Flesh and Feathers

by Hylton, Danielle; Fifer, April

  Tannah continued, “Angels are protectors of free-will, and they themselves, hold the right of free-will. Some angels decided to follow their own path, choosing self-gratification instead of that of the righteous. They are then denied admittance back into the heaven and instead are bound to the earth that they were assigned to protect. These angels became fallen and were labeled as the Angels of Treason. When the time comes for the righteous angels to cast destruction upon the earth, and judge the souls of the earth beings, they will then leave the earth as a desolate place to punish those of evil, thus binding them to the pit of Gehenna.”

  My eyes were wide with amazement, and confusion clouded my mind. “What is Gehenna?”

  “For you–a mortal, it would be hell.”

  Her face was hardened, sending a nervous twitch through my stomach. “The one hunting you is Kano. He is a rogue, so to speak. He hunts for a bounty. We know that some of the payments he accepts from his employers are those of ancient tools and weapons, which hold mystical powers of their own. All of these weapons are able to kill angels and humans alike. Some weapons devouring souls and holding them hostage within its elements. Kano has powers that seem to be limitless. He can shift into any physical form or become only visible to whom he desires. Because the fallen do not have wings, we assume that this is one of the appearances he chooses to portray. However, we are not sure. No one has seen his true form. Kano’s intentions are to capture you and deliver you to Tobias. It was Tobias, whom hired him. He also leads the Angels of Treason. Ruthless and clever, Tobias has remained hidden for centuries from our kind. Scarlet, who was the first of Tobias’ followers, is the one who located you. Besides Tobias himself, Scarlet is the most evil of their kind. She should not be underestimated. She has killed many, and Tobias uses her as an observer. Her power is unlike any other. She can separate her spirit form from her physical form. This is how she is able to locate and deceive her quarry.”

  I remembered the woman who had haunted me in my mirror. “I think I’ve seen her. Does she have colorless eyes and platinum hair?” I asked.

  Tannah looked at me strangely. “Yes.”

  It all made sense. “I saw her in my mirror. I thought I was imagining things at first but the second time she appeared, she stepped out of the mirror and spoke to me.”

  “What did she say?” Jen asked.

  I searched my mind but with no luck. “I can’t remember.”

  “It’s no matter. We know her intentions,” Tannah said, but I could tell she was curious.

  “What about you guys? Are you all angels?” I asked.

  Gage spoke up first. “Not me. But I was once…”

  Tannah finished answering for him. “Gage is fallen, but he is still one of our most elite.”

  This confused me. “Fallen…? Does that mean you’re bad?” I asked Gage.

  Tannah, again, answered for him. “No. To be fallen is a choice, just as it is a choice to be good or evil. He is still much like us. His privilege of wings has been taken away, as well as the privilege to return to heaven as an angel.”

  “I was asking Gage. Do you speak for everyone here?” I snapped, and as soon as I did, I wished I hadn’t. Tannah shot me a look that caused me to bow my head. I changed the subject. “So do all of you have some kind of power?”

  “Jen has the power to heal, and Gage has the power to feel the emotions of others. I carry the power of wisdom. We are also given a name from our higher authority. I am called Nemaninah,” Tannah said.

  I remembered the day I visited Mr. Parker and my mother’s gravesite. “Nemaninah…, like the angel statues at the cemetery,” I said. Tannah nodded.

  Jen spoke up. “I’m Genevieve.”

  I looked over at Gage, remembering the last angel at the cemetery. “Then you must be Dekalabrie.” I was assuming.

  However, Gage shook his head and responded reluctantly. “No.” Then Gage looked at Tannah sternly.

  I realized I must have asked something I shouldn’t have, so I abruptly changed my approach. “Am I able to see your wings?” I asked, looking around at them.

  Jen smiled and stood. Without warning, wings exploded from her back. They were beautiful, and their color was unidentifiable. Each feather was precise and elegant in its form, as if they were all individually crafted to create this stunning vision.

