Flesh and Feathers

by Hylton, Danielle; Fifer, April

  “My loyalty.” Scarlet smirked.

  He suddenly turned her around, bending her over the bed as he stood behind her. His tongue followed her spine to its peak. Scarlet groaned at the anticipation. She had waited too long for this opportunity. She lusted for Tobias and the power that radiated from him. Then at last, she felt him inside her. He consumed all of her, and she wanted more.

  Tobias was more animalistic than passionate. His thrusts were hard and emotionless, but Scarlet didn’t care. He pulled at her long platinum hair and twisted it around his hands. She grabbed a fistful of covers, moaning.

  When it was over, Tobias lay on the bed looking up at the ceiling. Scarlet repositioned herself beside of him.

  “What are you doing?” he asked in a short tone.

  “I thought…” she had started to speak, but was quickly cut off by him.

  “We are done here.” His words were icy.

  Scarlet raised her brow and paused.

  “You may leave now,” he continued.

  Scarlet quietly got up and collected her things. She stood at the door still undressed and looked at the table where Tobias had set the blade. She picked it up and swiftly threw it, embedding it in the backboard of the bed inches above Tobias’ head.

  “Now we’re done here,” she said before walking out of the door.

  Tobias merely chuckled to himself as he listened to the sound of her footsteps exiting the room.

  ***

  “Tannah,” Kale called from the doorway of the rooftop, his voice sounding defeated. Tannah was standing next to the edge, looking down to the city below.

  “Kale.” She simply acknowledged his presence.

  “How is she?” He was having trouble controlling the emotion in his voice.

  “She is fine. She has recovered quickly. Your behavior in the matter has been deplorable. Had things not ended the way they did, I would have had to make a tough decision. I still have a higher authority I have to answer to. They may not be able to see what we do here, but that does not give you the right to act on your own accord.” Tannah’s voice was firm and commanding.

  “What does she think has happened to me?” Kale questioned.

  Tannah sighed heavily. She was reluctant to divulge any information, but looking at Kale, she knew that he at least deserved honesty. “Her memory has been veiled… back to the beginning… before you. And it was not easily done with her ability to see the truth. She may have lapses. We can try to control that though, until the final time has come for her to know her position in this world. Nevertheless, Kale…, you know that she cannot see you. I fear her emotions are far more powerful than any spell that can be cast upon her.”

  “And you felt it necessary to disregard all that we having built?” He snapped. “She trusted me.”

  Tannah felt no regret for her actions and was not about to let Kale believe he had any right to question her decision. “Your involvement in this has become personal. You cannot put her at risk for your own agenda. Kale, what if she had chosen a different path? There is such a thing as free-will. What then? Would you take responsibility for that? Your job was to provide protection and guidance.”

  Thinking heavily, Kale knew that he could not argue. He exhaled deeply and tore his gaze from her to stare off into the distance. “You are right, Tannah. I was out of line. It’s just that…” He paused.

  Tannah shook her head and placed her hand on Kale’s face. “I understand what you are feeling. We are capable of love. We are more human than you can imagine. That is why we do what we do, but your love for her will not save us all. You mustn’t forget why you are here. Kale…, I expect you to do the right thing. You will stay out of this, do you understand?”

  “Yes but who is my replacement?”

  “You won’t like my answer. What's done is done.” Tannah warned. And with that, Kale knew exactly who his replacement was. He released an exaggerated breath that was pushing against his lungs, hoping that his presumption was wrong.

  “Everything is going to be fine. We will keep her safe. Jen will be here momentarily to escort you back.”

  Just as Tannah said, Jen appeared through the door moments later. “Kale, are you ready?” She smiled sweetly at him. He somberly smiled back at her, trying to conceal his frustration. Then he turned and nodded to Tannah before walking away.

  ***

  Jen led Kale down the long flight of stairs and out to the sidewalk. He looked back up at the tall building to see if there was any visible evidence that Tannah was still there. The sun shone bright, and it blinded his view.

