Chapter Text
I drifted away, back to a more familiar place.
Pit-shift, pit-shift, Sand shifts under my feet as I ran with all my might. Cold, the cold sand of the English Channel chilled my aching feet with each small and quick step.
Run.
Run.
Run.
I’ve never felt so free before, every run and every step lit up my smile. I came to halt, accidentally kicking sand onto my brother, Jackson, before sitting next to him. He grumbled under his breath as he scowled at me due to the sand in his black curls.
“Don’t give me that look, what’s my time?” I poked his side.
“Nine-fifty-one, a new record.” Jackson showed me the timer on his phone, to which I smiled.
“Nice,” I commented while panting as I laid down next to him. “I’m getting better.”
“I’d hope so, you’ve been training before I was even alive.” Jackson spat back sarcastically. I scoff and stretch.
“Why did you bring me out here?”
“Well, you can still see the stars when I get out here, thought you’d like to see them.” He kept his gaze on the Horizen. As the sun painted the sea with beautiful blues and pretty pinks.
“But now the sun is up.”
“You like the sunrise though.” He scoffed and smiled.
“Thank you, for bringing me out here.” Jackson muttered, looking away. “I owe you.”
“No, you don’t, it's your birthday, you're supposed to be special and do special things!” He huffed with a smile as I jabbed him with my elbow. I stood and helped him up as well.
“You get to class; I’ll be home late.”
“Okay, I’ll see you then.” He waved as he walked off.
I quickly turned to run to practice, a light jog with the cold wind blowing over me. Each breath chilled my chest as I finally made it to the building.
However, Malery stopped me.
“Hey Brin!”
“Oh, hey Mal! What... what are you doing out here?”
“I was having some trouble with my car, and I was too nervous to ask coach or someone else for any help.” I smiled as I huffed. I followed her back to her car and promised I’d do what I could.
We walked over to the parking lot, making small talk as we walked over to her car. Once we got over there, I opened the front and looked into it.
It struck me as strange; Malery doesn’t own a car; I don’t think at least. Whatever, she probably got one over the weekend and doesn’t know anything about them.
But the whole situation still gave me chicken skin. My stomach churned deep in me as I popped open the hood of the car. A chill set into my heart as I investigated the car,
“Hey Mal, wh-what part of your car are you having trouble with?” She didn’t answer. “If it’s an engine issue, th-then your out of luck.” I bit my lip as I looked for an issue. “I can only do so much.” Nothing. Not a smell of smoke or oil, no unusual heat being emitted, and nothing looked to be out of place at first glance.
“Hey mal, what’s the issue with the car?”
“It won’t start.” She grumbled.
I pulled myself out of the car hood area, “Im gonna need more then that to-” I stopped dead in my tracks as I heard a click. I look up to an overwhelming scent of gun powder and a gun being pointed to my face. I saw Malery of all people pointing a gun straight to my face, maybe a few inches away.
That smart bastard , I thought, seeing how we were right out of view of cameras and far enough where she’d have plenty of time to get away if someone saw or heard. She roughly grabbed my hands and pinned them behind my back to cuff them.
“Mal! What the hell are you doing!?”
“Shut up! Get in the damn car!” She demanded as I heard the slight metallic clink of her gun. I wasn’t going to fight someone with a gun pointed at my brain, so I obliged silently. She slammed the door closed, making me jump slightly. As she got into the car herself, a million questions ran though my head.
“Mal, what's going on?”
“You are being taken into custody.”
“Yes, I see that bitch . Why?”
“I cannot reveal any information to you currently.”
“Why? Don’t I have rights?”
“Well,” She paused, coming up with a lie I assumed, “international law is different.”
“Ah, you just don’t want to tell me.” She grumbled. I huffed angrily and sat back in the car.
We finally arrived at the bay; she ordered me around at gun point again. I did as she said. She took me to the port and walked under it, we met two others in formal clothing and sunglasses; Malery pushed me to them.
“I did my part; you both owe me for doing your dirty shit.” Malery snapped at the formally dressed agents.
“Don’t worry, our boss will be sure to compensate you.” She huffed and walked off. I elbowed the closest agent; I heard another click of a gun.
“Christ, calm down. I’m not trying to cause more shit than I’m already in.” She seemed to relax a bit, “I just wanna know what’s going on.”
“You are being deported to Spain, where our--”
“To Spain?! Oh no, you are not sending me there!” I snapped, jumping back. “I was born here; you can't send me somewhere my parents were from!” The agent grabbed me by the bicep painfully to shut me up and pull me closer.
“Because its where our HQ is at.” I relaxed. They both dragged me onto a boat. I winced with how rough they are. A laid back on the boat and sighed, might as well try and get comfortable.
I drifted off, letting my eyes droop down and close.
