When I got home it was past nine thirty. My mother would probably still be up. I couldn’t lose Aaron. Not now. Not after everything we’d been through. Touching down in my front yard, I immediately tried to retract my wings. When they wouldn’t go, I hurriedly pulled on my clothes. Entering the front door, I ran down the hall to Mom’s room. Not bothering to knock, I burst inside. When I thrust my phone at her, her eyes bulged at my blatant intrusion. At the moment, she was sitting on her bed, perusing a magazine. Setting it aside, my mother’s eyes went first to my wings, then to the phone in my trembling hand.
“Uriah, what is going on?!”
Help me! I signed.
“What happened?” the shock instantly turned to fear.
I was with Aaron and my wings came out. You have to help me text him back.
“Did he see you?”
No, but now he’s texting me and I can’t respond. You have to help me!
Mom’s eyes dropped to the phone in my hand. “Honey, I told you I wouldn’t enable…”
I gritted my teeth in a silent growl of frustration. This isn’t enabling. This is helping your son have a normal relationship! I like Aaron and I don’t want to lose him. Please help me!
Tears welled in her eyes as she shook her head. “I can’t.”
Why not?!
“Honey, something happened yesterday. I wanted to tell you sooner, but you were gone.”
What happened?
“Your father came through the portal!” her voice broke with giddy excitement. “Can you believe it?!”
I shook my head. Why would he do that? He’s never come through before.
“I know. He had important news!” Mom’s eyes were now shining like fireflies. “Honey, rumor has it that a new ruler is taking the throne. It’s happening at last! We can finally go home!”
This is my home.
She shook her head. “No, you know that’s not true. This was never your home, not truly. I told you we would be returning one day and that day has come. Who knows how long that portal will stay open. We most leave soon.”
I took a step back. I’m not going.
Her voice became stern. “Uriah, you knew this day would come. That’s why I’ve been telling you not to get involved with anyone. That’s why I’ve tried to keep you sheltered. I know we’ve had our differences, but I was trying to help you. I was trying to spare you the pain of leaving someone behind.”
I shook my head. I can’t go back. I don’t even know anything about our world.
“What are you talking about? I’ve told you all about it.”
Meaningless facts. I don’t know anyone there. I would be alone.
“That’s not true, not anymore. I know you were alone when you were young, but that will be different now. With the new ruler taking the throne, Flyers will be coming out of seclusion. They’ll be everywhere! Even better, you will finally be able to use your telepathy. You’ll finally have people you can talk to! Honey, you’ll love it. I know you will!”
This did sound inviting, but I’d made my decision. I’d made it a long time ago. It doesn’t matter. That might have been my home once, but things have changed. I know it won’t be easy, but I want to stay here.
“Uriah,” Mom was starting to sound impatient. “That’s crazy. The genetic suppressant I gave you is running out. Someday soon, you won’t be able to retract your wings. Then what? You’ll be mute and illiterate. You won’t be able to work, you won’t be able to go out into public. What will you do? How will you live?”
The same way we’ve been living. We have plenty of gold. I’ll open up a bank account. The suppressant isn’t gone yet. I still have time and when it fades for good, Aaron can help me. I can make it work.
“You sound like a child!” Mom snapped, her face red. “Everything is so simply in this little fantasy you’ve constructed. You have no idea what it’s like living in the real world. You wouldn’t last a month. I don’t care if you’re in love or you’ve found your soulmate. No one will accept you, not even your precious boyfriend. If you show him what you really are, he’ll either run from you or find a way to use you.”
I shook my head, my lower lip quivering at the harshness of her words. I’d forgotten how venomous she can be.
