Disclaimer: I do not own TSL.
A/N: Just in case you're wondering, Zylac is a made up brand/company.
Dark Angel
Chapter 7: Lost Words
Zack's POV"Look, I just want to talk." I said, slowly backing away with my hands slightly raised as he cocked his pistol.
"Can it," He said, his pistol still trained on me, "I'm tired of talking."
"B-but why would you…? Why are you trying to kill me? I deserve an explanation before I die!" I shouted desperately as I stopped in my tracks.
Bang. The empty soda can just beside my right foot exploded.
"Because humans deserve to die!" he spat and fired another shot that whizzed past my head. I could feel my hair ripple from the wind created by it.
"What do you mean?" I asked, getting more confused by the second.
"You know what? Go to the far edge of the building," he pointed behind me, "and look down."
I obediently turned and walked to the edge, which was on my left. I slowly glanced back to see Cody still where he was before, his gun still cocked. I looked down. A cold hand grabbed my hair and yanked my head back, then plunged another onto my throat. Without thinking, I gripped the arm and held on as I felt myself being lifted off the ground. I could feel my windpipe being crushed.
I cast a look downwards and found my feet hovering over an alleyway about ten stories down.
"You never cared about me," he said, and squeezed his hand even tighter, making me gag, "so you're the one who should go first."
"I – so I was the reason…that made you…hate humanity?" I said between coughs.
"No," he said with almost no emotion, "the reason is that they're worthless. They don't deserve to rule this planet."
Okay, back up here. Worthless? Who's worthless? I mean we're all Homo sapiens. Aren't we?
"Goodbye…"
I felt his arm relax.
"…Zack."
I got hit with a sick feeling and I felt myself falling… just falling. I didn't do anything about it. Probably useless anyway. What'll death be like? Will the world just black out when I hit the ground, or will I survive the fall and die a slow, cruel death caused by internal bleeding? I shuttered, squeezed my eyes shut, and waited. Waited.
Nothing.
Nothing! No pain, no white light, no nothing! I opened my eyes a crack. I'm on the ground and…no wait, I'm in mid-air! Did I just like, die and turn into an angel? Hahaha… yeah right. I should've gone to hell for all the stuff I've done.
I took a glance behind me and froze. Okay…I expected to see the reddening sky but nooo…instead I saw wings. Yes, wings. Pure white wings billowed out from behind me, sending a mass of white feathers swirling around in the cool autumn breeze. I didn't fall as far as I thought, maybe only halfway or four stories.
I slowly allowed my wings to carry me up back to the rooftop, standing on the railing with superior balance. I expected to see a dumbstruck look on Cody's face but he only stuffed his hands in his pocket with a slight grin.
"So you're a Nephilim too." He said quietly.
Nephilim? What is that, a kind of freak?
Cody must've read my expression because he clasped his hands together and was enclosed by a gold light. When my eyes finally recovered, Cody was hovering about a foot above the floor using a pair of black-feathered wings.
"You see mom isn't our real mother." He said and stretched out his hands, twin swords appearing in both of them.
I gulped. I'm officially dead. Me who had no idea how to control these wings versus a guy who had been using them for at the most a year with two swords. Who d'ya think will win? Thought so.
"We've been orphaned from birth and Carey and Kurt adopted us."
"Wait, back up." I said, "Where'd you get this information?"
Cody merely smiled. I shuttered slightly, that smile's really creeping me out.
"I've got my ways." He said as he ran towards me, brandishing his glowing gold swords.
I did the only sensible thing. I leaned back and fell. My wings instantly kicked into gear, it's like they have a brain of their own. Or maybe I'm controlling them without knowing it.
Cody cleared the railing and charged in after me. I turned tail and ran…flew, powered by adrenaline. After gliding past several tall buildings, I glanced into the reflective wall of one building, seeing only myself. The building gone past in a flash as another one started. I glanced in it again, seeing myself and Cody just above me. I swallowed.
He must've noticed because he glided down to my level, slashing one of his swords downwards. A searing pain shot through my leg as I tried to evade.
By now, night has already fallen and the full moon was the only thing lighting up our flight. Cody sped ahead of me and then charged back, I dodged at the last second. I felt a blade rip through my shoulder as another one barely missed my left ear. I clenched my teeth to stop myself from screaming.
"Did that hurt you?" he asked as he plunged his blade into my arm, "Wonderful."
I felt dizzy. I don't know if it's from the pain, the flying, or the loss of blood. I felt my wings give away as I crashed onto asphalt. I swear I heard a crack. In a golden glow, my wings disappeared, leaving me sprawling defenselessly on the ground.
Cody landed quietly beside me, looking down with a grin.
"I guess this is it." He said, "Now you feel the pain I've suffered for more than fourteen years." His second blade disappeared, leaving him with a single longsword.
I struggled to get to a sitting position. "No, you're wrong." I said. "What's with you? Don't you see? The only reason I bully you around is because I envy you."
Yeah, that made him stop in his tracks.
"I mean good looks aren't everything. You got everything else, the brains, heck, we're twins!" I continued.
"Riiiight…you almost had me there." He said and raised his sword.
I held up my arms in defense, expecting to feel a sharp blow before everything disappeared in darkness. But that blow didn't come. I opened one of my eyes before the other one shot open. Cody's sword was hovering about two inches above my forehead.
"What am I doing?" he whispered.
He dropped the sword with a clatter as he clutched his shaking hand. For the first time in years, I saw wild fear in his eyes. I saw pain that a normal fourteen-year old shouldn't have.
"Z-Zack! I'm so sorry. I don't know what happened." He dropped to his knees and hugged me, "Please help me."
Huh? He was like "I'm gonna kill you, blah, blah, blah" a few seconds ago and now he's asking for my help? I don't get it.
"Hey Cody. What happened?" I asked, pulling Cody away from my stinging wounds.
"I-it was Zeke. Please help me." He sobbed, "I–"
He opened his mouth to speak but suddenly stopped. Without warning, he fell limp in my arm.
"Cody?" I asked as I shook him gently.
"Don't worry. I just knocked him out." Said a cold voice from behind me.
I spun around to see a middle aged man with shoulder-length gray hair.
Muahahaha… enjoy! Oh yeah, when I went to the east coast (New York, Boston, Niagara, etc.) one room that I stayed in was 613... Creepy.
Trivia: In the episode "A Prom Story" Maurice the mime claims to not have spoken for 30 years but you can see him speaking to someone in the background when Maddie is talking to Zack at the prom.