Author's Note: So I didn't realize I had been spelling Dr. Dwyer's name incorrectly until this chapter, it is actual Bridgid. My apologies. I know the stories gotten a little boring so here's an exciting chapter for you guys. Happy reading! XOXO- Skai.
When asked to get into a car with Bridgid, we all adamantly refused. After being cooped up in a plane that long, there was no way we were being subjected to that again. Instead, the flock opted to fly over head the car, attempting to stay out of the view of traffic.
It wasn't very difficult actually, since there was hardly any any traffic along the twisty and winding road Dr. Dwyer's Jeep was driving along. The wind blew through my hair and I smiled against the cold breeze. My wings had been aching to be stretched and used again.
Of course, I wasn't able to fly full speed due to the car below us. Since it was South America, I had assumed Argentina to be hot and humid. I had assumed wrong. It was cold, dark, and windy where we were at.
I felt myself shudder as any icy gust of wind blasted me in the face. Fang noticed this and asked, "What was that?!" He was laughing softly. I smiled and explained, "It happens when I get cold." This just made him laugh harder, "Wouldn't you be immune to the cold with all your ice powers and stuff?!" His body racked with laughter at that point.
"You would think," somehow, I found myself giggling with him. Angel and Iggy, both of whom had heard our conversation, erupted with howling laughter. "Hey, Chuckles and Giggles," Max called from ahead. This only made us laugh harder. I laughed until I was clutching my stomach and tears streamed down my face. Max continued, although there was a broad grin on her face, "We're here."
I knew it wasn't hilarious, nor did it warrant our dramatic and comedic reactions, but it had felt good to laugh. I figured it had felt as nice to me as it had to Fang, Angel and Iggy. Once everyone had quieted down, I noticed the ocean in front of us. Settled nearby a small dock, was a boat.
Unlike our other method of transportation, (the plane,) this was neither fancy nor new. It had an old, chipped layer of paint coating it's metal frame. It was long, reaching to about 160 feet, and I could just barely make out the lettering on the side of it. The Wendy K. I inferred that that was the boat's name.
Below us, Max was speaking with Bridgid until a man walked onto the deck and waved. "Hey, Michael," Bridgid called. "Yo, Bridgid." We flew down and landed upon the dock. Waves teetered the fragile wooden structure and I kept my wings out in case I needed to fly if it collapsed.
Bridgid padded over to a rusty metal ladder that was nailed into the side of the boat and crawled upwards. I was surprised it didn't groan and snap under the pressure. Not wanting to test the stability of said ladder, I simply flew and dropped my feet upon the deck of the ship. Max took one look at the ladder and the rest of flock joined me.
"Oh my god," Michael's eyes were wide. "It's true." "Well, it's not just some elaborate hoax," Bridgid replied, although I know she had been hiding the same reaction when she first set eyes upon us. Bridgid went around introducing everyone.
After introductions Max decided to ask the question we were all thinking. "We still don't know why we're here," she deadpanned. "Bridgid didn't tell you," A man by the nickname of Dr. Papa joined us on the deck. "You're here to help us gather data for a research project — about global warming and its effects on Antarctica, among other places. You're here to help us save the world."
While Max had some slight protests about the cold in Antarctica, the saving the world part of the deal had her hooked. We talked with Dr. Papa until a beautiful white Alaskan malamute trotted up beside him.
She ran a trained eye over all of us, sizing everyone up like a guard dog. She stopped moving when she laid her eyes on me. No, I thought to myself, it couldn't be her. As if breaking out of a trance, the dog created a warpath for me. Sprinting swiftly to where I was standing.
She jumped and put her paws on my shoulders and I let out a laugh of delight. She licked my face as I knelt down to reach her, turning my head so she would stop. She yipped and whined as I pet her frost colored fur softly.
"Kaya," I whispered. It had to be her, I could feel it in the back of my mind, where the memories of my childhood dog resided. "Huh," Dr. Papa said. "This is Akila, although, she's not usually this friendly."
I smiled when Akila moved to take a seat on my lap. Her sky blue eyes peered into my silver ones with recognition. "Where," I managed to speak. "Where did you get her?"
"A couple in California sold her to us," he replied, looking confused. "They said they had lost their child, and didn't want to keep the dog of hers.' "Isn't that where you said you once lived?" Nudge asked, I nodded. I looked up at Dr. Papa and questioned, "Can I try something with her?"
He seemed a bit wary at first but agreed. "Call her over to you," I ordered. "Akila, come." The dog reluctantly rose from her perch on my legs and walked over to him and sat at his feet, her eyes trained on me.
"Kaya," I spoke loudly and clearly. The dog perked up and stood. "Paw," I directed. Surely, the dog lowered herself onto her haunches and pawed and nuzzled a the deck. "Kaya," I could hear my voice break slightly. "Come."
