and unreachable.
There was a rush of cool air from the doorway that pulled Imorean out of his thoughts. He looked up and turned in his chair to see who was coming into the dormitory. He stiffened when he saw Michael.
“Oh,” said the Archangel, stopping when he spotted Imorean.
Imorean stayed quiet, eying the green winged angel with suspicion. Like a deep chasm, silence lay between them, until Michael spoke.
“I had not thought that anyone would be awake at this hour.”
“I guess you're mistaken then.”
“So it would appear.”
Imorean tossed his textbook onto the adjacent table and watched as the Archangel crossed the room to the message board. After being attacked twice within the same week by Michael, Imorean wasn’t prepared to let him out of his sight.
Michael pinned a notice to the board. “Hating me will get you nowhere.”
“What do you mean?” asked Imorean, narrowing his eyes further in confusion. He wiped away the expression when Michael turned to face him.
“I can feel your glare boring into my back even from your distance. I am not the party that you should direct your hatred toward.”
“Are you sure about that?”
“Positive.”
“Oh? What did you test positive for? Something fatal?”
“I do not understand what you mean.”
“It was a joke.”
“If you wish to joke, I suggest you visit my younger brother. He enjoys a laugh. I, on the other hand, do not find a sense of humor to be necessary in my position. Therefore, I do not partake in such trivial things as jokes.”
“You must be fun at parties.”
“Do you have anything of importance to say? Or am I wasting my breath conversing with you?”
“Can you change us back?” asked Imorean, the question tumbling out of his mouth. “Back to normal.”
Michael inclined his head. “Can I? Or will I?”
“Can you?”
Two sets of emerald green wings shrugged. “I do not know. I have never tried. I assume so, as there are not many things that I lack the ability to do.”
“Will you?”
“No. You and your fellows are needed the way you are.”
Imorean glared at Michael, unable to find the words to respond to him. There was nothing, absolutely nothing, that was right about the situation. Imorean shook his head as the Chief Archangel crossed the room and paused by the door.
“Since you are already awake, I will save you a trip to the memo board. You and the rest of the student body have your first flying lesson today.”
“What?”
“You will meet me and my brothers at the indoor skydiving tunnel at seven o'clock this evening. We want to see how all of you will perform in the air.”
“Don't you think it would be better for us to get used to the wings first? Most of the kids on the campus have never even been in the tunnel.”
“Time is of the essence. Adapt and overcome. If you fail to do so now, you will surely die by the end of this war.”
“And just how many of our lives are you planning on throwing away?”
Michael seemed to stiffen, one hand resting on the door. Imorean resisted the urge to sink lower into his seat as the Archangel narrowed his pale, green eyes and scrutinized him. Michael inclined his head, as though considering something. A shiver ran down Imorean’s spine. He felt as though a weight was pressing down on
his head. Only a second later it was gone and there was the shadow of a smile on Michael’s face.
“The answer to your question is as yet undefined.”
“Or do you just not want to give a straight answer?” growled Imorean, getting up.
“You push your luck too much, hybrid,” replied Michael, pushing the door open and stepping out into the cold morning air.
Imorean closed his eyes for a moment and shook his head. With a heavy heart, he picked up his textbook from the nearby coffee table and trudged back upstairs. He wanted
to see if Toddy was awake yet. Perhaps human presence would bring him some comfort.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Breakfast was a still, quiet affair. Most of the students in the cafeteria were silent. It felt similar to a wake after a funeral. The regular hum of chatter was absent, as was the clinking of silverware. If there was speaking, it was done in hushed voices. Even normally energetic Toddy seemed to be reserved. Imorean looked down at the plate of food in front of him. He didn't feel hungry. Just the smell of it was enough to turn his stomach. Next to him, Roxy idly drummed her fingers on the tabletop. Mandy stared at her breakfast, looking pale. Across the table, Bethany looked transfixed by a bead of water dripping slowly down the outside of her glass. Imorean looked out of the window and watched as a pair of birds flew across the sky. He jumped slightly as his wings twitched of their own volition, as though they wanted to take him to the skies as well.
