When you live in heaven, perfection is key. And Seabrooktopia is the vision of perfection.
The City of Angels.
Perfect little houses with perfect little families scattered across the clouds. Dress your best. Stay in line. Keep your mouth shut. The only way to survive in a place like this.
Traditions are also held at the utmost importance in Seabrooktopia. Boys are taught trades and sports. Teaching them strength and how to provide for their future families. While girls are taught to sew, cook, and clean. Teaching them to be the perfect, obedient housewives that was expected of them.
"Don't you ever just wanna know what else is out there Bree?" Addison asked dreamily with her chin propped up in her hand. Their lesson long ended but the two girls still sitting to finish their projects and chat a while.
"Hm, no, not really." She responded casually, continuing to work diligently on her sewing. Addison's sitting forgotten beside her on the table. Bree noticed her distraction and gently nudged her with a smirk. "But you have? What could you possibly want from out there that you can't have here? You're the bar people set for themselves because you're so perfect! They all want to be as perfect as you!" Bree complimented. Addison pouted.
"But I don't want to be on a pedestal! I just wanna be young and make mistakes without disappointing everyone!" She argued, her wings flaring out from her emotional rant. "I just want to be myself and find someone who understands me. Let's me live my life and go on adventures! I want excitement! I want so much more than to just be someone's wife for the rest of my life." She slumped forward and her wings droop behind her.
Bree softens for her friend, gently rubbing her shoulder. "Don't worry Addy. You'll find a guy to fall in love with and you won't mind how things work anymore. You just have to be patient till then." She assured her friend with the best of intentions, even if it was ultimately having the opposite effect.
Addison sighed and nodded, grabbing her sewing to finish her hem with a heaviness in her heart that she couldn't shake. She knew Bree was just following what they've always been taught. She didn't mean to shoot down her dreams. But it still hurt. No one understood her here. She just wished she could show them that life could mean so much more!
Once they finished their projects, the two girls headed to the front of the school to head home. Waiting out the main doors was the quarterback of the football team, the most popular boy in school. His brown hair styled to perfection and a jawline that could cut diamonds. But he had nothing unique about him. He was a perfect cookie cutter boy from Seabrooktopia.
"Hey! Addison!" He called, running up to them as soon as they came into sight, a big smile on his face.
"Hi Liam. What's up?" She asked much less enthusiastically than he was acting.
"So, um, I was just thinking, well ya know the homecoming game is coming up, I just thought-" He was stumbling over his words and nervously shifting his weight from foot to foot. Both girls knew exactly where this was going and glanced at each other from the corners of their eyes. Bree cut in to interrupt.
"I'll just leave you two to talk! I'll see you tomorrow Addy!" Before Addison could stop her, Bree spread her wings and flew off in a hurry. Addison was slow to turn back to the flustered boy in front of her.
"Anyways, so I was just gonna ask if, um, you had someone to go with yet?" He asked timidly. Addison tightened her hold on the shoulder strap of her bag.
"That's very nice of you to offer," she started and his eager smile made her feel bad, "but I wasn't really planning on going with anyone to the game." She tried
letting him down easy. He looked at her in surprise then it shifted to confusion.
"B-but you're a cheerleader! All the cheerleaders go to the game with a date! Usually a football player." He added, then puffing his chest out. "Imagine the heads we'd turn if you and me showed up together." He came up beside her and wrapped his arm around her shoulders and his large wing curling around her smaller ones on her back as well. Addison's nose scrunched up in disgust from being touched so intimately.
"Picture it! Football captain and the prettiest blonde cheerleader on the squad, walking to the game hand-in-hand, the picturesque power couple! Just like your parents!" He enthused.
That was it. The last straw. She fought out of his grip and turned to glare at him.
"I don't know what gave you the idea, but just because you're a football player and I'm a cheerleader, doesn't mean I'll go rushing into your arms like a brainless bimbo!" She scolded harshly. "My parent's status shouldn't make you want to see me! I am not a prize to be won." Her words came out like venom. He was staring at her wide eyed in shock, completely frozen from being thrown off his game so quickly.
No one understands her. No one even cared to understand her. She was nothing more than the daughter of the Leaders of Seabrooktopia, her mother head angel of the Council and her father the Chief of the Angel Patrol. That's all anyone saw her as.
She swiftly extended her wings and took off into the glowing array of purples and blues that was the sky as the sun started to set, completely ignoring Liam's fading protests.
Her thoughts were jumbled and nearly frantic as she flew straight home. She felt like she could burst into tears at any given moment, but decided that conversation with her parents didn't sound in the least bit appealing so she'd hold it in and hide how unhappy she was.
So when she finally reached their house, her feet softly hit the grass of their pristine front lawn with practiced ease, giving her muscles a quick relieving shake. Or maybe it was for her wired nerves, she couldn't be sure. It made her feel a little better to release some tension nonetheless.
She walked inside, hearing her parents bustling in the kitchen, chatting and chuckling happily. She felt a wave of envy consume her heart. Why couldn't she find where she belonged? Find where she was meant to be? She sighed, dropping her bag by the door with a clatter to announce that she's home.
"Addison Sweetie? Is that you?" Her mother called. She sighed again.
"Yes Mom. It's me." She confirmed, joining her parents in the kitchen.
"Welcome home Addison!" Her father greeted, arm wrapping around mom's waist as they both smile at her; backs straight and wings poised behind them. She forced a smile and took a seat at the breakfast bar, situating her snowy wings on either side of the chair's back.
"Thanks Dad." Her melancholic tone had them both frowning, brows knitting in concern before exchanging a glance then looking back to their daughter.
