My name is Alexis Grace, and I live in the woods. My brother Jensen Alexander lives with me. We're different from other people; we can't come out in public. We hide in the woods, taking cover of the trees, slipping into the shadows.
"Alexis, look, " Jensen said as he flew from the tree branches. "I learned how to dive! " He stretched his wings and soared back up to the tree, his arms stretched out in front of him. He laughed, being his excited young self, a sound like wind chimes through the breeze. "I can dive! " he laughed and glided downward.
"Jensen, be careful! Don't hurt yourself, and don't be so loud. People will hear! " I scolded. Jensen landed on his feet and tucked his long, silvery wings behind him. "Don't be such a party-pooper, Alexis. You gotta have some fun! "
"Says who? " I asked him, crossing my arms.
"Whoever invented the saying 'all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy'. " He laughed his wind-chime laugh, his young voice echoing through the trees. It had become nightfall, and the shadows in the woods became more prominent. Suddenly, there was a sound, like footfalls on a snapping twig. Jensen and I froze, then dashed for the cover of more trees. When we were sure we were hidden well, we peeked from behind the bark.
A young girl, maybe my age came from the trees into the clearing. She had long, red hair and bright eyes. "Are you lost? " Jensen said from our cover. My mouth dropped open in surprise. The girl started, and looked up, suddenly afraid because she could not see us. "Y-yes... " she replied to the darkness. "My parents and I just bought a house...and I wandered off. "
"Oh, you must be talking about the old wooden one with the wrap-around porch, " Jensen said. I grabbed onto his arm and started pulling him farther away. Our cover could not be blown. We had worked so hard to keep it a secret for all these years. What was Jensen thinking?
"Yes...that's the one, " she replied, moving closer to our haven.
"It's back the way you came, but there's a path that splits in two. Take the one on your left or you'll get lost for sure. " Jensen said as I dragged him back.
"Okay, thanks... " the girl said, backing away into the forest again. No sooner had she disappeared, than Jensen stepped out from the hiding spot. "Alexis! " he yelled at me.
"What, Jensen? You just almost blew our cover! What were you thinking? "
"WHOA! " a voice called from behind. Jensen had his wings spanned all the way out, and the red-haired girl stood there, her mouth agape, eyes wide, where she'd just walked out from the woods.