  I surprised myself, finding that I was more interested in their making, then the fact that my friend actually had wings. “Can I touch them?” I asked, much like a kid at a petting zoo.

  “Yes, of course.” Jen smiled, amused with my interest.

  At first touch, they seemed like velvet on the surface but pressing my fingers to them, they were hard like steel.

  “Az, there’s more. You have power of your own. You are able to see the truth, which shields your mind from deception. The only thing that can blind you are your own emotions. Although these powers are not at their full use, you still have the ability to call on them, even now. You will find that there are other things you possess as well. We are not sure of all of your powers.” Listening to Jen, I noticed that her voice did not change like Tannah’s or gain an accent.

  Tannah interrupted. “We’ve had a long day. I do think it is time for all of us to retire. It is getting late.” I was kind of relieved. It was too much to take in right now, and I needed time to think. “Jen will show you where you will be staying.”

  I nodded and followed Jen towards the door. I stopped and turned to look at Gage, holding his gaze. Then I walked out. I heard him rush out the door, following behind me. He grabbed my hand and turned me to face him.

  “Az…. This doesn’t change anything between us for me,” he said.

  I paused for a moment. “It changes everything for me.” I pulled my hand out of his and walked away.

  Chapter 13

  Payback

  It had been four days, and I had spent most of my time roaming the castle, exploring. It was so remarkable. I learned it had been built by a woman named Lady Claire Vincent. She had built it during a time when religion had been repressed. It was made as a safe haven for refugees, so that they could worship in their own religions without influence or persecution.

  The only thing that Lady Claire had asked in return was that each guest help continue to build onto the castle during his or her stay and never to speak of it when they left. This went on for forty years.

  Lady Claire had also helped families survive during periods of war. This enormous castle in the middle of the sea had been crafted to help others continue their faith. I had heard Tannah call it The Isle of Peace. I assumed it was because during times of war, this was probably one of the only places on earth where there was no bloodshed.

  The castle had over one hundred and twenty rooms; eight hundred doors; one thousand windows and four cylinder towers that balanced the symmetry of the castle.

  I had found all of this information documented in a large book in the library. The library itself was four stories high with the center of it cut out so that you could look up to the very top. Every book imaginable was kept there–books from other cultures and languages; books for different kinds of religion; and even books on how to cook–which I found rather strange.

  Because this was a place of refuge, there were hidden rooms and secret passages. Some rooms I went into, I was unable to exit the same way. It was a maze of wonder and splendor.

  I had also learned–from the Library–about the creation of each room, including the one I was staying in. There was a large painting of Lady Claire that hung over the fireplace. Some speculated that it was Michelangelo himself, who had painted it during his stay. It was believed that his time here had inspired him to paint the Sistine Chapel. However, of course, no one knew for sure.

  There were other intriguing aspects of my room. For instance, each stone in the fireplace had an inscription engraved from each guest who had resided here. Most of them were scriptures or verses, some in other languages.

  But my interests in expl
oring, only lasted so long. The excitement of the castle wore off and now felt more like an imprisonment.

  The next few days I found it hard to eat. I had avoided Tannah and Jen as much as possible, and they were wise enough to give me my space.

  Gage, however, checked in on me constantly. He tried to do it without me noticing, but I could always tell when he was around…, I could feel his presence. To be honest, I was glad. Although I wouldn’t have admitted it to him, he was the one constant thing in my life. I hated the fact that I had distanced myself from him, but everything was so different and complicated now.

  It was late when I heard a knock at my door. I was lying in bed staring at the wall when I shouted, “Come in.” It had been days since I had spoken to anyone, so my voice sounded weak and misplaced.

  Gage poked his head in the door as I rolled over to see who it was. “Are you alright?” he asked. I wasn’t sure if I felt like having company, so I nodded to confirm, not wanting to start a conversation.

  “I brought you something to eat.”