  “She’s gone,” Jen said, looking at Kale. “Kale, I’m really sorry about how everything turned out. I know this has been tough for you. You deserve better.” Her last sentence sounded heartbroken.

  He walked with heavy strides down the sidewalk, with Jen only a foot ahead of him. “I don’t deny my mistakes,” Kale said solemnly.

  “Kale, if it was anybody else…, I mean anybody other than Azaleigh…” Jen’s sentence trailed off.

  He let out a sigh that was heavy with worry. “I know.”

  The streets were deserted with only the sound of Jen’s stiletto boots making a loud thudding as they touched the sidewalk. Looking at her, Kale was intrigued with how well Jen was adapted. He couldn’t help but wonder. “Jen, how is it that you fit in so well here?”

  “Well you know, not all of us like to act mysterious and recluse.” She laughed.

  He looked at her sternly, wanting a real answer. “I’m serious, Jen.”

  “Ok, seriously then.” She looked around thinking of what exactly she wanted to say. “You ever wonder what life would be like if we, well…, if we could just stay here?” She elbowed him sweetly. “You know…, like to own a bar or work at a diner?” She chuckled. Then her voice dropped an octave. “Or stay with the person you fall in love with?” She stared at her feet and slowed her pace some. “Kale, I know our time is limited, but I do believe we should enjoy it. The magic here is to be treasured. I know you–please don’t do something that you will regret.”

  His face paled a bit. “I will not let anything happen to her. I will do whatever it takes.”

  Jen sighed. “I know, and I won’t stop you. You have my word. Just be careful. I love Az too. And Kale…, you’re like a brother to me. I couldn’t stand it if anything happened to either of you.”

  Jen crossed the street at Clifford and Ninth. She made her way to the front of West Coast Bikes and Auto. She leaned in, hanging her head in one of the open bays. “Hey you,” she said.

  Rolling out from under a blue Plymouth, Mitch looked at her. “Hey yourself.” On his feet, Mitch stood about 6’2”, and his golden blonde hair was neatly combed back. He had the build of most twenty-two year olds–strong and fit.

  He walked over to Jen, unable to suppress his smile, but then again, that was normal for him. She always made him smile. Attempting to wipe his hands on a grease rag, he leaned in to give her a quick kiss hello.

  “What are you doing here?” he asked, not really caring, just glad she was there.

  “I thought I would come see you. I was thinking about you.”

  He wanted so badly to hold her, but he didn’t want to dirty her clothes. When it came to Jen, he always put her first no matter what he wanted. Jen knew that, but never abused the privilege.

  “So what are you doing after work?” she asked.

  “Well, Kale called and said I don’t have to work at the bar tonight. He said something came up, and he was closing early.” He seemed confused by this, but now with Jen here that would mean he would have better plans anyway.

  “Great, so you want to pick me up later?” Jen was still Jen–she batted her eyes a couple of times, and of course he said yes. She moved in, wrapping her arms around his neck.

  “Ah, you don’t want to do that. You look so beautiful–I’ll get you all dirty.”

  Her voice was playful and teasing. “I don’t mind, besides it’s just a shirt. I’d ra
ther have you close.”

  He squeezed her, lifting her off the ground. Then he leaned down to kiss her.

  “So you’re working on a car? Thought this was a bike shop?” She poked him in the ribs, joking.

  “It’s a favor,” he said, looking back at the car.

  “Who’s the lucky girl?” Jen pretended to be jealous.

  Mitch just smiled, knowing this was merely a game that she liked to play.

  “I guess I had better leave. See you tonight?” Jen asked.

  “I’ll be there,” he said, loosening his grip on her, which took a lot of effort.

  Jen was almost out the door when Mitch called to her. “Jen!” She turned and stared at him from the open garage door. “Love you,” he said, just like he always did when she left. Jen blew him a kiss and disappeared around the corner.

