Falling. I'm falling through empty night air, crisp and fresh on my face. Suddenly my clothes and face are damp and I can't see, I'm falling through a cloud.
Then I'm past it and I can see.
Below me are millions of lights, shining like stars; there are moving lights, blue, yellow, green, and all different kinds.
Something sleek and black shoots up past me, a building, I look over at my reflection, attached to my back are jet-black wings, limp and lifeless, trailing behind me.
I look down again just in time to see the ground fly up to meet me.
My eyes flew open; I was lying on my bed, sunlight streaming in through the open window onto my sweaty face. I took a deep breath, you're okay, I thought, you're fine. But my heart still pounded in my chest.
I had been having the same dream for the past few days now. It was always exactly the same, the cloud, and the lights, all of it. To be honest, it was kind of freaking me out.
I climbed out of bed and staggered to the bathroom. After taking a shower, and getting dressed, I took the stairs two at a time to the first floor.
Mom was in the kitchen cooking something that smells like eggs, but looked, and probably tasted, like mold.
"Morning," she said cheerfully, "want some eggs?" and before I had a chance to reply she handed me a plate full of 'eggs'.
"Uh," I stumbled, "I actually have to meet some friends, but I'll, um, have some when I get back, okay?"
Unfazed, mom replies, "okay, be careful."
Quickly I set the plate down, and dashed out the door, grabbing my skateboard and helmet as I went. Don't get me wrong, I love it when my mom tries to cook, I just don't love eating what she makes is all. Clipping my helmet on, I hopped down the front steps and, dropping the skateboard in front of me, I skated down the driveway. The sun beat down, warming the icy breeze, and I zipped up my brown hoodie over my shirt and coasted down the hill to the city. The view was staggeringly beautiful, and reminded me of the dream. But I shook my head and continued on, taking the next right to the park. I skidded to a stop at the edge of the park fence, picking up my board and running across the grass to the big oak tree. The only tree in the park that was allowed to be climbed.
Dropping my board at the trunk, I scrambled up to a high branch, and leaned back, watching the sunrise over the lake.
I know you're probably asking yourself, why isn't she going to see her friends like she said, but the truth is I don't have any friends. I just pretend for my mom, I don't want her to worry that I'm lonely, because I'm not.
Thinking about my dream, my hand unconsciously found it's way to my neck, fingering my necklace. My mom had given it to me as a birthday present.
It was a pair of iridescent glass wings, she always said it was my 'grace', I'd never known why. I asked her once, but she just smiled and said, "you'll understand when you get older."
Sighing, I leaned back against the trunk of the oak.
"Hey, weirdo!" an annoying voice called up from below. I glanced down at Seth and his gang of idiots.
"Yes, sloth?" I shouted, my voice dripping with hate. Ever since Seth had moved into the neighborhood, my life had gone from bad to worse real quick.
"Look what I've got!" Seth said, holding up my skateboard and grinning manically. I sighed, great, now I would have to go down and probably fight him for it.
Sliding down the branches and landing squarely on the ground, I put my hands on my hips, glaring at Seth.
"Not now jerk, I'm busy." I hissed, shooting him daggers.
"Doing what?" one of his friends, whose name I couldn't quite remember, laughed.
"Ha, ha," I said flatly, "you know what else is funny?" I asked.
"Huh?" Seth said, looking confused. I balled my fist and punched him right in the face. He fell backward, lying, dazed, on the ground as I grabbed my board and helmet, making a run for it across the grass.
The rest of Seth's gang just stared at me, so surprised that someone had raised a hand against their fearless leader; they didn't know what to do.
I hit the concrete and skated as fast as I could away, smiling.
"You'll pay for this Angel-eye!" Seth shouted after me, pronouncing it wrong as usual.
Laughing I walked up the hill back home, maybe mom would let me make cookies, seeing as it was her birthday tomorrow. A car drove by blasting me with cold air and I pulled my hoodie up higher over my head.
When I got on flat ground I dropped my board and hopped on, skating quickly up the driveway to the door.
I set my board by the door and was hanging my helmet on the coat rack when I realized it was too quiet.
"Mom?" I called, walking quietly down the hall to the kitchen. I hadn't been gone maybe twenty minutes, but since then the house had become dark and horribly silent.
"Mom!" I cried, sliding down to sit next to her on the floor. She was leaning against the cupboards on the floor, one hand on her stomach, a large stain of blood underneath her.
"Shh!" mom hissed, "he's still here." Wincing as she tried to sit up more.
"Who is it," I cried, tears pricking at the edges of my eyes, "who did this to you?"
"In my closet," mom choked, blood slipping out of the corner of her mouth, "at the back is a hidden room," I put my hand over hers.
"Hush," I said, "save your strength."
Mom shook her head, "go to the room, and stay there until the shaking stops." I had no idea what she meant, but I nodded.
"I will." I said.
Mom smiled and closed her eyes.
"No, no!" I said, shaking her slightly, "don't go to sleep, stay with me."
No response.
"Mom?"
Nothing.
I was officially an orphan.