  “I’m not hungry,” I said and then rolled back over, assuming that he would leave.

  I heard him set the plate down on the table next to the door. Then the bed shifted with his weight as he sat down next to where I lay. “I’m really not in the frame of mind for socializing,” I said. I couldn’t understand myself. Why couldn’t I just open up to him? I wanted to.

  “That is perfect, because I’m not really in the mood for socializing either. I just needed a place to sleep. Jen’s room is next door to mine, and she snores extremely loud at night. I thought I would come bunk with you.” I tried not to smile when he said it, but I couldn’t help it. God, I missed him.

  I turned to face him. “I promise not to steal the covers,” he added.

  My smile faded as I watched his face. Finally, I dug deep for the words that I had wanted to say. “I’m glad you’re here.”

  He put his arm around me and pulled me close to him. I laid my head on his chest, and for the first time in days, I felt in place. Something was working its way through my body, trying to surface.… I wanted to tell Gage how I felt the morning I had left him at my apartment…, how I wanted stay with him…, how he made me feel. However, as it reached the top of my throat, I swallowed hard, pushing it back down inside.

  He touched my chin, tilting my head up to kiss me once on my forehead. “I’m glad too.” A smile stretched across his face. “You have no idea how loud Jen can get when she snores,” he said, causing me to pop him with a pillow.

  He slid down further on the bed until we were both lying side by side and on our backs. Quietly, we lay there until Gage spoke up, breaking the stillness. “What are you thinking about?”

  “My mom.”

  “Tell me about her.”

  I rolled my eyes to look over at him. “It’s silly.”

  “I find that hard to believe.”

  “When I was little, every night before I went to bed she would read me The Velveteen Rabbit. At the end of the story the boy became very sick and all of the toys in the nursery were sent to be burned–including the rabbit. As the rabbit waited for the end to come, a fairy visited him. She told him that before he had only been real to the boy, but because the boy loved him so much she would make him real to everyone. My mom used to tell me that when I felt like there was no hope, remember that when there are people who love you, anything is possible.” I paused for a minute, letting the memory rekindle the sound of her voice in my head. Then I let it go again, tucking it away to visit another time. “I told you it was silly,” I said lowly.

  “That doesn’t sound silly at all. It sounds like your mother was very special.”

  I chuckled. “She used to make these little marshmallow cakes when I had had a bad day. She thought the cure for every ailment was sweets.”

  “What did she look like?” Gage asked.

  “Exactly like me, only she was beautiful. Anytime we would go somewhere, people would stop and stare at her. She would tell me they were looking at me, but I always knew the truth–it was her.

  “Az, I don’t think you are giving yourself enough credit. You stopped me in my tracks when I first saw you.”

  I blurted out a loud laugh. “That’s because I tried to attack you when you were fixing your mailbox.”

  “That’s true. I don’t think I’ve ever been so scared in my life.” He made a fake tremble, and I rolled my eyes at him.

  “Gage, are you really going to stay here tonight? I just don’t want to be alone. I think I’ve done too much of that here lately.”

  His face was kind. “I don’t have anywhere else to be.”

  “And by the way, I don’t snore nearly as loud as Jen,” I said teasingly.

  Gage laughed, and then I snuggled down into the nook of his arm.

  ***

  I woke up in a gasp. I might have been dreaming, but I wasn’t sure. Whatever it was had melted away the moment my eyes opened.

  As I lay there, a light shone through the cracked door, and I could hear faint whispers. Not really whispers per say, but maybe a conversation that was being absorbed behind thick walls.

  I looked over and noticed Gage was gone. I got up and poked my head out of the room, peering down the hall. It seemed no one was around, and it took a minute to figure out the direction of the sounds.

  Staying close to the wall, I followed the muffled noise several doors down from my own. I could make out Tannah’s voice, and what I was sure was Gage’s. I didn’t hear Jen speak, but I knew she had to be in there from the sound of stilettos pacing back and forth on the hard floor. Then there was a low male voice that was distorted by the bulky door. I couldn’t hear what he was saying at all–it was more like a constant hum.