“It’s not up for discussion,” Mom continued. “Pack your things. We are leaving first thing tomorrow. End of story!” She ended the conversation by reaching over and turning out the light. I had no choice but to leave. I may be able to see her in the dark, but she couldn’t see me. I wanted to scream, but I couldn’t. Going to my bedroom, I tried again to retract my wings, but they stubbornly remained. Flopping down on my bed, I cried myself to sleep. By the next morning, I’d made up my mind. I’m telling Aaron the truth about me. I didn’t care about all my mother’s warnings. He won’t expose or exploit me. He isn’t like that. He’ll accept me. The real me.
Slipping out of bed in the early hours of the morning, I made one last attempted to retract my wings. This time they obediently slipped away. Tiptoeing down the hall, I checked the front drive to make sure the car was there. Good. Grabbing the keys off the hook, I left the house. Climbing into the vehicle, I started the engine. I’d never driven before, but I’d watched my mother enough times to know what to do. Putting the car in gear, I backed out of the driveway. I was nervous at first, but after a few minutes, driving felt natural. By the time I reached the city, I was completely at ease. Arriving at Aaron’s house, I parked along the curb and went to his window. Looking inside, I didn’t see him. His bed was empty and he wasn’t at his desk. Where is he? A different part of the house maybe? Pulling out my cellphone, I called his number. When it went straight to voicemail, I knew something was wrong. Coming around to the front of the house, I realized his tiny silver car was not parked in the driveway. Where would he go at this hour? Going back to his window, I pried it open and climbed in. Looking around the room, I noticed a piece of paper on his pillow. It was a typed messaged. Snatching it up, I tried to read the words, but my hands were shaking and my heart was racing. The letters were rapidly scrambling together. Take a deep breath and let it out. I breathed until my heart rate leveled out. Looking at the note, I began to read the words:
People are not strong. They are weak. For better or worse, we are all weak. I would know. I tried to fight it. I did, but I’m not that strong. Some burdens are just to heavy. If you’re reading this Mom and Dad, then it means that I lost the battle. I just got tired of fighting. If this causes you pain, than I’m sorry. I’m sorry I couldn’t be the son that you wanted me to be. I’m sorry I couldn’t be the role model that you’d envisioned for Mathew. I guess there’s an apology in here for him as well. Matt, I know I could be tough sometimes, but I always loved you. You were the only one who accepted me for me. This is my last goodbye. See you on the other side.
Aaron.
Oh, no! The note almost fell from my hand as the room swam around me. This is a suicide note! He’s planning to take his own life! I have to stop him! If it isn’t already too late… I looked frantically around the room for a clue, any clue that would tell me where he was. I saw nothing. I had no idea where he’d go. Where do you go to end it all? Knowing Aaron, it would probably be somewhere meaningful. What places hold meaning to him? I knew he liked the library, but that didn’t seem like the ideal place to die. He would probably go somewhere secluded. Somewhere he knew he wouldn’t be interrupted. Someplace… Suddenly I remembered something Aaron had said. “When they lay me down to rest, I hope it’s in a place this beautiful.” The National Forest! He would go to the National Forest! When did he leave? Logging into his computer, I found the original suicide note on the desktop. According to the time stamp, he’d printed it at 5:40am. It was now 6:30am. If he left right after printing it, he'd be arriving at the National Forest in ten minutes. It would take me about that long to fly there. If I was lucky, I’d be able to intercept him before it was too late. Of course, all this hinged on me knowing him as well as I thought I did. If
I arrive and he isn’t there… Folding up the note, I stuck it in my pocket and climbed back out the window. It was still very early so there wasn’t anyone on the street. Taking a deep breath, I let my wings out, got a running start and took off. My heart raced as I tried not to think about what could go wrong. What detail I might have over-looked. I have to save him. That’s all that matters.