  After she was gone, Mitch sat there thinking. He pulled a small velvet covered jewelry box from his pants pocket. He had kept it there every day for the past week. Although he wasn’t shy about his feelings, he had waited to give her this. Jen was the greatest thing that had happened to him, and he wanted that moment to be one she would never forget. He didn’t have much to offer her–he worked two jobs just to support himself. He had planned to use what little money he had saved up to start a life with her. Even though in his mind she deserved better, the one thing he could do was love her more than any person could love another. That he was sure of. He opened the box to look at its contents–a single diamond ring. Then he closed it again, placing it back in his pocket.

  Chapter 7

  Remember

  It took a while, but I was able to slip back into my daily routine, which was basically working and going home. I hadn’t had the chance to catch up with Mr. Parker yet, and I was feeling a little neglectful. I know Tannah had informed him of my accident, but I still wanted to see him. I missed our occasional dinners and weekly visits. Besides, if I didn’t check on him, then no one would since he had no family.

  Leaving work, I noticed how truly lovely it was outside. The sun was glowing on my skin, and I was thoroughly enjoying its warmth. As I crossed the street, I noticed some kids playing ball in the newly reconstructed park. Tannah had told me during my stay in the hospital that there had been an earthquake, and the park had suffered dramatically. This was the first time I had noticed the drastic change in its appearance.

  The children seemed to be having so much fun that it forced a smile on my face. All of them were in cut-off jeans and old baseball uniforms with last names embroidered on the back. They couldn’t have been more than nine years old, but watching how well they played, they could have easily been mistaken as older.

  I leaned against the fence, watching in wonder at these well organized miniature replicas of Babe Ruth and Mickey Mantle when I noticed one of them waving at me. He began running in my direction. The brim of his hat caught the wind and shifted back as he ran, showing his bright orange hair and dark brown eyes.

  He stopped directly in front of me. I knelt down so that my eyes were level with his. My hair fell and rested on my knees.

  “What’s up little guy?” I asked, unable to control my adoration.

  “Where's your friend?” he asked, bouncing up and down in place. I guess he saw how confused I was because he went on to try and jog my memory.

  “Reeeemeeemmmbbber?” he asked, stretching out the word as long as it would go. I giggled a little at his very thick lisp.

  “Your friend said if I went home and practiced ball real hard that you two would come play a game with me,” the boy said as he impelled the baseball repeatedly in his glove.

  I assumed that he had me confused with someone else, and I didn’t want to argue with the little guy. I didn’t have the heart to tell him that he had the wrong girl.

  “Um… my friend had some important business to take care of,” I said, feeling bad about lying. “I tell you what. I can play for one game, fair?”

  “But he promised,” he said, looking disappointed.

  “Looks like you’re going to have to settle for me,” I said, squinting my face and hoping that I would be a good enough catching partner.

  “It’s okay. Come back tomorrow with your friend, and we’ll play. I should go anyway. I promised my Mom, I would be home early.” He gave me a short wave and started back towards the field. Just before reaching the dirt, he turned and shouted, “Bye Az!” Then he disappeared into the crowd of boys.

  He knew who I was. I tried shouting out to him, but I didn’t know his name. “Hey wait!” However, he was gone.

  ***

  The next night I left work around seven o’clock. I was rushing home. It was getting dark, not from the late hour, but because it was getting ready to pour down rain. I heard ripples of thunder off in the distance, and with each flash of lightening; it pushed my feet to move at a faster pace. I hated thunderstorms–they always made me nervous.

  When I finally made it to my apartment, I was relieved. I went in and changed into sweat pants and a t-shirt. After the accident, my apartment seemed so strange to me, like I was out of place there. It was dreary and isolated. Nothing on the surface had changed, but internally I felt like this was a dark and sad former part of my life.

  I straightened up a few things and figured I would go to check on Mr. Parker. His first name was Earl. However, I couldn't call him by it. It was too casual, and since he was much like the Dad I never had, I liked calling him by a more formal name.