  I heard Tannah in a frustrated voice, “I don’t care of the danger. You shouldn’t have come here.”

  Then the man’s voice took a tone that I could hear…, one that I recognized. “I came because of her,” he said.

  Before I could process what I was doing, I flung the door open. Gage was sitting beside the fireplace with a mixture of irritation and distress on his face. Jen had paused next to the window, and Tannah stood directly in the center of the room. Everyone froze at my intrusion and faces went blank, except for Tannah’s who seem to show a small sign of defeat.

  “What is going on?” I demanded.

  A man rose from a seat that had been facing Tannah and away from me. Tannah cut her eyes at him. “Kale,” she said, speaking in a low growl.

  “Kale?” I questioned confused.

  He turned to face me, and my heart stopped. “Kale.” His name left a sting as it left my lips.

  Pictures, images, and feelings flooded my mind like someone had opened a door that was bursting at the seams. They came so fast and hard it was difficult to breath in between them. I saw the first time we met; the way he cared for me when I was hurt; all the times he walked me home from work; how he would look at me–wanting to hold me; our night at the lounge–our first kiss; the weekend at the beach house; and finally I saw the way I loved him, completely consumed by him.

  Jen was the first to speak. “Az, I know you feel really confused right now, but if you would just sit…”

  I cut her off speaking firmly, but not letting the anger take over my voice. “I’m not confused.” This wasn’t a total lie. I wasn’t confused. I was far past confused, but I was also starting to realize quite a few things. I turned towards Tannah, addressing her first. “You did this.” I wasn’t sure exactly what it was she had done, but the look on her face confirmed my accusation.

  “Jen, you knew… and you did nothing!”

  Kale took a step towards me. “Azaleigh…”

  I stepped back, not accepting his forward. “You…, you are the worst one of them all.” Unable to control them, tears filled my eyes, overflowing and streaking my face. “You left.” It was hard to say and came out as a whisper. I was more devastated by his abandonment than anything the others could ha
ve done. “You knew how I felt about you.” Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Gage squirm in his seat, the comment disconcerting him.

  I looked at all of their faces, anger replacing my tears. “How dare you…. You can’t just cut out the pieces of my life because it doesn’t suit yours. I am still a person.”

  I turned to leave, stopping just short of the door. I lowered my voice. “You say you’re angels…, that you protect free-will. Well guess what? You just took mine from me.” I looked over at Gage. “You once told me you wanted it to be real. Do you remember that? I think, now, that you are the only one who was real.”

  I stormed back to my room, slamming the door as hard as possible and then locking it. I had never been so angry. To add to my frustration, I couldn’t even leave. I was trapped here by people who had betrayed me. I paced the room back and forth wishing life was simple again. I sat down in front of the small vanity that set next to the window and stared at my reflection. I guess maybe I was hoping that if I stared long enough, the girl staring back at me would have some kind of answer. But I didn’t.

  I turned my head at the sound of the doorknob shaking and then a hard rap at the door.

  “Azaleigh! Open the door! We need to talk!” Kale shouted from the other side.

  “Go away!” I snapped back.

  “Az, open this door now!”

  I didn’t respond. I just sat quietly, and after a second I assumed he had given up. Then I heard a small movement, and without warning the door exploded. Splinters of wood went flying in all directions. My first reaction was to duck. Then standing up, I looked at Kale as he walked through the doorway, shaking his hand where his fist had impacted with the door.

  “What the hell is wrong with you?” I shouted. I had never seen him so furious. His eyes were locked on me, and I couldn’t help but quake as he came towards me.

  “Az, I know you are hurt…”

  I cut him off. “You don’t know what hurt is,” I said, spitting the words at him. “You left me here. Obviously, I didn’t mean anything to you.”