I woke as I heard a loud clatter and speech. I wiped my head around; A girl was now standing on top of my rooms vent cover. She held a rope that fell from the vent.
A lean and slim girl had dropped down from the vent. She looked like an alien, having an extra pair of arms that helped her from the vent. Her needle-like legs lightly tapped the floor as she landed, and an extra set of arms right under her ribcage that resembled a butterfly’s build steadied her. She fluttered her wings as she gained her balance. Her dress, matching her wings twirled around her as she dropped down to the floor. She looked back at me, multiple sets of eyes with one set on top and under the other. The blinked in unison as she looked me up and down with navy purple eyes.
“What the h-”
“I know you must be confused-”
“Who are you-”
“And I can answer questions-”
“Why are you-”
“But we don’t have much time-”
“Freeze!” Me and the butterfly alien turned to the door that was now busted wide open. “Baylain, don’t move!”
“That’s your name?”
“I’ll explain later, but grab onto the rope!” I followed her instruction and grabbed onto it. Suddenly, someone above me quickly pulled the rope up as I shrieked with surprise. Someone caught me once I was pulled into the vent.
“Hold on, little lady!” Someone called out as I was pulled int a hot light. Outside. I was pulled on top of the building to greet a voice, a guy I assumed.
“Hi, hello, are you okay?” The ‘someone’ asked me. I took a moment to breathe.
“Ye-yeah, I think I’m fine.” I mumbled which caused him to smile.
“Good.” Two gunshots rang out, before the other person climbed out of the vent and turned to the person who helped me out of the vent.
“Elliot, we’re leaving, now.” She ordered from him. He quickly stood and dragged me up with them.
It was then I finally stopped to see the ‘inhuman’ parts of them.
Elliot stretched out his wings.
Wings.
Falcon. Wings.
Falcon wings that were easily over ten feet at full expansion. They were pristine and clean; he took care of them very well. But they were wings. He looked down on me with a crooked smile, his pale skin almost blinding me against the sun. Black, self-cut hair contrasted his skin, as he pushed it away from his face.
“Hey, new Baylain, admiring them?” I snapped out of my thoughts as I advertised my look from his wings, my mouth still hung agape at the sight. His wings fluttered against his loose grey shirt and barely tipped his tan cargo shorts.
“You- Wings !” I exclaimed.
“His wings are the last of your worries, we need to get out of here.” The girl that broke the vent spoke up, she pulled me along and brought everyone to the edge of the building.
“Hold on to him.” she demanded; I obliged, grabbing Elliot's arm. He grabbed on tightly and pulled me off the edge of the building.
I rightfully yelled at him: “What the hell are you doing?!” He huffed and muttered that I just trust him as his wings caught the wings, swooping him, the other girl, and I back up into the air at cutting pace.
My body trembled with the cold wind as it cut my skin. He kept a strong grip along my wrist as he held me up safely in the air. The wind stole my words as I admired the land and beach under us. He swooped down to the sand, causing me to shriek, and stopped with a flutter. He set me down in the sand.
Hot sand. I looked down then back up at the two that brought me here.
“Who... Who are you?” I asked as my voice was more strained than I previously thought. “I know your names are Baylain and Elliot, but you-”
“That is not my name, that is our species.” The girl interrupted. I stopped dead in my tracks and stared at her confused.
“Great Viv, you broke her.” Elliot joked with a slight smirk. His wings fluffed out as he spoke with articulated words. The girl, Viv, grumbled at him.
“C’mon, Elijah is waiting for us.” She turned and walked down to the pier, we followed. She stopped at the end. She pointed off the pier and told me there was a boat down there and helped me down. Elliot jumped down, causing the boat to rock.
“Elliot! Be careful!” Someone, I’m assuming Elijah, griped. I looked over at the boat driver's seat. “I don’t want my book to get wet!” He scowled at Elliot who huffed a laugh and shrugged.
He looked to be perfect, human copy of Elliot; no abnormalities with his skin or ears, and no wings. Nothing out of the ordinary, other than some scars along his chin. I assumed it to be shaving issues.
He slapped his book shut and tucked it away safely. He started up the boat and began with a jolt, causing Elliot to fall over. He yelped then yiped at Elijah.
Elijah copied his huffing laugh and shrug, Elliot scowled and sat back in his seat with a mumble.
“Don’t worry,” Viv spoke up to me, “We’ll get you to a safe spot for creatures like us.”
Then, I woke up.
The sun rudely shined into my dark room. I groaned as I pushed the upper half of my body up with my arms. My hair, light brown with blonde highlights, falls in front of my face and down to my shoulder bones. I swung my legs off my bed and stood. I looked up at the mirror across the room.
I caught a glance at myself, mismatched blue and green eyes staring back. My body changed forever; I’m more muscular, my hair is longer and messy, bags formed under my eyes. This is real. That was all real. This is my damned life.
Shit. Not again.