"Is everything alright Addison?" Her mother probed. Addison stiffened, her palms suddenly sweaty from nervousness. She forced an even faker smile that barely reached her panicked eyes, wiping her hands vigorously on the fabric of her dress.
"Yeah! E-everything great! Just, uh, worried about, um," she rattled her brain for an excuse, "school project! Yeah! That's it! Huge project I'm working on with Bree." She lied, losing vigor in her tone the longer she went on. Her parents seemed pleased with her answers, smiles returning to their faces.
"Good! You need to keep those grades up to prove to the rest of Seabrooktopia that you're a worthy Angel Leader one day." Her father said proudly. Addison's fake smile dropped instantly into a frown.
"What if I don't want to be an Angel Leader?" Her question seemed to have taken them aback. She huffed and propped her chin on her fist. "What if it's not what I'm meant to be." It came out more as a thought than a question this time.
"What are you saying!" Her mother chuckled like she'd told a funny joke.
"Of course you're meant to be one of the Great Leaders Addison! It's in your blood!" Her father agreed. Addison's face scrunched from her disdain.
"In our blood? Shouldn't a Leader be based on qualification? Not bloodline?" She challenged. Her father's brow wrinkled with his deep frown.
"Addison. Don't question how our society has been functioning successfully for centuries." He ordered. Addison couldn't help but flinch slightly from his tone. "You will become a Leader of the Angels and you will follow tradition. Now this conversation is over!" He yelled. Addison jumped at his raised voice but quickly rehardened her expression.
"Why does everyone treat me like a thing they can just use!" She shouted back, hopping off the chair and running for the door. She ignored their calls of her name to stop her. She couldn't take it anymore.
As soon as she was back outside, her wings expanded and she took off into the air. She wasn't even sure where she was going. All she knew was that she wanted to be alone. Where no one could find her. At least for a little while.
She flew with vigor in her pace, earning a few odd glances from others flying by at their leisure. The sun was kissing the horizon. She slowed her flight to just cruise as she watched the sunset. The breeze blowing past her cheeks becoming more chilled as she soared over Seabrooktopia.
How long had she been flying? It was already getting dark. She tilted her wings downwards and started making a gentle descent. How'd she gotten all the way to the Council Building?
"Oh well," she supposed with a shrug, heading for the back.
The place was deserted at this hour. No one would even think to look here for her. She sighed happily. A little peace and quiet. Just what the doctor ordered.
Her brows furrowed as her feet gracefully touched down, her wings folded behind her. Tucked amidst the tree line was a very old, run down barn. Since when did the Council need a barn? Has it always been there? She tried to think back but, now that she thought about it, she's never had a reason to go around the back of the building. She's been coming to this place her entire life and never realized there was an entire barn behind it!
The logical side of her brain told her to go home. To question her mother about this mysterious, out-of-place structure. But then a little voice of curiosity spoke up in the back of her mind. She couldn't help herself.
"Hello?" She called weakly as she approached the door, just in case there was actually a person living in there. But there was no response.
Cautiously, she pulled the handle, realizing very quickly that the door was much heavier than she'd expected. Her wings even flexed behind her from using all her strength to actually move it aside, with a loud creak mind you. She couldn't believe how big the place was. The rafters at least 20 feet off the ground with multiple platforms floating amongst them.
In the center of the enormous room was a solid raised platform, steps lining all four sides leading to the top. Addison couldn't even see if there was anything up there. She could just fly up and see, but then again, anyone could. Why did they need steps there? Was it intended for if someone couldn't fly? Or… didn't want to.
A chill ran down her spine.
What if there were things going on in Seabrooktopia that were being covered up? Her heart began to race. No. There was no way something bad could go unnoticed in their perfect city. She shook her head to chase away the menacing thoughts, but a feeling in her gut just kept sinking.
Her feet were climbing the rickety steps before her brain was finished processing her surroundings, like an invisible string was pulling her heart forward, or maybe it was just her curiosity. The adrenaline in her blood had her senses peaked. The wooden stairs creaked under her weight, not helping with her buzzing nerves.
She stepped over the final incline and she's filled with wide-eyed wonder. The platform was built around a giant gaping hole, blackness only perforated by faint glistening specks of navy and purple.
"What is that?" She mused.
Carefully, she walked up to the edge, off the planks of wood and onto the strange earthy ledge as she slipped down onto her hands and knees to get a better look into the darkness. The rough dirt and pebbles under her skin indicating that this is very much real and not just an elaborate dream her brain concocted up. She could feel the faint pull of the void, almost pulsating, along with a little tug of her heart that wanted to jump in. The thought of an adventure into the unknown exciting her to the core. Finding her own destiny wherever the other end of this portal took her.
She sat back, taking the weight off her palms. "Don't be ridiculous Addison." She quietly scolded herself. "There's probably nothing on the other side anyways."
Suddenly, the brittle surface under her hands crumbled, sending her tumbling forward. Addison cried out as she fell, wind swirling and disorienting which direction was up. Everything was black around her. Her mind was panicked and desperate. Her first instinct was to fly out.
Her wings spread wide. She instantly screamed as searing pain shot through her body from her appendages. They were being ripped to shreds by the blackness surrounding her. She kept trying, flying was her only hope of survival. If she hit the ground at this rate, she'd surely die anyways.
Tears streaked her face as she tried desperately to fly. Her vision was spotting, her head fuzzy as her strength started to fade. Hopefully her death would be quick, put her out of her misery. A sob left her throat. She didn't want to die. But the pain was too much.
She tried one more time, the last fragments of her wings torn from her shoulder blades.
"Ah!" She cried weakly. Her eyes fell closed as the darkness stole her consciousness.