The dog ran at me once more, this time knocking me gently to the ground. Tears of happiness formed in my eyes and I smiled and laughed as I gripped Kaya to my chest. I pushed myself and the dog upwards. Dr. Papa had his mouth in an O shape and the rest of the flock had grins on their faces.
"It seems as if you two have already met," said the doctor, and his eyes crinkled with sincerity at the sight of us. "It seems we have." Bridgid cleared her throat from beside us. Everyone's eyes focused on her.
Kaya let out a low growl and Bridgid jumped back a bit. "Would you guys like to be shown your rooms?" "Sure," answered Max, and gestured for us to follow her, I reluctantly stood, and Bridgid led us down a narrow hallway. Kaya faithfully trotted after us.
I couldn't stop myself from glancing down at her every so often. I couldn't believe that this was Kaya, the dog I had received from my mother four months before they had sold me to The School. My gosh, I'd loved this dog with all of my five year old heart. I knew Kaya had to be at least nine or ten by now, we had shared the same birthday.
It was a month before I had been dragged out of my house kicking and screaming while Kaya was locked in the backyard, when Kaya had turned one and I had turned six. Bridgid opened a door.
Inside, was many bunks pushed against the walls. Enough bunks for seven bird kids and maybe a bit more. "This room will be yours for the trip," She explained. Max nodded.
Later on, after the younger kids had finished bouncing around on the beds and exclaiming how amazing everything was, Fang announced, "Skylar, can I talk to you outside?" I nodded, "Okay." I knew what he wanted to talk about, the very thing he had promised Max to discuss with me about. My nightmares.
Once outside in the hallway, Fang checked to see if we were alone and nobody could hear us. He then leaned against a wall and his eyes moved towards mine. "So," he began. "Kaya's your dog." He was blatantly going to dodge the point of this conversation for a while, I deduced.
"Was," I said it more as a reminder to myself than anything else. "Is," he corrected. He continued, "Why did you name her Kaya?" A sad smile creeped it's way across my face at the memory of it.
"It meant stay and don't go in some kind of Eskimo language," I told him. "Because I never wanted her to leave. I knew it was a likely possibility my parent's would get sick of her then sell her. I didn't want that to happen, so, my five year old self figured that if I could name her to stay, she would."
He eventually voiced, "I'm sorry." "I'm fine," I stated, it was becoming a habit. He said nothing for a long while. "Do you mind me asking what your nightmares are about?" He questioned after minutes in silence.
I knew I would have to tell him eventually, so I didn't bother hiding it. "I dream of when they implanted my wings, and I was still awake." He didn't bother to hide the grimace that shocked his face. "You remember the pain of it?"
The answer seemed so painfully obvious it almost made me want to morbidly laugh. "Of course I do." He seemed heartened by my response. He almost seemed like he didn't want to pry anymore, put me through anymore than he had to, but he continued. "When did you start dreaming of it?"
"Ever since I left the school," I tried to stand straighter as I spoke, to prove that I was stronger than what the dreams said about me. "But, hey," I reminded. "We all have our stories."I could tell it pained him to know that what I'd said was true, although he hid it well. "That doesn't make anyone's stories more or less painful," he pointed out. "I guess you're right." He grinned, it seemed to lighten the conversation, "Of course, I'm always right." I chuckled slightly at this.
I liked his smile, it was a devastatingly beautiful crooked smile that looked kind of like a smirk. He had a nice mouth, I also noticed. I tried to push the thought away but it wasn't working. He was looking at my mouth as well.
Before I knew what either of us were doing, Fang's mouth was on mine. His touch was electrifying and the feeling pulsed through my body. At first, I had almost just stood there, although it seemed I subconsciously knew what to do.
My arms snaked around his neck and our mouths moved together in perfect rhythm. His fingers ran down my sides and he pulled me closer to him. It seemed as if all thoughts vanished from my brain. All I could think was Fang.
Of his lips on mine, the way his hands felt, firmly placed on my hips, the heat that came from those hands. It was intoxicating, he was intoxicating. He angled his head further as a loud bang sounded outside.
We pulled apart, mouths swollen, faces flushed, and breathing heavily. I bit my lip. Fang looked as if about to say something but Max, and the rest of the flock came rushing into the hallway. Fang held a finger to his lips and gestured to the ceiling, where the metal was dented from the outside. We had company.
Author's Note: Hi guys! I had so much fun writing this chapter and I hope you all enjoyed it as well. I know the past few chapters haven't been really interesting or action packed but it's all leading up to future chapters as well as the next one. Please review, favorite, and follow. I'll have the next chapter posed by the end of the week. XOXO- Skai.
