Wings of Boden

by Erik S Lehman

  “Just jeans it’s nothing, Dad?” I couldn’t sit still. Energy buzzed through me as I scooched to the edge of the couch, twisting my hands together and gnawing my bottom lip.

  “Hold on, Ellie, wait for me,” Mom called out as she swayed her graceful self toward me. Could she sway a little faster? I wished while waiting on the edge of the world. She finally lowered down next to me. With perfect posture, she crossed her legs and laced her fingers over her knee. Hair draped down her chest. Eyes glittered. Super confident about something, she lifted her chin, smiled at Dad and said, “Okay, tell him.”

  My eyes snapped over to Dad and the words ran out of my mouth, “I wanna build the house here in Boden. It’s close to everything, training and stuff and you two of course, we’d be closer to you and I could fly over for sch—” Dad stopped me:

  “Okay, Elle.” He looked at Mom. “So you—”

  “No, no. This was all her. I didn’t even bring it up.”

  “Uh-huh,” Dad said with narrowed eyes and a wary grin.

  “It was my idea, Dad. Why? Did you two have some kinda deal or something?” I scrunched my face alternately at both of them.

  “Let’s just say I owe your mother some earrings.”

  Mom beamed satisfaction. With her wings trapped against the couch, she couldn’t do what I suspected she wanted to; a full-fledged stretch and feather flutter.

  Whatever. I shook it off and looked at Dad. “Well, does that mean we can then?”

  “It’s already planned,” Dad said. “You know the land a few miles up the road, where you used to play by the creek. It belongs to you girls. We thought you might like to build there. We also had a spot planned out near Vinger, but we wanted it to be your decision. That was our agreement. I set up all the utilities and water years ago, even poured the foundation just in case.”

  What was I hearing?

  “Does Angie know?” I asked.

  “No. That was part of the deal,” said Mom. “Neither one of you could know. We didn’t want to influence your decisions, so we waited. I was beginning to wonder if this would ever happen. Your father had mentioned you would graduate and my girls would move away. You always used to talk about travelling the world. But I didn’t want to believe that, so we made a little bet. I’m so happy, Ellie.” She floated a sly little grin to Dad. “And I have a new set of earrings coming. And not those cheapo’s either, we’re going to Angel’s Closet. I might pick up a few lacy things while I’m at it.”

  Dad didn’t seem to mind. He grinned, waggled his bushy eyebrows up and down at Mom.

  Okay, too much information. I chuckled, said, “You know, you guys are really good at secrets.” Smile. “I’m gonna go tell Ang.” I sprang up before I had to witness any more.

  ****

  Angie had cuddled up so nice in her down comforter. I sat on the edge of her bed, tucked some hair behind my ear, and watched her sleep for a minute. Sleeping had always been a favorite pastime of hers, and she was good at it. She looked so comfortable and peaceful, curled up in a ball with her head sunk into the white pillow and the blanket pulled up to her chin. She let out a little puff of air, a whisper snore. I couldn’t wake her, but …

  “Angie,” I whispered. A little more volume, “Angie,” a light shake with my hand to her shoulder, “Sis, are you sleeping?”

  “Wha, hmm, cake,” she mumbled, balled up some blanket in a fist, pulled it to her sleeping cheek, crinkled her face and grinned as if she was in a wonderful dream.

  A little more forceful shake as I said, “Sis, wake up. I have some great news. Dad’s building our new house in our spot by the creek. Ang, Ang, wake up.”

  Her lids lifted. She rolled onto her back. Pulled a strand of hair from the corner of her mouth, fisted the sleep from her eyes like a child.

  “What?” She croaked, cleared her throat. “Really?”

  “Yeah, sis, we’re gonna live here on the mountain.”

  She scooched up to a seated position against the pillowed headboard, tented her knees up and hugged them, waking. “Really?” Her eyes showed a little more light. Schmutzing her lips together, she appeared to have desert sand in her mouth, so I reached over to the nightstand and gave her the glass of tea. After she finished the entire glass, she wiped her mouth and said, “I wanna talk about this. Let’s go downstairs.

  ****

  Angie plopped down on the loveseat next to Jaydenn. She’d changed into a pair of jeans from Mom’s closet. She just loved mine and wanted a pair of her own. Denim sisters. I lowered down between Vyn and Mom on the couch.

