Landed Wings - By Skylhur Tranqille Page 0,10
through the path into town but don’t see anyone around. Of course that doesn’t mean they aren’t here-I can feel this strange tingle on the back of my neck…It feels like someone is watching me from afar. I stay low crawling, crouching and walking around. Five minutes later, there are still no signs of life so I figure it’s okay to stand up. The tingle is growing to an itch. The town looks different at night, not as dusty or run down but really quiet with spooky shadows everywhere. This is turning out to be a waste of time. I am getting nowhere walking around. I don’t see the boy, or anyone else for that matter. I wonder if I pluck off a few of my feathers and drop them on the ground, if anyone would come. Nay that hurt and it isn’t worth the risk of Sky Patrol tracing the feathers back to me anyway. That one feather I left behind last time was already a liability. I’m starting to get tired. I’m thinking about just going home and trying next time. This trip has been pointless. What…?! I’m pinned against the wall before I can even think about screaming. My mouth is covered by a rough hand, calloused and big. I struggle to break free, thrashing my wings back and forth. The itch is unbearable now. I can’t see who it is, because my back is to my attacker. I know whoever it is, they are taller than me, and obviously male.
“Princess, I suggest you stop struggling or they’ll be hell to pay later. Just go with it.”
I stop, but only because I am shocked. I had thought this boy rude, but not murderous. I don’t like to admit it, but I am a little scared. Okay, maybe more than a little scared. This was obviously a bad idea. At least the itch is gone. But that doesn’t change the fact that I’m pinned to a wall. I haven’t forgotten the look of hatred in this boy’s eyes. He lets go of my mouth. I draw in a breath to scream, I don’t even care about Sky Patrol. Before I can scream, he turns me around and puts his mouth on mine. I stop breathing. I can’t move.
“Hey! Mocha! What are you doing out so late at night – oh.”
Whoever it was obviously sees Mocha’s mouth on mine and it makes him chuckle.
“Well I’ll just leave you to it then.”
Mocha breaks away and grins at whoever it is.
“You won’t tell anyone will you, Hazel?”
What a pretty name for such a crude man. Even in my
precarious situation, I can’t help but wonder how the LandBound are named. Are their names based on the color their wings would have been if they were SkyBound? I have so many questions and I don’t know that I’ll ever have a chance to ask them.
“Wouldn’t dream of it Mocha. You need your pleasure where you can get it.”
As he walks away chuckling, I wrench myself away from Mocha. I want out of this disgusting place. I’m not curious anymore.
“Don’t ever touch me again.”
He doesn’t smile or say anything, he just stares at me.
“Why?”
He stops, takes a deep breath and continues on with rage etched in the hard planes of his face.
“Why would you come back here? Were you not listening the last time Princess? I wasn’t lying to you. If he had seen you, all alone, walking by yourself with your wings on your back for the world to see, do you think he would have been nice? Hazel is a pig who hates all SkyBound, and your foolishness almost got us both in trouble – you’re lucky he’s almost blind.”
“Why do you care what happens to me?”
I didn’t think his expression could get any darker but I was wrong.
“Who says I care about you? I only care about me. Obviously you’re here to cause problems. I don’t need problems in my life. Now go back up to the sky where you belong and don’t come back down here.”
“I’m not leaving until you tell me why there were no scars on that little girl’s back. Who are her parents? Was she born LandBound? How is that possible? And why…”
I stop and stare harder, looking for what I already know will be there. On his back…. I could see his wings peeking through. I look at the ground and there I see a caramel colored feather, clearly not mine. I look up at him.
“Why