“I’m so sorry!” Aaron’s voice crashed into my thoughts, bringing me back to the present. “I didn’t mean to upset you. You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.”
I shook my head. “No, I was just thinking. When I was little, I had the exact same question. I had to wait eight long years before I could ask it. When my mother gave me the genetic suppressant, the first thing I asked is why Flyers can’t speak, read or write. Her answer was less than satisfactory.”
“What did she say?”
“That she didn’t know. No one does. On my planet, it’s just the way things are.”
“That’s crazy.”
“But there is a legend that mothers tell their children. I’m guessing it’s not told in certain circles because it paints my kind in a very negative light. I think the only reason my mother told it to me is because she had to give me something.”
“What’s the legend?” Aaron could barely keep his eyes on the road.
“Remember when you asked about the High Ruler?” he nodded. “Well, for the Legend of Isaiah to make sense, I must first explain how our world works. Here, there are many countries spread across multiples continents. Each nation has its own form of governing; kings, queens, dictators, presidents, etc. That’s not how it is in my world. While my home planet it parallel to Earth in size, it is only governed by one leader. The High Ruler. He or she is responsible for everything. Creating laws, monitoring the distribution of good, everything a government would do. This is all done in the High Kingdom. While the High Ruler has many advisors, at the end of the day, he or she makes the final decision. In my world, everyone has a role. The role of the Flyer, for the most part, is to circulate information from the High Kingdom to the rest of the planet. Because the High Ruler has so much responsibly on his shoulders, he is allowed the occasional hiatus. Most rulers choose to spend them here on Earth. There’s a portal in the Kingdom that the ruler has exclusive assess to. It’s been there since the beginning of the second age. Anyway, these breaks can last anywhere from ten to twenty years. However, the last ruler left thirty-eight years ago and hasn’t returned. For twenty years things continued to function, but over the last decade and a half people have been struggling. As I said before, the High Ruler is the only one who can communicate with the Flyers telepathically, thus he or she is the only one who can send out information. While here presidents can be assassinated and governments can be overturned, not just anyone can take the place of the High Ruler. That role, just like everything else, is past on through blood. If a High Ruler is killed without leaving an heir, a new individual is endowed with the ability to take the throne, but that usually takes about fifty years. When the High Ruler is absent, Flyers usually are not born. Whenever I got depressed, my mother would tell me I was a miracle. For the last eighteen years, my entire planet has been waiting for the High Ruler’s return. Rumor has it, that day has come. With a ruler in the kingdom, Flyers like myself will once again have a purpose.”
“Where do Flyers go when there’s no ruler?”
“I don’t know. My mother never told me. All she said is that she couldn’t bare to send me away. Wherever they were, there wouldn’t be any other kids my age. When I was born, the High Ruler had already been gone twenty years. Anyway, now that you know how things work where I come from, the legend will make sense: Long ago, during the second age, there was a Flyer named Isaiah. It was a time when his kind could speak, read and write. Isaiah could fly high and he could fly fast. When the High Ruler sent him out to spread his word, among all the other Flyers, Isaiah always finished first. Because he was so skilled, he became conceited. One day he asked himself, ‘Am I not as smart as the High Ruler? Can I not make decisions as well as he?’ So Isaiah decided to make his own laws. He would mold the world how he saw fit. So instead of following the commands of the kingdom, he flew to the twelve corners of Antomia and spread his own word. When the High Ruler learned of Isaiah’s treachery he became enraged. He was so angry he asked the skies for help. When the skies answered, he told Them of Isaiah’s betrayal. He begged Them to punish the arrogant Flyer for his crimes. And They did. They took Isaiah’s words. They took his ways to read and They took his ways to write. That is why today all Flyer have no words. They have no ways to read and they have no ways to write. So when we receive word from the High Ruler, we can trust in the fact that it is his word.”
“That’s an interesting story.”
“Interesting is an interesting word to describe it.”
