Wingless

by Taylor Lavati

  "Um. Sure?" I answer, not knowing what he's going to do. He swoops me into his arms and takes off. I wrap my arms around his thick body, afraid of falling to the ground. I giggle as my stomach lags behind us, waiting on the bottom floor. The sensation is amazing.

  "It's much faster that way," he says as he places me back down on solid ground.

  "Thanks," I reply, suddenly shyer than before. I unwrinkle my jacket and fix my clothes, which were rumpled during flight. I step in front of the door to my house and jiggle the handle, only to remember that it's locked. I grab my key from my back pocket and unlock the house so we can get in. I hold the door for Micha, and he follows behind me, shutting the door behind us and locking the bolt.

  I awkwardly roam from room to room, unsure of how to behave. I know there's only a short amount of time before he has to leave, but I'm just not ready. He's the last thing I can cling to from the Veil. I'm scared.

  "So, what are they telling the others about me?" I ask him. I lean against the counter in the kitchen, resting my head on my palm and my elbow on the counter.

  "I think the truth to those who ask. They're not telling anyone out of our community, though. It's not exactly a secret, but it's not being broadcasted."

  "That makes sense," I muse, playing with my fingernails to keep busy.

  "You'll have to tell people you're eighteen, since you're not in school."

  "What's the difference?" I ask him, questioning what difference two human years makes. I know technically I'd be way older than sixteen, but still. I like being sixteen.

  "At sixteen, girls are still considered children. They go to school all day long; they don't have responsibilities. You're more mature than that, above it. You're eighteen to the humans. That's the oldest you can pass off as, since you look young."

  "Got it," I tell him, nodding back in understanding. A tense-filled moment passes, and I decide to just come out with it. "You're leaving now, aren't you?"

  "I think it's time for me to go," he says regretfully.

  "Okay," I say back, because what else am I to do? I can't force him to stay. I don't want to need him, but at the same time, I do.

  He comes over to me and stops right in front of me, just a foot of air between us. He reaches forward and pulls me towards him, hugging me tight against his body. "I'm sorry," he murmurs into my neck as I squeeze him. His voice is hoarse and strained.

  "I don't think I'm ready," I confess while clutching him, feeling more comfortable in his arms.

  "You're ready," he states, leaning back. He places his hands on my shoulders and stares down at me. His hand comes up to my face and traces my jawline, sending shivers down my back with each prickle of a touch. "You will be perfectly fine here. I wouldn't go if I didn't believe it."

  "I don't believe you."

  "I promise," he tells me, wrapping a strand of my hair around his pointer finger. He lets it fall into my face, and I have to blow to move it out of my eyes.

  "Will you come back?" I ask him, praying to Rem.

  "Next time I'm on Earth, I swear I will come check on you," he vows and I believe him. I trust him.

  Before I know it, I'm walking him to the window. It's now fully dark out. There's a white moon in the sky and a white little sprinkle of stars. We don't have them in the Veil, and it's truly mesmerizing to see them for the first time in real life.

  "Thank you," I tell him as he hovers just outside the window. His black wings wrap around his body, flaring out to suspend him in the air. "Thank you for everything." My emotions threaten to spill out of me. He leans in and just barely kisses my cheek. His lips are soft, gentle. I shut my eyes, trying to memorize the feel of him against my cheek.

  "I'll watch over you."

  When I open my eyes, he's gone, along with his words.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  Alone At Last

  I turn and face my empty apartment. Everything is shiny and new, beautiful in its own way, yet it doesn't feel right. It's dead silent, not a peep in the place. I look around the main room, contemplating what to do, but I come up blank. Tears threaten to spill over my eyes, and I try my hardest not to let them. I have no reason to be sad. I have to stop being so emotional. But with nothing to do, my brain is stuck on the emptiness.

  We didn't have much free time in the Veil. We'd go to our classes in the early morning, have brief break in the middle of the day to socialize, and work on our specialties during the afternoon. We each had to take up extracurricular activities, so I trained in the early evening.