  We sat discussing the news, the plans and the future, sipping our drinks and laughing. We decided we needed to get our stuff from our homes in Vinger, so Dad had given us the choice to take the truck or the carriage. It wasn’t a difficult choice for me; I chose the carriage, with our white horses, Lady and Giselle. My horse is Lady, a beautiful friend that would always listen to my childhood dreams. She’d nuzzle her head into my chest and blow out little puffs of air from her vibrating muzzle. I couldn’t wait to get her out of that stuffy barn again.

  “Ellie,” Mom said, “why don’t you play us something on the piano, honey?”

  That was no surprise. It was like some sort of ritual with Mom.

  Angie sent me a questioning gaze. “You’re gonna make me cry again, aren’t you?” She came to that conclusion because every time I played certain pieces she would sob with joy. I gave her a grin. Jaydenn lifted a knowing smile. He knew Angie would soon lean her head to his chest while she drifted on the sounds of tinkling ivory.

  They all looked at me, waiting. My queue I guessed. I lifted off the couch, stepped across the hardwood to the far side of the room, where the polished baby-grand piano stood on a marble platform. I lowered to the bench, did my finger stretches … then cleared hair from my face and tucked it behind my ear, when Mom said, “Play our favorite, Ellie.”

  My hands hovered over the keys as I felt the coolness of brass pedals under bare feet. Then I began the slow tinkle of a piece I’d taught myself from old-world sheet music. A light and lilting composition called Redeemer, composed near the beginning of the twenty-first century by one of the great human artists of that time, Paul Cardall.

  The sounds sprinkled the room. Behind me, Angie began to sob. I lifted a soft smile for her while my fingers tickled out the melody….

  CHAPTER 14

  With a hoof clopping prance, Lady and Giselle flung their heads high, blowing air from their muzzles, obviously overjoyed to be out of the barn as they pulled the hauling cart across the concrete-paved road. We were on our way to Vinger in the fresh, dew-infused air, not a cloud in sight on this Monday morning. We could’ve taken the truck, it would’ve been faster, but this was more fun, especially with the sounds of the horses and the chattering of the carriage.

  Angie and I rode on the rear bench seat in our new jeans and T’s. Vyn and Jaydenn were up front, guiding the reins, dressed in the same clothes they had worn all weekend, slacks and a polo shirt, which Mom had washed for them each evening. Even though we lived in Vinger, Angie and I always kept a stock of clothes at the home on Conall Mountain, so we didn’t have that problem.

  Mountains settled down into a lush valley. The Shone River looped south and away from the road, on its way to Castle Cliff Canyon. Produce farms came into view on both sides of the road. Farm worker angels were out in the fields, beginning their harvesting day. Some on foot, others were climbing up into expensive electric machinery—big yellow harvesting tractors and trucks with “Heming Produce” painted on the doors. Every kind of fruit and vegetable known to angelkind covered the fields with color.

  Just outside of Vinger, hundreds of statuesque wind towers dotted the wheat fields. Wind-farm blades were just beginning to move on the morning thermals. I’d considered them an eyesore once, but much more pleasant than the alternative of hazy air from fossil fuels that I’d seen in old-world pictures. Even as the cart rolled along the road, horse hooves clop clopping, I not
iced a herd of antelope grazing in the distance, and a red-tailed hawk soaring high above.

  We made the rounds to our homes in Vinger, and Vyn’s lab, loading up as much as we could for this trip. Then we stopped at Luscious Berry Yogurt, followed by a little shopping. The day went by in laughter and fun. The original plan was to stay the night in Vinger, but we eventually decided to go back to the mountain. With most of the day gone, it was a risk. But we calculated the time it would take and came to the conclusion we’d make it back with time to spare. If nothing went wrong.

  On the return trip, we noticed a group of drekavacs hiking through the farm fields. Bobbing heads and upper bodies were all we could see as they pushed through the tall vegetation. A few minutes later, they stopped us on the road, a group of around ten. Did they have families? Drekavac wings only come out after the sun goes down, so they were still wingless. All wore tight black shorts and T’s over pale gray bodies of skin on bone, the females wearing wigs of various colors. The horses stomped the pavement with impatient blows, wound tight. Squawking magpies landed near the ditches, hopped along the shoulder of the road. Those black-and-white scavengers always follow the dreks everywhere, hunting for scraps.

