Forbidden Wings

“Once upon a time in a land far away from here there were magical creatures who lived peacefully among one another. There were fairies and dragons, warlocks and sirens. Animals spoke and along the land problems rarely arose. There came a time that the land was not so peaceful. A time where a powerful sorceress ruled over everyone within her reach. People cowered at the sound of her name and slinked into the shadows at her arrival. Her spells were a whisper over those she controlled. She-” The story was interrupted when Tarani called to her to come down the stairs. She bounced gracefully off the stool she was perched on and down the stairs. Her older sister was waiting for her in the massive kitchen. From behind the onyx countertop her sister looked at her disapprovingly. At this point she should be dressed and ready to run out the door, but instead she was still in the shorts and big t-shirt she had worn to bed the night before. “Atla you need to be dressed and ready if you want me to drop you off before I head into work!” Alta rolled her bright amber eyes. Leslie did not approve of Atla’s alternative methods of transportation. She was not the average 18 year old for many reasons, but her 24 year old sibling was overly protective. Not one knew of the abnormalities that plagued the Zigli family. Though the sisters had been abandoned for years they still had difficulty being accustomed to normal everyday life. The girls were gifted in ways the people around them were not, nor could ever understand. The story Alta had been reading was the story of her people from eons ago. It was the story of her parents and how Atla and Tarani came to be the last of their kind, what they were exactly they did not know. They only knew that day by day they grew stronger with no knowledge of just how strong they would become. Tarani brought Atla’s thought back to the present. With a voice like bells Tarani’s reprimand cut through Atla like a knife. “Go get dressed. It is not a request.” So she went up the stairs without making a sound. Pulling on her favorite grey sweatshirt she simultaneously roped her golden hair on top of her head. She loped down the stairs once more longing to speed through the shadows instead of dragging herself to the door of her sister’s 2020 Nissan Maxima. Discreet in it’s blacked out nature, it was meant to draw the least amount of attention. Just a “normal” family, doing “normal” things, on a completely “normal” day. High school was completely mundane, especially when she was not. Sure, she had friends and enjoyed sleeping through her advanced classes, but she longed for the day when she could really dig into her past and predict what her future could hold. Tarani refused to acknowledge that they were more than what they seemed. Tarani was fine putting on a smile and following the human way to do things, but on the drive to Silk Haven High today, Atla contemplated how to make her sister understand that they needed a break from the facade. Tarani brightly called, “Bye At! Have a wonderful day!” Again Atla’s eyes rolled as she opened the doors to her own personal hell. She couldn’t be mad long though because through those awfully beige doors was her best friend Selina. Well, the best friend a person could be without knowing the whole truth about her. She wanted nothing more than for someone to talk to about everything that plagued her mind, other than stubborn Tarani who ignored EVERYTHING! Selina rushed Atla quickly assessing the bad mood and responding with open arms . Selina already knew that Tarani was the cause for her sour mood. Selina looked more like she was related to Tarani than Atla. The both had hair as black as the feathers on a raven’s back and spoke through full lips the color of roses. While their eyes differed everything else was the same. Selina peered at her with bright green eyes and Tarani’s were hazel. They were built long and willowy while Atla was little but strong. Atla’s thoughts had wandered while Selina recounted a tale from her home last night. Her and her mother were never not fighting. Selina became winded in her story so Atla took this opportunity to interject, “I better get to class Selina, I don’t want to be late. I’ll see you later Sel, ok?” Atla took off a little too quickly. She adjusted her emotions and slowed her pace to look human. Her head was so stuck in her own thoughts that she ran smack into the open door of the classroom a few doors down from her own. Flat on her back her only thought, “Great this is how today is going to go!” Sitting up and brushing off the back of her head a teacher breezed out of the doorway. Her entire body tingled, as though all of her nerve endings were alive. She glanced up at the teacher, barely giving a second glance to the hand extended in her direction. Picking herself up off the floor the deep voice filled her ears, “Alright well, looks like you’re fine, I’ll get back to my class?” Her neck snapped up at an alarming rate, again she had to think about slowing her movements. She could tell