  Once I reached his door, I knocked softly, not wanting to startle him. “Mr. Parker?” I called but didn’t receive an answer. “Mr. Parker, it’s Azaleigh.” I waited a second and then called again. “Mr. Parker, are you there?” I placed a hand on the doorknob and tried turning it. It was unlocked. I opened the door just enough to fit my head inside. “Mr. Parker, it’s Azaleigh. I was just checking in to see if you were okay.” I opened the door wider and stepped inside to look around. His apartment was smaller than mine with even less furnishing. I walked through the living room and then into the kitchen where a plate full of food sat, half eaten. Flies were hovering over it, and the stench was overwhelming, causing me to cover my nose with the inside of my shirt. I choked back a gag as I shooed the flies away from attempting to take up residence on me. “Mr. Parker?” I called one more time, hoping and praying that he would answer.

  Just then I heard a ticking coming from the back bedroom, and I followed the sound down the hall, carefully walking in quiet steps on the hardwood floor. I approached a door that was cracked open, and I could tell the sound was coming from behind it. Slowly pushing it open, a foul smell hit me and I stood staring in horror. Mr. Parker was lying on the floor, pale and not moving. In his hand, he was holding a phone. The cord was stretched out and hitting the side of his nightstand caused by a light gust of wind that was blowing through the open window. He must have been there for days because the lobes of his ears had begun to blacken.

  With tears welling up in my eyes and my heart beating rapidly, I stood there in disbelief.

  When the police arrived, I gave my statement and watched the coroner haul Mr. Parker out in a black body bag. I felt dizzy and everything seemed so surreal. Hearing my name called over and over brought me out of my reverie. Jen came rushing through a crowd of people that were wearing uniforms. She grabbed me, hugging me tightly, but I couldn’t quite return the embrace.

  “Oh my gosh, Az, are you okay?” She brushed her hand repeatedly over my face, wiping away tears and make-up that had painted it. “What happened?”

  I was so lost. I had no idea what had happened and didn’t know how to explain it to her. “I’m… I’m… not sure.”

  “I heard someone had passed away in your apartment building and rushed over here. Who was it?” Her voice sounded like she was relieved it wasn’t me.

  “Mr. Parker..., he was my friend. I found him lying on the floor holding the phone,” I said, glancing down at my hands while they shook in my lap. I looked up at her with tears streaming
down my face where she had just wiped clean. “He had no family. There’s no one to notify.” When I said it, I realized how sad it sounded or how sad it really was for that matter.

  “Az, come stay with me tonight. You shouldn’t be alone.” She stroked my hair from my face while more tears fell to the ground, soaking in the dirt and disappearing.

  “Okay, just let me grab a few things.” I said.

  Once we made it to Jen’s place, I all but passed out on the couch. Lying there with my eyes closed and my head throbbing, I was on the verge of incoherence. I could hear Jen moving about the apartment, and then I heard her go back to her bedroom and shut the door. My throat was dry and constricted, so I pulled myself up and went to the kitchen to find something to drink. Opening the refrigerator door, I was not surprised by the organization of it. Bottles of water were neatly lined on the bottom shelf, all with their labels facing the same direction. I just shook my head in amusement, grabbing one of the bottles and twisting the cap. I had tilted it back to take a sip when I heard Jen talking in a hushed voice. I moved slowly down the hall trying to hear better. Then I realized that she was on the phone. I pressed my ear against the door, and I heard her say, “Yeah, she’s with me…. No, no everything is fine…. I know that…. I will get her to stay here for a couple of days until he can get settled in…. Wait… I think I hear something.” That was my queue to get my ass back in the living room. I tip toed down the hall in a hurry and slipped into the bathroom just seconds before she opened the door. When I heard the door shut again, I rushed over to the couch and lay down. It wasn’t long before the effects of the evening had taken their toll on me, and I fell asleep.

  The next morning I awoke to the warm smell of coffee. Jen was sitting at the kitchen table reading the newspaper. I really didn’t see Jen as a newspaper kind of girl–I thought of her as more of a Cosmopolitan kind of girl.

  “How are you feeling this morning?” she asked.

  Rubbing my eyes I replied, “I’m okay, I guess.”

  “You’ve had a rough night.”