  Guardian time was crucial and everyone had to commit to his or her families. So every night at exactly seven, I was forced to go home and sit at a table with my parents and discuss the things going on in each of our lives.

  It was dreadful.

  My parents mostly spoke of their jobs and what was going on in our community, while I tried to sit there in silence and listen to their words. It was painfully boring. But, I'm glad I had that time now, since it is going to have to last me a year without them. Those conversations are the only thing I have left of them.

  I turn and gaze out the window that Micha left through. My eyes search for him, despite the fact that I know he's long gone by now. It's stupid of me, but I just wish he were closer. I wish I knew when he'd be back so that I have something to look forward to.

  Lights line all of the buildings in perfectly straight rows up and down and side to side. I want to reach out and touch them, but Micha's warning of fragility goes off in the back of my mind. I look up at the stars and see pictures in them. But, my stargazing only lasts so long.

  I think I'm experiencing true boredom for the first time ever. I'm tired of sitting around, pacing the room, looking out the window, and staring out into the darkness. I actually miss the fact that the Veil was never dark. I get up and grab my leather jacket off the back of the kitchen chair and throw it over my shoulders. It's time to explore on my own.

  I remember to lock the apartment door and shove the little key in my back pocket so it doesn't get lost. Perry told me the people I'm looking for are half human, half Angels that aren't allowed in the Veil. She said they're my best chance to fit in here.

  I have to find some halflings.

  The only problem is…I have no idea where to go.

  By night three, I'm in the same exact place I started with finding the halflings. I've searched everywhere I could think of. While my search for help has proven a failure, I've learned a lot about Earth as a whole.

  I never set out during the day with a mission. So far, I've gone every which way from my apartment. I've found cute little markets where the nicest people try to sell trinkets and food to me for inexpensive prices. I've spent more money on food than anything else because it's so addicting.

  Today is no different, other than the fact that I'm going to the gym for the first time. To be honest, in all my adventuring, I forgot about the training center. So today, I wrote myself a note so that I don't forget. I'm excited to check out the gym, and I can feel the adrenaline rush though my veins.

  My closet is stocked with every piece of clothing I could imagine, so I grab a pair of sneakers, black pants, and a loose work out shirt and head out. I try to re-trace Micha's footsteps, but it's harder to remember than I thought. It was only three days ago, yet I can barely remember where the large building is.

  Micha should be here right now helping me, but no. He had to run back to the safety of the Veil where his perfect girlfriend Archer awaits him. It makes me sick to think that I adored those Angels. They're cowards. They won't stand up against what is expected of them. They reject what's different or may be new. Change is supposed to be a good thing.

  But I don't have to ever think of them again.

  I finally find the gym after wandering up and down side streets and walk in. The same girl stands behind the counter, and I walk up to her.

  "Hi," I say, waving my hand like I've practiced a hundred times.

  "Hi, Annie! I'm glad you're here. Swipe your card
, and I'll show you around." Carla flashes me a genuine smile, and the jealousy I experienced before with Micha fades. I pull my key out, with the little tag, and wave it under a red beam that blinks when it reads my card. "Perfect," she says as she steps out from behind her desk.

  "Thanks for this," I say, following behind her.

  "Of course. Mike's an old friend. How do you know him?" she asks, stopping to face me as we round a corner.

  "He knows my Guardians and helped me move here."

  "Your Guardians?" she questions, a weird look on her face. Her nose scrunches up, and her forehead creases.

  "My parents," I say, feigning confidence. I've been slipping like that since I got here. Most people just wave me off like an unintelligent little girl. Micha was right. People think I'm younger than eighteen. It's annoying to say the least. I hate being treated like a child.

  "Right, well, this is the main gym. The treadmills, ellipticals, stair masters, are all that is against this wall. We have functional training equipment against the far wall. What do you like to do?"

  "I like to hit things," I say with a shrug of my shoulders, thinking back on the room that Micha showed me. I only got a brief glimpse, but I crave seeing it again.