when her eyes met his that she had moved too quickly and that he had taken notice. Attempting to shake the shocked look from his face he broke into a dazzling smile, that showed two rows of perfect white teeth. This was not a teacher she had seen before and his presence set off red alarms in her head. There was something about him that she couldn’t place. He was a foot taller than her at least, with wavy inky hair that she wanted to twist her fingers into. She cleared her throat so her voice wouldn’t be too high, he was already looking at her suspiciously. “Thank you for your hand, I am so sorry I was too distracted to take it.” A warm blush spread through her freckled face and she smiled at him meekly. He was taken and she could tell, feeling his pulse race and his breathing hitch in the slightest. The sound of the 8AM bell rang through them, distracting them from one another. She apologized again, scooped her bag from the floor and ran to class. She took her usual desk at the back of the class, slipping in her headphones that would allow her to escape from the world. The day raced by, the last bell sending chills through Atla’s spine. She was free! Tarani would be at work for a few more hours giving her wandering thoughts time to manifest. Selina was going to walk home with her and then she would have acres to herself. Sending a quick text to Selina to meet her by the big oak tree in the back of the school she passed by the classroom she had battle rammed earlier that day. The teacher standing just inside the doorway. She could smell him. Her mouth began to water and she felt a tug to lean in closer. Closing her eyes and steadying herself against the doorframe she inhaled deeply, humming in delight. In response he whipped around to see her there. Atla couldn’t find the willpower to stop herself from taking small tentative steps closer to him. “Is there something I can help you with?” His voice was husky, sending her swaying. Her heart drummed against her chest making her suddenly very aware of her reaction to him. Eyes opening wide she realized she was inches from him with no other desire than to reach out and touch his skin. He looked mildly concerned but mostly enthralled. It was a common reaction to Atla, it was part of what made her different. People couldn’t help but be drawn to her. Atla could see him contemplating, the wheels in his head turning quickly. His animal nature won over his cognitive thoughts causing him to take one large step to close the gap between them. He reached up and over her, confusing her momentarily before she heard the door click shut. She made a mental note to listen very closely to see if anyone had seen the few seconds that past. With one swift motion she reached behind her locked the door and with the same hand reached for his shoulder to pull him towards her. His hands reached up to her face, the warmth from his fingers spreading through her to her toes. She could read him like a book, this was way more than the usual pull, this was raw carnal energy she had never felt before. She felt herself giving in and losing control over the very careful mask she wore everyday. His breath caught in his throat and made sound impossible. Her voice rang true, high like a pixie’s but solid, “Atla, or Atlani, Ati whichever you like….” her voice trailed off as her breathing quickened, he had leaned in closer and his smell was intoxicating. His hands had moved to her hair undoing the pins that kept it piled atop her head. He said her name with reverence, “Atlani.” Shivering she moved closer to him, gripping the tops of his arms leaning into him, her lips parting slightly as her breath rushed out of her in a gust. Vibrating in her pocket was her phone, probably Selina wondering where the hell she was. Annoyed, she rashly tossed the phone aside, ignoring that her friend was probably worried about her, but the air had shifted already. She felt him tense beneath her, felt his conscience mentally kick him. She dismounted from him turned on her heel and left swiftly. He watched the curtain of her hair swish behind her as she ran from him. She knew that the next day she needed his name, she needed everything about him. Meeting Selina outside by the tree, her friend had about lost it, “Atla what the hell?! I texted you 1,000 times and tried to call you! I thought you had been kidnapped or something. You know you can’t do that to me!” “Sel, I know… I am so sorry, I got caught up talking to my AP Chem teacher, you know how Mrs. Christiana is. She was being particular about an assignment I slacked off on and asked me to stay behind. She chewed me out a bit and I have to redo some but it’s fine.” The lie leaving her lips with ease. “Ok Atla, but a text saying ‘I’ll be out in a sec’ would be freaking life changing! I was worried.” “I get it, I know. I will next time, ok?” We walked in silence for a few moments, I could feel her heart reverting to its normal rhythm and her thoughts calmed down. She broke the silence, “Atlani?” “Yes?” She never used my full name no one ever did. It was definitely not a name you would find on a keychain, but when he said it… oh! “Your hair is down, wasn’t it up this morning?” Panicking I quickly stated that a headache came on after lunch which caused me to unleash my thick gold hair. She seemed content with this answer but still muddled since for the better part of our 10 year friendship I had worn my hair as a crown. 