The Beginning

I was sitting in the branches of the highest tree in my home city, Utopia. This is where I normally go to think, mainly about school problems. I'm different than everyone at my school, because I'm a lot stronger than all the boys there, and because I have these two big, black wings growing from my back.

The only people who knew about my condition, were my parents, Bill and Alana Angel. I've had my wings since I was born, but I knew that I would always be treated differently. Like an outcast. All my life I've kept them secret, which was really hard to do. So whenever I go to school, I have to wrap my wings up in a bandage around my body, which makes them cramp up.

I looked around the canopy of the woods, the sun was setting. It was almost eight o'clock.

"I'd better get home," I told myself, now standing on the branches. I tied my long, black hair into a pony-tail, so that way when I flew, it didn't obscure my vision.

I stretched my wings out to their full length, about ten feet across, tip to tip. Then, I looked down to the ground, about thirty feet below, and my blood started pumping. I took a deep breath, and I jumped.

Instantly, my wings caught the air, and I pulled up. I was flying.

I gained altitude so that I could watch the sun set. It was a bright orange, and probably the most beautiful sunset I've seen in my entire life.

I smiled and spun in the air as I flew home. There was nothing I loved more than flying. The cold wind in my hair, and the exercise my wings got just made me feel complete. I wish that more people could feel this like I could.

I looked down, and saw the light beaming from my house. On the second floor, was a small balcony that had been installed so that I could have a place to land secretly so no one would discover me by accident. Not wanting to land just yet, I circled above my house a few times before landing.

My feet planted on the wooden floor of the balcony, and folded my wings against my back. I walked into the house, and heard voices coming from across the hall. Two of which I recognized as my parents. The other, was one I've never heard before. It was deep, and demanding.

I sneaked down the hallway and poked my head around the corner to see the man at the dinner table with me parents, talking.

The man was African, and he was wearing a black suit, with a weird cane in his hands.

"I'm sorry, sir," my father said, standing, "but I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Lies!" the man exclaimed, slamming his cane on the ground, "you know what you did to my village! You destroyed it, and my people!"

My eyes widened. What was he talking about? My parents had always been at home. They never went on trips, and they most certainly have never been to any village.

The man continued his verbal assault, "And now you must stone for your sins!"

Like lightning, a dark energy shot from his hands and engulfed my parents, bringing them to the ground, moaning in pain.

"No!" I yelled, revealing myself, "What are you doing to them!?" My heart sank, and my adrenaline rushed.

The man's energy only grew, causing more damage to my parents, "I'm avenging the death of my family and destruction of my village!"

"Run," my father struggled to say, "Amber, run away!"

My parents' bodies paled, and their eyes went white. They were gone. I had just lost the only people in my life who loved me.

The man's attack stopped, and he face me.

"How sad," he said, each word striking more fear into my heart, "such a beautiful girl, cursed with ignorance to what she is involved with." His hands started to glow, and he started to walk towards me.

The emotions in my body told me many things. Rage told me to stay and fight for my life, but I wouldn't stand a chance. Instinct told me to run, and live to fight another day,, a smart choice. And Fear told me to stay put, and just accept the fact that I will die tonight, like hell that would happen.

Listening to my instincts, I turned around, almost falling, and I sprinted to the balcony. Once I was out the door, my wings spread and I jumped, instantly gaining altitude and speed. I turned back and saw the man on the balcony, smiling. He had taken the energy I'm his hands and set my house ablaze with a black inferno.

Tears filled my eyes as I turned back to flee. My vision was clouded, and I found myself flying in the woods, through the branches and leaves. I shielded my face, and I crashed into a tree, and plummeted to the ground.

On the way down, I felt my right wing hit a large branch, and I heard a crack. My wing had been broken.

I then hit the ground, hard. I lay on my back, crying from the emotional and physical trauma I was in. Tears streamed down my face, as I sobbed. My parents were dead, and my home was destroyed. I had no where to go.

Weakly, I turned to see a young man, he looked about eighteen, walking toward me. He wore torn jeans, a black leather jacket, and sunglasses. He put his fingers to his ear and spoke, "What should we do with this one, Frost?"

I heard a faint response, and he knelt down, and picked me up, like I was a sleeping child.

His body was cut, and his voice was soothing. But what really drew my attention, was the cigarette in his mouth.

"Who are you," I asked, placing my head into his muscular chest.

"Don't get any ideas now," he said sternly, "you're lucky I don't just leave you here."

I fell silent as I buried my tears, and fell asleep.