When I reached the National Forest, I started circling overhead, looking for Aaron’s silver car. In moments, I spotted it in the parking lot. He is here. Now all I have to do is find him. I wasn’t sure if it would be easier locating him by air or on foot, but I decided to make a couple passes before touching down. Trying to calculate how far he might have gotten in the time that he had, I began branching out. Right when I was about to touch down and start a ground search, I spotted him through the trees stepping out onto the bluff. At the moment there was no one there. He’d be able to jump unencumbered. I made a b-line for him as he stood at the edge of the rocky cliff. I expected him to hesitate, say a few words, anything to give me a little more time, but he didn’t. Reaching the edge, he turned, closed his eyes and crossed his arms against his chest before falling back. I immediately went into a dive, pulling my wings in close. I just managed to wrapped Aaron in my arms before he hit the water. I think my wingtips actually gazed the surface. Using all my strength, I hauled him back to the top of the bluff. I just managed to get him onto solid ground before my wings gave out. Both Aaron and I went tumbling to the ground.
“What the hell!” he was on his feet in an instant, his eyes as round as saucers. “What the fuck is going on?” When I got to my feet, his eyes nearly popped out of his head. “Uriah?” he took in my wings, his mouth a gape. “You’re… you’re. Mathew was right! You really are an angel. Oh, my god, I slept with an angel!”
I shook my head before retracting my wings. “I’m not an angel.”
“Then what are you?”
I took a step toward him and to my dismay, he took a step back. He didn’t look scared, but there was something in his eyes. Doubt, uncertainty, mistrust?
“I’m still the same guy,” I assured him. “I wanted to tell you the truth, but I was scared. My whole life my mother has warned me of the danger. Now you understand why she kept me isolated. Why she didn’t want me having any friends. It was all to keep my secret. She was sure that if humans found out about me—”
Aaron suddenly interrupted me. “Humans? If you’re not an angel, what are you? Some kind of bird? Is that why you go to the bathroom every three hours?”
I shook my head. “I go to the bathroom every three hours to let out my wings.”
“Let them out?”
I took a deep breath. Here goes everything. “I’m a Flyer, a sub-genetic species of an alien race known as the Antomolites. My mother and I came here through a portal ten years ago. She gave me a genetic suppressant so I could fit in. It allows me to hide my wings, but only for three hours at a time. Over the years it’s been diminishing. When my wings are out, I'm mute and illiterate. If I let them out in a timely manner, they go back in after a few minutes. But if I try to keep them in for more than three hours, they eventually force their way out. That’s what happened at the art show. I lost track of time and my wings came out. If that happens than I can’t put them back in for a while. Anywhere from three to seven days. I know this is a lot to take in, but I’m hoping this will help you understand what’s been going on.” After this spiel, I waited for Aaron to reply. He was still staring at me, his face now inscrutable. When he finally did speak, his tone was measured.
“So, what happened last night? Your wings hadn’t been suppressed for three hours. Why did you abandon me?” By now tears had come into his eyes. He didn’t care that I wasn’t human. My leaving was all that mattered. My heart seized with pain. I understood his hurt. While I still didn’t know the details of his past, it was perfectly clear that he was being cautious. For me to take off right after making love to him must have been his worse fear come true.
“Aaron, I am so sorry.” I wanted to take him in my arms, but I feared he’d pull away again. “I didn’t abandon you on purpose. Last night was the best night of my life. I got lost in the moment and my wings came out. I don’t know why. It killed me to leave like that. It truly did. If I could do it over again, I would have stayed.”
“So, I’m not just another conquest? Another notch in your belt?”
“Of course not. I was a virgin. You were my first.”
The sadness and fear began to melt from Aaron’s face as he cautiously approached me. He didn’t say a word as his eyes travelled over me, like he was seeing me for the very first time. They started on my hair and slowly worked their way down to my face. After taking in my physique, his deep green eyes came back up to meet mine.
“You do look different,” he murmured. “That’s what I liked about you. That’s also what scared me.”
“What scared you?” I noticed he used the past tense of like.
