Wings of the Walker - CoraLee June Page 0,12

of brightly-colored advertisements adorning the streets. Huts were made out of scrap sheet metal meant for shelter and decorated in graffiti. Trash littered the streets, and Walkers consumed every available pocket of space possible.

Josiah and Jules whispered amongst one another as we passed through the crowded streets. They smiled back and forth, seemingly unaware of the absolute poverty the people around us endured. A deep feeling of shame and hurt filled me to the brim. After seeing my heritage, I felt that what was once a river between Josiah and I had now become an ocean.

I felt sick witnessing, first-hand, the conditions I would have been subject to had it not been for the serendipitous kindness of the Stonewell family. I clutched my stomach as we passed a group of young children kicking an almost-deflated black ball. Despite the sadness and poverty surrounding them, they moved the ball between one another while chuckling and chatting. I looked over at Cyler to see that his frown had lifted a bit at the sight of these playful children.

“Stop the transport,” he demanded. Josiah looked like he wanted to do anything but that, his eyes squinted, and he released a loud sigh, but he complied. After punching a few buttons on the dashboard, we came to an abrupt stop.

Cyler wasted no time and climbed out of the safety of our transport while dragging me with him. He stomped his boots towards the courtyard full of Walker children while I shuffled cautiously behind.

Everyone stared at us with stunned curiosity. A sickening stench caused me to cough loudly and fight the overwhelming queasiness that bubbled in the pit of my stomach. Cyler made his way over to the children with ease while ignoring their gaping stares. A few smaller children, wearing nothing but diapers, cowered away from him. Cyler’s massive frame and gruff exterior were considered intimidating in even the best of circumstances, but now I could tell that it was instinctively programmed in these children to recognize any potential danger and flee.

“Now, this won't do,” Cyler’s booming voice echoed throughout the courtyard. He bent over and picked up the deflating ball and examined it like a scientist observes a problematic equation. None of the children moved, and the eerie courtyard was so silent that you could hear a pin drop.

“I’ve got an idea,” he said while snapping his thick fingers. He reached into the front pocket of his black jeans, and after a moment of searching, pulled out a bright blue piece of what appeared to be rubber. I squinted at it but was unable to make it out. Slowly, he put the rubber against his plush lips and with big, exaggerated puffs, started to inflate the blue plastic. Although I mostly was intrigued by the toy, I couldn’t help but watch his strong chest rise and fall while the blue piece transformed into a shape resembling a ball.

After a few more, loud exhales, he plucked the ball from his mouth and tied the end of it into a tight knot. “Now, listen closely,” he ordered. “This isn’t an ordinary ball. This is what we call a balloon. It is extremely fragile, but you should be able to toss it amongst yourselves.”

Cyler then bounced the balloon off his fingertips and towards the closest child. The kid was wearing overalls that were too big for his body, and the thick, denim straps slipped down his shoulder when he caught it. A rudimentary flatulence sound erupted, causing all of the children to chuckle.

Within moments, all the children were passing the balloon amongst one another while wearing wide grins. Some imitated the sound the balloon made with snorts and giggles. The earlier unease seemed to dissolve as other Walkers began approaching the courtyard to see what all the commotion was.

The growing crowd made me nervous, but Cyler seemed cool, calm, and collected. His carefree eyes made me wonder if he was scared of anything. He made his way back to my side and addressed me.

“If they are to be my people, I’ll need to build their trust. Loyalty isn’t something they will reward me with freely,” he explained while observing the growing crowd of Walkers. It amazed me that something as simple as a balloon could bring such joy to these people. “I wanted to apologize for being so forward to you, Ashleigh. I wanted to come clean about my intentions and ask for your help.”

Creeping insecurities about being a Walker crawled to the forefront of my