  “Whattaya need, Mawlk?” Jaydenn wanted to know.

  Mawlkon’s eyes glinted like black onyx as he replied in his nasal voice, “We noticed you going the other direction, eh. We figured you’d be back, so we thought we’d say hello, eh.” He smirked. Teeth tips showed. The females let out some kind of raspy giggle. Magpies squawked.

  I leaned forward and said to Jaydenn, “Can we just go, please.”

  “Oh, Elle,” said Mawlk. “Well isn’t that nice, a princess in our presence.”

  “Get out of our way,” Vyn growled.

  “Calm down, calm down,” Mawlkon said. “We’re just curious whatcha have in the cart. Whatcha got there, eh?” He started to make his way around the cart. “Is that your secrets to the light stuff, Vyn? Is that whatcha got there?”

  Vyn jumped out and stood firm in front of Mawlk.

  Angie wrapped an arm around me and said, “It’s all right. They’re just being dreks. You know how they are.”

  Jaydenn angled out and made his way to stand beside Vyn. He folded his arms over his muscled chest, his wings twitching, eyes hard as steel as he forged a warning look.

  “C’mon, Jay, Vyn,” Angie called out, “let’s just go. They’re not worth it.”

  “We don’t want any trouble, eh,” Mawlkon chirped. “No trouble at all.” Yet his smirk said differently.

  “Leave,” Jaydenn said, sharp as a dagger.

  The smaller dreks were inching their way toward the back of the cart. As I watched them, phantom images of angels flickered in their place. Dreks, angels, dreks, angels.

  Angie pulled away from me, hopped out of the cart and stood before the females. One looked up, burnt-yellow eyes glowing as she smirked at Angie. “Oh, hi,” she squeaked. “You’re such a pretty angel, aren’t you?” Giggle.

  Even as the other small dreks were making their way around Angie, out of her sight, the horses blew a blast of air and stomped hooves to the pavement. Magpies chattered all around. A putrid smell hung in the air; the musky scent of excited drekavacs.

  “Angie,” I called out, “over there!”

  Jaydenn vaulted over the cart to Angie.

  A small drek startled me as she climbed in and sidled up next to me. Red wig hair framed her bony gray face. She pealed her lips back, showing rows of needle-like teeth as she studied my hair. My heart scrambled to my throat. Her eyes were empty, without pupils like lifeless yellow orbs. Until they flashed into angel eyes and her hair became blond … then went back to normal. Flickering apparitions threatened to push away my sanity.

  I looked over to see a tall male making his way to Vyn. Peels of drek yapping rang out; a sound that reminded me of a pack of hyenas from a nature show I’d once seen. What was happening? Trembling, I buried my face into my cupped hands. It was my fault. It was my choice to take the cart. It was my idea to return to the mountain. What have I done?

  The cart shook and I lifted my head to see Angie climb over me while pushing the female drek out. They faced each other on the road.

  Angie steamed, “Leave her alone, now and always, do you understand?” Angie flung a push into her. “Don’t ever come near us. Do you understand, you little bitch?” The drek sputtered a female giggle. Angie pushed sharply again, which sent the drek tumbling back and off the road even as my hand clapped over a gasp.

  I got to my feet, held wide eyes down at the motionless drek that lay tangled and twisted at the bottom of the ditch. The wig had come off and now lay in the weeds beside the body like some kind of red pelt. Her hairless head was losing its form, ears sagging. Glassy eyes stared large into the sky, and started to shrivel like rotting pears. Her lips shrank back from her pointed teeth. Something strange, well, more strange—a dark liquid streaked the stone that held up her head. Her skull must’ve cracked; it bled black syrup down the rock.

  Mawlkon paced forward, looked down at her, and started clapping his hands like a happy little girl. Smiling!

  Another female drek, mouth gaped wide showing rows of needle teeth, began to let out a yowling siren. The piercing sound made me slap my hands over my ears, clenching my jaw while holding a face-cramping wince. The horses stirred, clomped and kicked. Angie’s horse lunged toward the source of the sound, yanking the cart forward and throwing me back into the seat. Giselle reared up, brought both hooves down into the female drek’s skull.