  "You'll love this room then." She grabs my hand and pulls me back the way we came. I giggle as I run behind her. But instead of moving into the front room, she leads us through the archway, which reveals a large room with punching bags and a ring in the middle.

  "This is fantastic." I step forward and touch one of the bags. It's chilly against my skin, but I love it. I can't wait to get started and get some of the anger out of my system.

  "Here's a towel and the locker room is right through the black door. Holler if you need anything!" Holler? I nod at Carla as I take the towel, and then look back at this magnificent room.

  I notice that there are two men working out in the corner as I step deeper into the long room. They pay no attention to me, so I pretend like they're not there, too. I place my towel on a bench against the closest wall, and then stand in front of the bag.

  I let out a nervous breath and then start punching, kicking, and going through what I've been taught. I only worked with Micha for a month, but our time together was well spent. He taught me everything I know about fighting and, for that, I'm thankful. It's probably the only thing I'm thankful for right now.

  An hour and a half later, I finish my work out. Sweat pours down my face, my body gleaming with moisture. I feel much worse than when I exercised in the Veil, but Micha said that food would do that to me. And the Earth air is heavier, so it's tougher on the lungs. Add the fact that I'm dirty, and wet, and I just feel disgusting.

  "You're pretty good for a little girl," one of the guys says to me, his voice coming from behind me. I look over my shoulder, wiping the sweat from my brow. He's tall, a few inches over my head with short, spiky black hair. He's not attractive in the way Angels are, but he's the prettiest human that I've seen thus far.

  "I'm not a little girl," I tell him, smiling to be polite. I try to hide the annoyance with his comment.

  "Well, you're still good. I'm Hare." He holds his hand out to me in greeting, and I take it after wiping my sweaty palm on my black pants.

  "Annie," I tell him.

  "I'm here most days. We should spar if you feel up to the challenge." His eyes narrow in on me as if he's daring me—challenging me. I never say no to a challenge, but I don't want to hurt the kid. I should be stronger than most humans.

  "I wouldn't want to hurt you," I tell him, shooting my confidence his way.

  "Please, I'm practicing for the big leagues. You can't hold a candle to me," he says. His words confuse me, but I just nod in response.

  "Whatever you say."

  "See ya, little fighter," Hare says in leaving. I wave, but his back is turned to me, so I know he doesn't see it. The door slams behind him and I turn back to my things. I wipe my face and body down with the towel Carla gave me and then leave.

  "Where should I put this?" I ask Carla when I get back to the front room.

  "There's a basket right in the corner," she says. "See you soon!"

  "Bye!" I say and then walk through the big, black doors in front.

  I can't wait to get back to my apartment, so I jog the short way there. I climb the stairs, my legs really feeling the burn with each lift upwards. I can tell my muscles are going to be sore tomorrow. I can't wait for it, though. I head right to the bathroom.

  This human invention is my favorite thing. I love the shower. I love the way the water feels when it's really warm and it sprays over me. I have a feeling that after my hard workout, it's going to feel phenomenal against my sore muscles. I turn it on and quickly undress, leaving a pile of dirty clothes on the ground. Then I jump in and let the water pour over me.

  After a luxurious shower, I get dressed. By the time I'm ready to search for halflings, it's already dark outside. Days go by way too fast here on Earth. I know there's only twenty-four hours, but it feels like there's less. I can never get what I want to done in that short time. The stars twinkle, but they're barely visible with all of the lights. I step out onto the sidewalk and it's surprisingly busy for nighttime.

  The past few nights, I've gone out and tried to find halflings, like Perry told me, but it's been oddly quiet. Tonight, the streets are filled with people bustling about, talking, and running around. Some speak on the phone while they talk. But all of them are busy, too busy to even notice me.

  I take a left out of my building and walk. When I turn the next corner, somebody runs into me and pushes me back. I frown up at the person, but they just push by and continue moving. There are packs of people, too. They walk together, laughing and talking. I want to be a part of a group. Yet nobody speaks to me, ignoring me completely.