“Normally, I'd be excited about something like this,” sighed Bethany, breaking the pitiful silence that had hung over their table like a raincloud.
“Same,” replied Toddy in a dull voice.
“If the situation were different I'd be fascinated by these,” said Roxy, raising one of her rainbow wings. “You know, if we weren't soldiers in a war that we're probably going to die in.”
Imorean turned to look listlessly at her. The vibrant colors of her wings clashed terribly with the dull grayness of their new uniform shirt. All the students were now wearing the same thing, the gray uniform shirt, the camouflage trousers and the boots.
“Has anyone seen Colton yet?” asked Mandy.
“Not since last night,” replied Roxy. “I hope he's okay.”
“Me too,” said Bethany. “He looked really pale when we left.”
“What do you think they'll do if he's not at the flying lesson?” asked Toddy.
“I don't know,” said Roxy, shrugging.
“Better question is, what do you think they'll do if we refuse to do as they ask?” asked Bethany, her voice lifting slightly in hope.
“They did say we have free will,” said Mandy, her tone brightening as well.
Roxy looked up. “Maybe we should flex it.”
Imorean looked away from the window. “I hardly think that our being disobedient would go over well. These guys are powerful. They can do anything they want. I think it would just be easier if we do as they tell us.”
“This isn't like you,” said Roxy.
“I'm trying to think of what's best for all of us. We're already soldiers in a war. Let's not start one between ourselves and the staff.”
“He's right, Roxy,” replied Mandy, her voice dropping away from happiness.
“Yeah,” sighed Roxy, frowning.
Imorean didn't have the energy to frown at Bethany as the blonde girl shook her head. He knew how she felt. He didn't like the idea of buckling under and allowing Michael to run the show, but he knew that really, they had no other choice.
'Free will we have. A choice, not so much,' thought Imorean as he looked around the room.
“I'm going to go and see Colton,” said Imorean, standing up. The atmosphere in the cafeteria was depressing and he felt that he could bear it no longer.
“Do you want any of us to come with you?” asked Roxy, moving to stand.
“I don't mind,” replied Imorean. He turned on his heel and began to walk toward the door. He had to be mindful not to hit anyone with his wings as he walked. While he was beginning to get used to the way they operated, he wasn't in full control of them yet. He didn't foresee any of the students doing well in Michael's wind tunnel test tonight. Most of the students on the skydiving team still had a little difficulty holding a steady hover, adding wings into the equation didn't seem like a good idea at all to Imorean.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Imorean entered the hospital wing of the student health center as quietly as he could. There were still a few students in the room who were recovering. The white-haired, white-winged, teenager walked across the room to where he remembered Colton had been the night before.
“I know you want to go home, Colton, believe me, I know.”
Imorean stopped and looked up to see the source of the voice. Sitting on Colton's bed was a blond man with sand colored wings. Imorean thought he recognized him as being one of the people who had spoken during the assembly at the start of the year, but he wasn't sure.
“I did not give consent to be physically changed,” argued Colton. “I gave consent to be educated out of the country.”
“And we are educating you. It was just not the kind of education you were expecting,” said the man.
“I refuse to do as you ask me.”
“Colton, while that kind of behavior will go over reasonably well with myself and the rest of the staff, it will not be tolerated by the Archangels. The staff and I understand, the Archangels will not.”
“Archangels. I will believe in what they are and what they say when I see it. So far, all I have seen is a science experiment.”
Imorean stepped forward again and closed the distance between himself, Colton and the man on Colton's bed.
“Please tell me you aren't buying this madness,” said Colton when he saw Imorean.
Imorean tucked his hands into his trouser pockets. “Colton. I don't want to buy it, I really don't, but to me it only seems rational to think that there's something unnatural going on here.”