“You are beautiful, Uriah. Otherworldly so. You reminded me of someone else. He was also beautiful. His name was Jean-Luc and he was a French model here working in the United States. I fell for him hard. He was so casual and laid back. Not at all what I’d imagined in someone who’s beautiful for a living. We talked and I thought he liked me. I was too smitten to realize he was just being friendly. Anyway, he accompanied me and some friends to one of Tyler’s drag parties. This gorgeous French model who probably made millions a year actually dressed in girl’s clothes. A maid outfit, actually. I picked it out myself. To make a long story short, I took him aside during the party, planning to make my feelings known. When I moved in for a kiss, he rejected me. He tried to be gentle, but the fact of the matter is he wasn’t interested. He never had been. I was crushed. Deviated. Embarrassed. I couldn’t believe how I’d deluded myself. How could someone like that ever be interested in me? I was nobody. I might've been popular with the gay crowd at my high school, but I didn’t measure up to Parisian glamour. I took a nose dive after that. I continued hanging out with my friends, but I was just going through the motions. As my depression grew, I become a self-fulfilling prophecy. I assumed that no one could possibly find me attractive to I acted that way. A couple guys asked me out, but it wasn’t long before I managed to drive them away. When they ditched me, I told myself it was because I was unlovable, thus, reenforcing that belief. My last break-up ended with him calling me a pig. That’s when I bought a ticket for the suicide train. That Friday night when I first saw you, I was trying to decide whether or not to board.”
His story yanked at my heart, filling me with sadness. “I’m sorry about all that. Had I known, I definitely would have done things differently.”
Aaron stepped into my arms as he shook his head. “Those were my problems, not yours. My past is not your fault. Maybe if I’d told you about my demons sooner, things might've been different. It doesn’t matter now. All that matters is this.” Reaching up, he gripped the back of my neck and pulled me down for a kiss. It was a picturesque moment. Just the two of us standing on the bluff overlooking the lake, a snow-capped mountain range in the distance. Unfortunately, it didn’t last long. Aaron and I were just finding our rhythm when tourists started coming up the path to check out the bluff. Pulling away, he nodded politely at a woman with bifocals and a fanny pack, his ears beat red.
“Perhaps we should take this elsewhere,” he mumbled as more people appeared.
“Good idea.”
Chapter 10
Aaron
Driving home from the National Forest with Uriah, my mind was bursting at the seams. So many questions flooded in, I didn’t know where to start. It was hard to image that a mere hour ago, I was ready to end it all. This is nuts! The guy who’d made the hour drive out here was a stranger. I’d been so miserable and depressed, nothing matter. No one mattered. Suddenly my life felt full of promise. Now the future didn’t seem so bleak. Shifting in my seat, there was a painful throb and I was once again remind
ed of what happened last night. This morning, the pain had helped fuel my despair, now I embraced it. I’m not just another conquest! I hadn’t given up my virgin ass for nothing. Gripping the steering wheel, I glanced over at Uriah. He was watching me intently with those pale gold eyes. How did I not see it before? He looked human, but there was definitely something different about him. When I smiled at him, he reached over and placed his hand on my belly. How could I go from hating him to loving him so quickly? Wait, did I just use the L word? Do I love him? We’ve only been together a couple weeks. It’s too soon. Well, whatever these feeling are, they’re strong. Uriah was all that I could see.
We were halfway back to the city when his phone rang. For a moment, he seemed to consider ignoring it, but after a brief pause, he pulled it out. I could hear a woman’s voice on the other end, but I couldn’t make out what she was saying. I assumed it was his mother. He got that same look on his face when he’d first introduced us: nostrils flaring, a muscle working furiously in his jaw. After listening to her yell for a moment, Uriah began to speak, his voice cold and hard.
“You can’t force me to do anything. I’ll be eighteen in a week. Your days of controlling me are over. This is my life and I’m living it how I want. Farewell, Mother.” After that he hung up.
“What was that about?” I hedged, not excepting an answer.
“I’m not letting my mother control me anymore. I’m almost eighteen. It’s high time I live a little.”
The Flyer (The Flyer Series Book 1) Page 12