20 minutes later we were outside of my red door parting ways. With a promise to text me when she got home I let Selina out of my sight and walked into my home relieved that I was alone. I shed my sweatshirt and shoes by the door, recalling my exciting afternoon. My stomach churned at the thought of the teacher’s hands over my skin, which wasn’t sensitive to much, but had raised with goosebumps at his touch. Atla thought that she had to know his name and she made plans to get that tomorrow but for now, with the time she had left, she decided to play. Releasing the concern for the events that had taken place that day, she opened her mind. Her breathing slowed and she could feel her calm spreading over the house and fields around her. From a human, or untrained eye, the house would look empty, no lights on and certainly no Atla running around like crazy. Her muscles hummed with power and she knew that she could push herself farther than normal. She relaxed her hands, her nails turning to long black claws while black tufts of fur sprouted at the bases. She knew by this time her eyes would appear larger and would look like round pools of melted gold. Usually this is as far as she could push it but her body felt like fire ants crawling all over. She shook her head as pointed ears popped from her skull and felt a tail sprout from the base of her back between her dimples right above her ass. With that the fire ants stopped their assault on her from under her skin, she knew this was as far as she could push her physical form today. Mentally she could go further. She allowed her mind to reach to the far corners of her small town, feeling the emotions and guessing at the thoughts of others. She could find and feel everyone, well almost everyone, there was one that would always be a mystery to her, Tarani. Her sister could feel and read her, but Atla stood no chance, for which she silently pouted. She couldn’t check in on her sister, but Leslie could check in on her?! She hoped that would change with time. She looked for another mind, not finding him. She was searching for the mystery teacher. Odd, she thought that she couldn’t find him, she zeroed in further on the school, still not finding what she was looking for. Becoming frustrated she stopped searching and went outside with her dog Willie. Willie was a giant German Shepherd who was nearly as gifted as she. Willie could tell when the girls were distressed, he could also feel as deeply as they did. Being creatures that no one could begin to understand having an animal like Willie helped a lot when feeling like an outcast. Atla felt the car’s engine 2 miles away, as usual her sister was driving with caution avoiding any attention to be drawn to her. She released the house of its cloak and allowed it to look alive from the outside. She knew soon she would have to attempt to cloak her own thoughts around her sister to not share her extracurricular activities this afternoon. She wished her parents were still alive so her sister could be someone she told everything to and would giggle with her about the mischief they could create. Instead, Tarani took the role of dutiful mother with no room for fun. Sitting out in the field with Willie she felt the doors to the house open and her sister called out to her. Moving like she was on clouds she was inside within seconds. Tarani looked exasperated that her sister would dare to use the gifts she tried so hard to conceal. Tarani was 6 years older than Atla and it showed. Atla was reckless and stubborn, where Tarani thought of herself careful and calculating. It wasn’t a bad thing but when Tarani had been left this big house on her own she had to learn that differences are what get you hurt. While being unique is incredible and has its advantages often times those advantages are also what gets you in a padded cell being poked and prodded like a lab rat. Tarani refused to allow that to happen to her or her sister. She remembered the day that she found out about Atlani. Their lives had complicated beginnings that didn’t always fit into words. Someday Atla would know the whole truth but for now it felt as though she already knew too much. She observed as Atla danced around the kitchen making lasagna, knowing that she had full intentions on not waiting the 2 hours for it to cook. Realizing that this was not something to fight about, she held her tongue, hoping that maybe one day, Atla’s curiosity would subside or maybe, just maybe their so called “gifts” would disappear just like their parents did. As far as Atlani knew her parents were dead, but that was just part of that complicated beginnings that Tarani could not wrap her head around.