Aaron mulled it over for a moment, before speaking. “So if Flyers can’t talk, how do they spread the ruler’s orders?”
“Good question. I don’t know. There’s a lot I still don’t know about my world.”
“How long ago did this legend supposedly take place?”
“During the second age, so… I don’t know, maybe 50,000 years ago.”
“Do you believe the legend?”
“I don’t know. My mother said it was just a story, but all stories come from somewhere, right?”
“Right…” Aaron gazed at the road thoughtfully. “Are there other aliens in your world? Other planets with extraterrestrial life?”
“I don’t know. My mother has told me a lot about my home planet, but there’s also a lot she hasn’t told me.”
“Well, here some people believe that our planet was visited by aliens in the distant past. If the same is true for you guys, maybe there’s some truth to the Legend of Isaiah.”
“Maybe.”
The rest of the drive to the National Forest was in silence. When we pulled into the visitor’s center parking lot, we climbed out of Aaron’s tiny silver car and made our way to the paths that led into the forest.
“Are you sure we won’t get lost?” my boyfriend asked warily as I led us off the trail.
“I’m sure. Remember, I can fly. If for some bizarre reason I get turned around, I can always just fly over the treetops to take a look around.”
“Right,” he said as the trail disappeared behind us. Once we were a good ways in, I stopped and turned to him.
“Are you ready?”
“Ready as I’ll ever be.”
“I hope you’re not afraid of heights. I don’t want you freaking out when we’re high in the air.”
“I won’t freak out,” Aaron chuckled. “Just don’t drop me.”
“I won’t.” Coming around behind him, I wrapped my arms around his middle. Pulling him flush against me, I took a deep breath and let my wings out. After stretching them out and beating them a couple times, causing the air to swirl around us and nearby branches to shake their leafs, I nuzzled Aaron’s neck before kicking off. He let out a gasp as the forest shrunk away. I flew up and up until we could see the curvature of the Earth. I rested my chin on my boyfriend’s shoulder as we sliced through the air. After letting him experience the altitude for a while, I brought us closer to the ground to where we were practically skimming the treetops. The whole time Aaron articulated his excitement, gasping and whooping for joy. I don’t know how long we flew, but I was lost in time with him. I was so lost that when there was a sudden bang and something ruffled the feathers on my right wing, I lurched. Aaron slipped from my fingers for only a second or two, but the damage was already done. As his downward momentum increase, I scrambled desperately to stop him. Wrapping my arms around him, I beat the air desperately. It wasn’t working. I was strong enough to carry him, but the downward force combined with his weight was too much. I was powerless. In a last attempt to protect him, I brought my wings around him in a cocoon. And not a moment too soon. When we breached the treetops, the breaches raked at my plumage. There was the rustling of leaves and the snapping of twigs. Surrounded by feathers, I couldn’t see the ground, but I knew it was coming fast. Turning in the air, I landed heavily on my back, my boyfriend on my chest. For a beat or two he didn’t move, his fingers gripping my shirt to the point of tearing. Satisfied that he was okay, I allowed the cocoon to fall open. As sunlight poured in,
Aaron hastily rolled off me.
“Uriah! Oh, my god! Uriah, are you okay?!” he gasped, his voice high and terrified. I didn’t answer. I couldn’t. Even if I had a voice, I wouldn’t have been able to make a sound. The wind had been knocked out of me. While I struggled to catch my breath, Aaron’s fingers scrambled over my body. It took me a second to realize he was looking for broken bones. He started at my ribs and moved down.
“I can’t find any breaks,” he said, after inspecting both my legs and returning to kneel over me. “What about your wings?” Silence. “Shit, I keep forgetting! Sorry.”
I blinked. My heart throbbed. I desperately tried to fill my lungs with air. Like a beached fish, my mouth gaped. Again and again. Nothing. Is this it, is this the end?. I don’t know how much time passed, but it felt like forever. My eyes and my mind began to swim. I must breath. I must. When oxygen finally entered my lungs, my heart was already a tsunami of panic.
