First Flight

I trudge past the MCX. It’s hot and humid out, but I pull my wind breaker tighter. My backpack drags my shoulder down with weight. Nobody’s out on the streets, but that’s how I like it now. Something happened to me on Monday, so I had to skip a few days of school. My mom finally convinced me to just stop by the base today to pick up my missing work. I don’t want to run into anyone I know though, not yet.

“Hey, what’re you doing?” someone asked from behind me. I felt a hat hit me on the back of my head. I groaned. It was the one person who I least wanted to see right now. I turned around reluctantly.

“Hey, Snow.” I said. Snow was one of my best friends. He had short black hair that was spiked up in the front, and was wearing all black and white like he usually does. He grinned.

“Why weren’t you at school for the last few days? Did you die?” he teased. I usually ask him if he died whenever he’s absent, so he was getting back at me.

“Something happened.” I said shortly.

“Like what?” he asked. I didn’t want to tell him, but I wanted to tell someone, and since I was avoiding everyone else he was the only one I could tell. Without a word I spread my wings out through slits I had cut in my windbreaker. They were white with little black flecks. I shook them, and all the feathers fell into place.

“What the…?” Snow said, “When did this happen?” He was surprisingly calm, considering I was now half bird.

“On Monday, I woke up, and there they were.” I said, “Now I’m too embarrassed to go to school.”

“You? Embarrassed about wings? I would’ve thought you’d show off.” he said. It was true, though I’d hate to admit it. I was a huge show off, and normally I’d go to school with a smile on my face and my wings fully extended, and I’d keep “accidentally” bumping into people with them.

“Normally I would,” I said, “but it’s pretty lame to have wings and not be able to fly.”

“You can’t fly?” Snow said, barely compressing a laugh.

“Shut up.” I muttered. “I wanted to try, but I’m too chicken, no pun intended. That’s why I haven’t been coming to school, and today, everyone’s at that concert thing at the golf course, so I figured I’m safe. ” We had reached the Monzen Bridge.

“Why don’t you try right now?” Snow said. I looked nervously at the rail. He gave an encouraging nod and I climbed up, crouching on the rail with my wings partially extended. The tide had gone out so the ground was far below me. Little streams carved rivets in the mud. If I didn’t fly, I would probably fall in soft mud, but I didn’t want to risk it, even mud would hurt.

“I don’t think…” before I could finish, Snow pushed me from behind. I fell. I closed my eyes certain I would face plant, but before I could hit the mud, my wings snapped open. I caught a gust and I started to rise. I opened my eyes. The river bottom, the bridge and Snow were shrinking away. I spread out my hands and laughed. I felt the wind whip around my hair. I tilted my wings, and I circled back around, until I was soaring above Snow.

“I’m flying!” I yelled to Snow. He smiled up at me.

“There’s a problem though,” I called.

“What now?” he yelled back up.

“I don’t know how to land.”