By.CorvidQueen
Winter white glowed a blinding light outside Anona's train window. Like the sun, she couldn't look away, even as her eyes began to tear. The gentle, "trickity-track" had long since become a background drone, incessant and soothing at the same time. A sudden twinge of developing and pent up muscle made her blink, a constant reminder of the wings that lay folded and bound against her back, a few of her powder white feathers resting on the cushioned chair and steel floor. Nearly paper thin lids drew closed over slightly dazed purple, a sigh drifting into the relative silence of the cabin as Anona leaned forward on the table that separated the room almost completely in two. Dr.Sifane's words floated in the quiet black of her mind, as if she had heard them only minutes ago.
"Dr.Geso is one of the leading scientists in this field, if anyone can help your daughter, it's him. The only catch is, he's based in Newcomb, some backwater town in Essex County.
It had been a month since that conversation had taken place. That's how long it had taken for her back to heal, partially because her wings had continued to grow and partially because she didn't like sitting still, especially not now. Her mind was a mess of unanswered questions, growing fears, and numerous uncertainties, but none the less, she found herself on a train to the middle of no where in a private car of sorts. Tears built behind tightly shut eyes, blurring the burning sunburst effect which had been slow to fade. The sound of the room door being slid open made her start, swiping haplessly at her face as she swiveled to face the entrant.
"Lunch is-" the boy fell silent at Anona's tears, the tray of food he had been carrying abandoned for the moment as he slid into the booth-like seat across from her. He glanced and her wings and back in concern. "Is everything ok?"
"No Byron, everything is not ok. Everything will never be ok." the girl answered almost predictably, voice suddenly tired as she hid her face, tears collecting on the table top.
Indigo locks fell with almost shaggy-dog likeness into the gray-blue eyes of Anona's guardian and escort, Byron.
"What happened to make me so different?"
"I wish I knew that myself." Bryon answered, a slightly teasing grin struggling to brake free. "As if being a middle child wasn't bad enough."
Anona looked up with a weak grin, once again wiping away her tears. Byron smiled back, an almost permanent feature for him.
"Dr.Geso is a great doctor and he's a fun guy, you'll like it. Everything stops spinning when you get to The Pit, I promise."
Anona eyed him for a moment, then decided to let her question slide. "Well, he knew enough to not let me do this ride on my own. I wish there was someone to be with my dad."
Pale eyes grew serious as the boy leaned forward, hands grasping hers as he forced them to be still. She looked to him, the almost pleading, desperate light making his soul feel for her.
"Your in his heart and he's in yours, you're not as far apart as you think." he said softly, a slow smile spreading across his face in soothing gentleness. "Now shall we dine? Heavy thinking on an empty stomach is ill advised."
Anona giggled slightly, her fears assuaged for the moment. Maybe things wouldn't be so bad.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Golden sunlight and flower blossoms, gentle winds and clear blue skies. Eerie calm, apprehension to the utter silence as her quickening heartbeat began to echo in attentive ears. Black olive eyes peered in an almost sleepy manner at the glistening haze of a crystalline lake. A wistful sigh and a smile of remembrance....she had almost forgotten this place. Black curls where lifted and flung gently against her face, heated breezes whistled almost merrily through ivory feathers as she broke free of a seemingly mindless torpor, blinking at the summer scene. It came violently to an end with a silent explosion. Swirling black replaced serene blue, garnet red bubbling in the crystal lake. Searing heat suddenly zapped all moister from her body, panic registering as gasping breaths tore her dry throat..she was choking. Amber eyes glared in an exhausted, depressed rage, fire in her mind. Something roared in her ears, arid breaths scorching her neck and cheek. A silhouette stood just out of her view, wings spreading involuntarily to the wind which rushed about her, catching it and almost directing it to her ears. A hush voice buzzed suddenly, whether it was in the wind or in her mind, she was too disoriented and terrified to know.
'Fire is all jaded eyes can see, brimstone festers within. Fan not the flame but heed the smoke. The shadow of Anubis clings on, fan not the fire but heed the smoke!'
Anona gasped in almost frozen air, a ringing in her ears. Black surrounded her and almost swallowed her, the cold sending her into shock. A voice was suddenly audible in the black, someone calling her name.
"Anona! Breathe!"
An obedient gasp, panic making her heart race, confused mind reeling. Slowly, she calmed. The sheer terror left her eyes, breathing grew less shallow, heart beat steadied. The silver light of a harvest moon poured through the frosted window of the large bedroom, catching the blue of Byron's worried eyes and making them almost glow. His hands clasped her bare shoulders, pressing her gently to the king sized bed, her wings pinned uncomfortably beneath her. She blinked before clearing her throat, shifting under him.
"What's going on?"
"I could ask you the same." He responded, letting her up. "You where screaming and wouldn't wake up. Then you stopped breathing....is everything ok?"
"Oh. I just had a bad dream. I've had a lot of them lately." She answered quietly, shivering with cold. "Where are we?"
"The Pit. You fell asleep on the train and didn't wake up when we got there." Byron answered, shifting as she pulled the somewhat twisted covers closer about her "scantily" clad form, shivering more violently now. "I didn't have the heart to wake you, so I carried you out to our ride, and then to your room. Don't worry, Jess was the one who changed you."
Anona nodded, a slight smirk tugging at the corners of her mouth as she looked around the room, silver tinged wings folded about her for warmth. There wasn't much in the room, but it was nice. Her bags sat beside one of two dressers, still full and closed.
"If I was screaming loud enough for you to hear...why is no one else here?" Anona asked slowly, slightly confused.
As far as she could tell, no one else was even awake, "The Pit" was as silent as death. A look of unease crossed the boy's features, a sudden coolness to his tone.
"They're used to hearing someone screaming in the night." came his barely audible response. "Look, go back to sleep. I'll camp out in the room next door if you want me too, Jason wont mind."
"No, that's ok." Anona answered just as quietly, uncertain, but she knew enough not to pry. "Good night Byron and thank you."
"Don't mention it." He smiled brightly. "Night."
Anona watched after him as he left, laying carefully back as the door shut. Hugging the covers to her chin after letting her wings spread, watching the moonlight traveling across the ceiling. Even as she drifted to sleep, questions burned clear in her mind. Who was screaming in the night and why?