“It’s okay,” Aaron murmured, maneuvering around so he could place my head in his lap. “You’re going to be okay.”
While I filled my lungs repeatedly with air, he ran his fingers through my hair, whispering words of encouragement. I clung to him as if he were my lifeline. As if he were the very air I breathed. In that moment, I knew how much I needed him. How lost I would be without him. He’s my everything. As if he could feel my thoughts, my boyfriend’s grip tightened around me. His words were simple, but held all the meaning in the world. Time stood still. It was just the two of us. I may not have words, but I could still communicate how much he meant to me. Reaching up, I brushed the side of his face. I looked deep into his deep green eyes. I knew he understood when his lips parted into a smile.
“Are you going to be okay?” Aaron asked when I sat up.
I nodded. At least I hope so. With the fear of dying ebbed away, my mind switched to my wings. In my state of panic, I couldn’t focus on anything but breathing. Aaron hadn’t checked either for breaks. I think he was afraid to touch them. Getting to my feet, I gingerly raised my wings, being mindful for any sharp stabs of pain. Right when they reached their normal elevation, there was an intense throb in the left one. When I grimaced, my boyfriend’s face filled with fear.
“What is it?”
I jerked my head to the left and he quickly saw what was wrong. While my right wing was at its proper elevation, the left was hanging a little low.
“Jesus, is it broken?” Aaron asked, taking a couple steps back to get a better look.
I shook my head. The fact that I could hold it up at all told me there probably weren’t any breaks, but I’d definitely sprained something. I was just about to retract my wings when I heard a twig snap. We both turned just as a man stepped out from behind a nearby tree. It was hard to guess his age because of the large beard and the hair that went wildly in every direction. His clothes were dirty and pretty worn down. He looked like he’d spent the last several years in the woods. But the thing that immediately caught my attention was the riffle he was pointing straight at me.
“Finally!” he declared, his eyes shining with excitement. “I finally caught you!”
Chapter 12
Aaron
Nothing quite kills the euphoria of flying like a gunshot. And whomever was shooting was aiming straight for us! Plummeting from the sky was scary. Thinking Uriah had been seriously injured was frightening. But seeing that woodsmen’s double barrel pointed at my boyfriend’s chest was downright terrifying. He took in those pale blue feathers like they were the Holy Grail. It didn’t seem to bother him that one of Uriah’s wings was looking slightly droopy. Maybe he was too wowed to notice. After staring for a moment, the woodsman took a few steps forward. As his lips parted, I saw an array of yellowing, cracked and corroded teeth. He looked awful.
“You are an elusive creature,” he continued, lowering the gun slightly. “To be honest, I’d started to think I’d never catch you. But here you are, a flesh and blood angel.”
“You’ve been hunting him?” I was enraged. It didn’t matter that he was armed. While the guy’s amazement was understandable, for the life of me I couldn’t fathom why he would want to kill what he believed was an angel. Who does that?!
The woodsman looked at me as of just noticing I was there. “Not hunting,” he said, shaking his head. “Trying to capture.”
I snorted. “That shot you took begs to differ.”
Ignoring me, the woodsman returned his attention to Uriah, the tip of the riffle raising a couple inches. “Do you have a name? What is it? Where do you come from? Is this a sign?”
Uriah looked terrified, his eyes following the gun’s every move. When he didn’t answer, the woodsman became impatient.
“Speak!”
“He can’t!” I cut in, stepping in front of my boyfriend who looked about ready to faint. Now the woodsman’s riffle was pointed directly at my head. I hardly noticed. I was too focused on Uriah’s wellbeing. I knew what he was thinking. This is exactly what his mother warned him about.
“What does that mean, he can’t?” the wild man hissed, his eyes moving past me to peer at my boyfriend. “Why can’t he? Is that an angel thing?”
