Wings of the Wicked - By Courtney Allison Moulton Page 0,26
Kate’s mom eyed the dress in Kate’s hands.
“Did you guys find anything you like?” Mrs. Green asked.
Kate handed the dress over. “I’m trying this on.”
My mom thumbed the dress I’d chosen. “Are you considering this one?”
“Yeah,” I said. “Isn’t it gorgeous?”
She eyed it with a tight mouth. “Don’t you think it’s a little mature for your age?”
On the other side of Mrs. Green, Kate scoffed. “She’ll look hot in it, Mrs. M.”
“That helps so much, Kate.” My mom sighed. “If this is the dress you want, then all right. Go try it on, but it’s the last for a while, Ell. You just got a really nice one for your birthday.”
“Thanks, Mom,” I said with a smile as Kate grabbed my hand and dragged me toward the fitting rooms. Will would have a heart attack when he saw me in this dress.
Nathaniel’s house was empty when I arrived. Any chance they got, the boys were outside, which was unfortunate for me because I was the only one who noticed how cold it was. Today I wasn’t really there for Will. Instead, Nathaniel had said he had a surprise for me.
I pulled open the sliding door and stepped out. “Hey, guys,” I called, and hopped down the porch steps. They were hanging out by the shooting range, and a number of guns were spread out across the table on the platform. Nathaniel wore ear and eye protection and aimed an awfully large handgun at a target board placed at the very far end of the yard. The target was so distant that I could barely make out the lines. Nathaniel fired and, a moment later, frowned.
“Damn,” he grumbled. “Just outside.”
I squinted and put up a hand to squelch the sunlight gleaming off the snowy yard and into my eyes. If the bullet hit the target, I couldn’t even tell. It was yet another advantage reapers had over my human body, I supposed.
“That’s because you suck,” Will called out in a bored voice.
Nathaniel frowned. “That’s one time out of three clips that I didn’t hit the bull’s-eye. Why don’t you get up here and show me how much you don’t suck?”
He frowned dismissively. “I don’t like guns.”
“That’s because you suck.” Nathaniel fired again. He hit the dead center of the target.
“You’re a smart-ass, too.”
Nathaniel chuckled and removed the clip from his gun and reloaded.
I let out a sigh loud enough for them to notice and turn their heads. “You’re both ridiculous. I want my surprise.”
Nathaniel beckoned me. “Come here, Ell.”
I moved forward cautiously.
“You’re going to learn how to use a gun.”
A small involuntary noise of glee escaped me. “Really?”
“Oh, yeah.”
He removed his goggles and earmuffs for me to put on. He held out the gun and I picked it up. It was heavier than I had imagined it would be.
“First rule,” Nathaniel began, “is muzzle direction. Always point it at the ground, and don’t touch the trigger until you’re ready to shoot a target. Safety’s off.” His finger flicked a little lever near the trigger. He flicked it back the other way. “And it’s on.”
“Okay.”
He took out the clip and handed it to me. “Unload like this. You try it.”
I did as he said.
“Now put them back in. Watch your fingers.”
I pinched my fingers on the first five bullets. At last the clip was loaded. I stuck it back into the gun. “Okay.”
“Now, aim for the twenty-meter target. Safety off. Finger on the trigger. There’s a little nub on the end of the muzzle. Line it up with the target. Fire when you’re ready. Try not to shoot Will. He’s grumpy enough already.”
It was difficult to steady my hands as I laughed, but I forced myself to get it together. Following his directions slowly and carefully, I steadied the gun with my arms out in front of me. I exhaled and fired. The bullet tore through the bull’s-eye.
“Well done!” Nathaniel said with a smile. “For you, a target this close should be no trouble. Let’s do some more difficult targets.”
I surprised myself with how much fun I had as Nathaniel taught me how to shoot, and after emptying a couple of clips, I was getting pretty good.
“So, Will,” I said, turning to face him. “What happens if I trade in my Khopesh swords for a shotgun?”
He stared at me, gauging how serious I was. “Then the world ends. Bullets don’t come with angelfire, sorry to say.”
“That’s too bad,” I said. “Guns are effective against zombies, but not reapers?”