  I decide to talk to a passerby.

  "Hi there," I say as I stop in front of a young man. He pulls two strings out of his ears and turns towards me. "Do you know where I could find people like me?" I ask him.

  "Like teenagers?" he questions. "How old are you?" he asks me, looking down over his pointed nose like he's much better, wiser than me. His dark eyebrows pinch together as if he's examining me, and an unwelcome feeling emerges in the gut of me, reminding me of the testing center in the Veil.

  "I'm eighteen," I tell him, trying to keep a straight face. I know it's what Micha told me to say, but it's hard to lie. I've honestly never really lied to someone. Of course, my relationship with Tab was never true, but that was to save his feelings and I did like him, just as a friend.

  "Oh." The man doesn't look convinced as he eyes me skeptically. "Well, you look like a youngin'. There's an eighteen and up club down the block, I think. My daughter attends frequently. I think it's called The Kingdom."

  "Thank you!" I tell the guy, smiling from ear-to-ear. He frowns at me one last time, and then turns to go.

  "You shouldn't be out walking alone like this. What would your parents say?" he asks back over his shoulder without looking. He takes the two strings and shoves them around his ears and retreats down the street without a second more of thought. I growl at him for judging me. I walk down the sidewalks, looking at the signs on the side of the buildings for 'The Kingdom'.

  Finally, a big, red sign blinks, creating a red casting of shadows in front of me. A man stands in front of the place wearing a black t-shirt. His muscles bulge from the confines of the shirt. As I get closer, he watches my movements like a Thriber—constantly watching and judging like the Angel's of judgment.

  "Can I help you?" he asks when I stop dead in my tracks. His voice is husky and low, but angry, almost like I'm an inconvenience to him. I shake it off and continue forward.

  "Is this a club?" I ask him, feeling out of place.

  "Yeah. You eighteen?" he asks me, his eyes spending way too much time looking me up and down.

  "Yes, I am," I tell him, my chest puffed out, my chin nice and high. I try to make myself seem older, but the fact of the matter is, I'
ve always looked younger than I am. Hopefully my outfit drives the point home.

  "Ten dollars entry free and I.D," he demands, holding his hand out, palm face up.

  "Ten dollars?" I ask back. A pang of panic resonates within me as I wonder if I remembered to bring my wallet. I quickly check my pants pockets and luckily, there's a little lump, and I know I'm all right. I hand the guy a wrinkled bill and flash my I.D.

  "Step inside, miss," he says, acting much nicer than before. He hands me a ten back and then gestures for me to move inside. I push past him into the place, not bothering to look back.

  Of course I don't get a chance, because the door shuts behind me, leaving me in a dark hallway. As I walk, I look around me, taking in my surroundings. The walls are a dark, dark blue, nearly black, but just not quite there. The ground is hard and feels wooden beneath me. Other than the dimmed down sconces on the wall, the hall is barren.

  With each step, the floor vibrates a little more and more. As I get near the end of the hallway, music starts pumping through the walls. At first, it's just a distant beat, but it gets louder and louder, and more and more intense, with each step I take.

  A man waits near the final doorway to the club. He looks similar to the angry guy at the front door, but he doesn't interrogate me. He just opens the door and fans his arm out to show me into the club.

  I step in, and it's immediately a lot hotter than outside or the hallway. The air feels wet and sticky. It's like nothing I've experienced before, since the Veil's air is always mild—the perfect temperature. Not only is the air hot, but steaming bodies keep slamming into me as I try to navigate my way around the place.

  It's hard to tell where to go, because all I can see in every which way is people. More and more people, all piled together, touching and rubbing against each other. I smile as I watch everyone having fun. But then I'm jostled to the left, and I stumble over my boots, not used to their weight on my feet.

  "Whoa," some guy says from behind me. He grabs onto my elbow and rights me so I'm standing on both feet. I turn to thank him, but he's already right in my face, staring down at me with intensity.