  The siren snuffed out with another bleeding drekavac on the ground.

  Angie and I both uncovered our ears.

  Staring at my terrified sister I said, “Angie, what have we done?”

  She just stood there … panic-filled eyes fixed on the dead drek.

  Time froze, in shock, deliberating the consequences. The dreks stood around, giggling, mumbling, chatting—having a bit of social time.

  Horse hooves clopped to the road, their twitching muscles sheened with sweat, nostrils flared and blowing. Excited magpie chatter filled the air as they skipped and flapped around. The cart jounced when Jaydenn hopped in. I snapped my head around to see Vyn was already standing in the cart-back, on guard.

  The other male drek walked over and stood beside Mawlkon. They both eyed down at the female in the ditch for a moment, as she melted away into a dark liquid stain on the rock. The male drek walked over and dragged the dead one in the road away from the horses. He knelt down, then angled a look back at Mawlkon, nodded a grin as if to say, No, she’s gone.

  Mawlkon had his back to us, looking across the field, considering, when he spoke the nasal words, “Yes, that is the question. What have you done? What a momentous day this is turning out to be.” His gaze slid up over the mountains to the dimming horizon. He said with a head tilt over his shoulder, “It’s getting dark, angels. Guess who’s coming to dinner. It should be a wonderful buffet.” He turned and shot his swollen black eyes at me. “Do you think they heard the yell? Do you, well do you, Princess?”

  “Get in, Angie,” I yelled. “Get in the flappin cart, now. We have to go!”

  Angie snapped out of it, dashed into the cart and slid up next to me.

  “Hah!” Jaydenn commanded the horses and cracked the reins.

  The cart lurched forward. Hooves beat out a clapping rhythm. Horse muscles heaved. Ropes flailed and wheels chattered. I turned to look back at the group of dreks all gathered together on the road as they watched us leave. Mawlkon, with his long arm reaching high, and a smirk I could see from here, waved bye to us—the image burned into my mind. Angie pulled me back around, wrapped her arms around me.

  Jaydenn voiced over the racket, “Ang, Elle, go, fly back. We’ll meet you there.”

  What? Leave Vyn behind?

  Angie began to prepare her wings. I swiveled my head around. Vyn was crouched and using his legs as shock absorbers, his wings were vibrating and hair tousling in the wind. He
simply nodded at me. I replied with narrowed eyes and a clenched jaw, shook my head NO. At which Vyn returned a snarling look of intense demand.

  “Go,” Jaydenn yelled, “Now!”

  His tone forced the decision out of me. In a few motions, Angie and I were out of the cart, pumping our wings over the racket. While Angie gained altitude, my gaze went down to Vyn. Am I ever going to see him again? The thought slithered into my mind.

  Those eyes—Oh, Source, there was love for me in Vyn’s blue eyes, for a moment. He waved his arms, shouted, “Go, don’t worry. We’ll be fine!”

  Did I really have a choice? Even as my heart vomited a feeling of dread, I took a last look at Vyn, at Lady, and back down the road to the disappearing dreks.

  Purpose flashed; warn the others.

  With the rush of wind pulling my hair back and forcing me to squint, I thrust to top speed, climbed and caught up with Angie.

  CHAPTER 15

  Angie and I bolted through the thick front door, running through the house. “Dad, Dad!” At our burst into his den, his head snapped up. He lifted from his chair, deep creases of concern on his face. “What’s wrong, girls?”

  We dashed over to stand before his desk, and my breathless words spilled out, “We have to warn everyone.” My stinging eyes wouldn’t stop blinking.

  Angie said with a catch in her dry voice, “I didn’t mean to, Dad.” She cleared her throat. “We killed two dreks, and they told us—”

  That was all Dad needed to hear. He ripped the satellite phone off the charger and punched one number. His wings pulled tight to his back as his face turned to stone. In a few seconds he was speaking, deep and official, “This is Phillip Soepheea. Set off the air raid towers.” Pause. “No, this is not some test! Listen, I’m guessing we only have ten minutes.” Pause. “No buts, do it. Now!” His volume shook the desk lamp and rattled the ice in his empty drink glass. He slammed the phone down. Papers slid off a pile on his desk.