I was about to say he’s not an angel, but I stopped myself. Why am I telling him anything? The situation was bad enough. The last thing I wanted was to expose Uriah further. “Yes, it’s an angel thing.”
“Tell me everything!”
“That could take a while.” My aim was to stall for as long as possible until I could think of a way to escape. Unfortunately, Uriah’s injured wing would make that harder. Even if we did make it out of gunshot range, I didn’t know how long it would be before he could fly again. Running through the forest being hunted by a madman didn’t sound appealing.
“I’ve got time,” the woodsman said, focusing on me. “I’ve been out here hunting Bigfoot for ten years now. I only spotted the angel last fall. What’s a few extra minutes? Bigfoot would’ve been great, but this is even better. When I get him back to town, I’ll be rich!”
Because Uriah was still standing behind me I couldn’t see his face, but I could practically feel his anxiety emanating off him.
“Where to begin?” I said while wondering how hard it would be to get his gun away from him. Sooner or later he’ll have to let down his guard. I wasn’t sure how far into the National Forest we were, but I was fairly certain civilization was at least a day’s hike away.
“Where did he come from?” the woodsman demanded, taking a step to the left to get a better look at Uriah.
“Heaven. Duh.”
“So, there really is a god?”
“I don’t know, but if there is, he’s definitely smiting your ass.”
The woodsman just grunted and took another step to the left. He was now looking at my boyfriend’s injured wing which was gradually sinking lower to the ground. The longest feathers were mere inches away. I knew Uriah didn’t like for his plumage to touch anything so the fact that he was willing to try and keep his wing off the ground must mean it wasn’t too badly injured.
“What’s wrong with him?” the woodsman asked, still inspecting the damaged wing.
“Here’s a wild guess. He got shot at.”
“You’ve got a really smart mouth,” he said, looking at me darkly. “You’re lucky he can’t talk or I’d just leave you here.” at this he looked up at the sky. “Speaking of, we should get moving. It’s a thirty-mile journey back to the campgrounds. If we keep a steady pace, we should be back by tomorrow morning.”
“Then what?”
“Then I call all the TV and radio stations in the country. Everyone’s going to want to know about this!”
Out of the corner of my eye I saw movement. I didn’t have to turn around to know what happened. It was written all over the woodsman’s face. Shocked bewilderment. Uriah had retracted his wings. Either the pain of holding up the injured one had gotten too great, or the prospect of being exposed was too daunting. Either way, all evidence of what he was vanished in an
instant.
“What happened!” the woodsman yelled, raising his riffle and pointing it at my boyfriend again. He’d moved far enough to the left that I was no longer standing between them.
“What are you talking about?” I asked, thinking fast. “My friend and I were just enjoying the view when you came barreling out of the wood talking all this crazy shit about angels. I think you’ve been living on your own a little too long, man.”
“No!” the woodsman declared, squinting at Uriah. “He’s an angel. I know it! I’m not crazy!” Even as he said this, I heard a hint of doubt in his voice.
“Dude, please put the gun down,” Uriah said in a calm collected voice, following my lead. “I’d rather not catch a bullet.”
The woodsman blinked at him, his eyes bulging. “No, I’m not crazy. I know what I saw. You had wings! I saw them!”
“I wish I could help you,” my boyfriend said, glancing my way. “But I’m just an ordinary guy. I don’t know where all this angel talk is coming from.”
“People know where we are,” I chimed in while realizing that was a total lie. We hadn’t told a soul where we were going. “If anything happens to us, the cops will arrest your ass.”
The woodsman seemed to think this over. For a moment, I thought he was going to relent as his gun dropped a few inches, but all of a sudden he raised it back up. “No, I know what I saw. You had wings. If it turns out I am crazy so be it, but for now, you’re sticking with me.” he jerked his head to the left. “My supplies are this way. Start walking.”
The Flyer (The Flyer Series Book 1) Page 15