“Then you're as insane as the rest of them.”
“I came to see if you were feeling better,” said Imorean, trying not to allow Colton's comment to rile him. Colton shook his head and looked away. Imorean tried again. “We have a flying lesson today at seven.”
“Tch. Flying. You really do believe this, don’t you? I'm not going.”
Imorean took a deep breath and reminded himself that Colton was only fifteen. He had an excuse to be more shaken than the others.
“You would do well to go,” said the blond man.
“My mind is made up.”
“All right,” nodded the man, shaking his head.
“Colton,” said Imorean, taking a step forward.
“I don't want to talk to anyone.”
Imorean felt taken aback by the venom in Colton's glare.
“Come on,” said the blond angel, taking hold of Imorean's upper arm and turning him. Imorean fell into step next to the blond angel and shook his head.
“Colton's behavior saddens you as well,” said the angel.
“Yeah. He's rational by nature though, so I can understand his skepticism.”
“How sage,” said the angel, smiling. “I'm Afriel. Known better as Alfred Guardon.”
“You’re the head of the counseling department, aren’t you?”
“Guilty as charged. I am also head of transport.”
Imorean raised his eyebrows. “I recognize you now. You were at the assembly at the beginning of the semester. I've been trying to figure out who you were for a few minutes.”
“And you are Imorean Frayneson. Michael and Gabriel have mentioned you several times.”
“If you've heard of me from Michael, I can hardly think you've heard good things.”
Afriel held open a door for Imorean. “Quite the opposite. Both Archangels think highly of you.”
“Really?”
“Indeed they do.”
“Should I go back and talk to Colton?”
“Perhaps not yet. He's upset and I think he wou
ld like some time to himself.”
“Right.”
“Let him be. Try and adjust to the change within your own body. I recommend trying to get used to your wings, especially if Michael has arranged for a flying lesson this evening.”
“Yes, sir,” replied Imorean, walking out of the hospital wing. He glanced over his shoulder at the high, stone building. He didn't like leaving Colton in there all alone, but he supposed that if his friend wanted space he should give it to him. Imorean sighed and shook his head, starting to walk back to the dormitories. Colton would have to come around in his own good time.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Imorean found himself back at the gates to the sports field. It came as little surprise to him to find that the high, wrought iron barriers were closed and barred. He locked his jaw. He should have gone over them long ago. He should have left this place. They were separated from freedom by an eighteen-foot brick wall. Freedom could have been directly above them if they were able to fly. Imorean closed his eyes and looked down. If there were a way to unlock these gates, would he be able to leave? He gritted his teeth. Was there a chance? He would do anything to get away from here. Imorean tucked his hands into his pockets. If there was a chance, he would take it in an instant.
Chapter 7
Imorean nodded at his friends as he joined up and stood with them in the gym later that evening. After his visit to the gates, he had spent some time in the dormitory, but after feeling as though he had too much energy and too little to do, had returned to wandering aimlessly around Gracepointe's campus. He had passed several other students doing the same thing. He distinctly remembered seeing Ryan talking covertly with Baxter and Dustin in the shade of one of the campus trees. Bethany had vanished for several hours earlier that day, claiming to need time on her own. Imorean didn’t blame her. They all needed time to settle themselves in some way.
Inside the gym, he spotted her now, some distance away, standing with Dustin, Ryan and Baxter. There was an atmosphere of being caught adrift that rose from all of the students. Imorean knew how they felt. They felt betrayed, stolen and abandoned. There was no guidance for them.
The fans powering the indoor flight simulator started up and Imorean grimaced at his friends. Mandy, Toddy and Roxy returned his grimace with nervous smiles of their own. Imorean caught Mandy’s eyes and noticed there was something dancing in them. Was that excitement? Or perhaps nervousness. Something was going on.
Angels Soaring (Angels Rising Book 2) Page 5
