Chapter 14 – One and lonely
To save the hassle of saying goodbye, I left the flock early the next morning.
Part of me didn't feel right leaving without thanking them but Max assured me she would control it. Still, I felt sad to leave. Also, before I left I asked Max never to talk about me, never mention me, as if I was never there. She promised that if anyone asked or if she ever told anyone, she would just cut me out of the story.
She understood that by pretending I didn't exist was best for all of us.
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I didn't actually fly away because I wanted to search the city, so at first I thought that maybe I might spot the flock on the street anyway.
Yeah right. There were so many people hustling around the sidewalks, heading to work or school or wherever your average New Yorker goes in the morning. Luckily being tall meant I was able to move through the hordes of people quite easily. I scanned frequently for any signs of erasers but so far, it seemed clear. Of course, that meant nothing since erasers are pretty normal looking until they grow wolf muzzles and try ripping your throat out.
There! A phone box. The address I had seen in my vision was still imprinted on my memory so I planned to search for it in a phone book. I slotted into the thin box, already feeling claustrophobic and scanned through the hundreds of pages. I came up with nothing, nada. I slammed the book shut in frustration. I thought the house was in New York but I guessed wrong. I hadn't seen the full address so it could be anywhere, maybe even in a different country. But something inside me told me it wasn't too far.
I sighed. Next stop was to find a computer of some kind. I wandered the streets aimlessly for someplace where I could use a computer. Occasionally I stopped at vendors to buy food with some money that Max had given me. By the end of the day, I felt pretty bummed out. I was no closer to finding any information about this house, only that it absolutely, positively might not be in New York.
When it was dark, I crept into a dark alleyway where a couple of homeless guys where sleeping next to some dumpsters. I sat opposite them having decided they weren't eraser's and leaned on the cold brick wall behind me. I let out a long, deep breath.
Tomorrow would be another great day.
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"Quick, hide!"
The woman screamed at me, pushing me away.
I heard gunshots, men crying out.
The woman reached behind me and darkness fell around me.
We waited.
Then once again, the bright lights burst through the door.
"Grab him!"
That low voice again.
Those same hands grabbed me.
"Stop it, please."
The woman screamed again.
"Leave him alone!"
She was dragged away again, the ever-present dark mist surrounding her.
What did it all mean?
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I woke with a jump before settling back down again. That nightmare, that same vision…
Then I saw two things that struck me as odd.
One, there was a small white envelope on my lap with the words 'Read me!'
The second? A group of three male models were pacing down the alley towards me. One of them was Ari.
"Oh jeez," I mumbled to myself as I shot to my feet and ran from them, pocketing the envelope.
The men gave chase. I ran around a corner into another alleyway. I leapt over an old abandoned sofa and pulling a couple of dustbins over to slow mu pursuers down. But despite my efforts they were gaining on me. Even worse, two more erasers had turned up and joined Ari's pack. My shock turned to horror as I turned another corner to see a large wire mesh fence in front of me about ten feet high. I alleyway was barely wide enough for my wings as I shot them open and pumped them up and down.
They brushed painfully against the alley walls, the feathers scratching the brickwork. It's too narrow, I thought alarmed. I jumped, trying desperately trying to get some lift. I crashed into the top of the fence and clung on for dear life as I pulled my wings in.
I quickly hauled myself over the top just as Ari ploughed around the corner. Snarling, he leapt against the mesh fence. His claws raked the wire as he thrashed at me through the fence. I pounced down and smiled at him, safe on the other side.
"Your mine, you feathery freak!" Ari snarled at me, trying to reach through the fence as his pack tried to scale it with little success.
"Not today Mr. Wolf," I said before running down the street.