We Were Strangers in the Dark – Chapter 2

By MyNameIsCAL

Days went by. Fang never brought up escaping again, and I tried not to think about it. After being here for three years, I wasn't going to start dreaming about things I knew were out of reach. It made me wonder if I opened up to Fang if he would start to trust me, but he seemed distant, and maybe it was because he was afraid to get too close, that the scientists might find me unsuitable for whatever they were testing me for.

Weeks went by. The only words we exchanged were about the day's events. Today we went through flying and landing, dodging things the scientists had flung at us. Even in the mess, I had noticed that Fang's wings were a deep black, ones that seemed almost purple in the simulated moonlight when they had us in the dark. It also reminded me how long it had been since I had been outside to see the sun, and the more I thought about it, the more I wanted to break down and cry. But I had stopped crying a long time ago, and it hardly seemed worth it, especially because Fang was so good at keeping his emotions hidden, it made me think that I should take after him in order to survive.

It was then, one day, a month after Fang whispered hopes of escaping to me, that Fang brought up the subject, and almost abruptly.

"We make our escape tomorrow, Max," he murmured. "All you have to do is follow what I tell you to do."

"Sounds like a plan," I responded.

He said nothing more and I waited up all night, feeling anxious, wondering whether he had a real plan or not. I was thinking the latter, trying not to get my hopes up, but then again, you never knew.

Things went as usual in the morning. Fang said nothing as far as what I was supposed to do. And then as they led us down the hallway, Fang grabbed me by the wrist and kicked open one of the doors, dragging me along with him.

The handlers were quick, but we were quicker.

"Jump out the window and fly, ok?"

He went first, breaking through the glass, his wings unfurling as he soared upward. I followed in suit, probably half as graceful as he was, but still all the same going in the same direction.

"Follow me!"

I had expected sun and warmth, but instead it was cold, the air crisp and the moon high in the sky.

"COME BACK HERE! YOU'LL NEVER SURVIVE ALONE!" It sounded like one of the scientists shouting after us.

There was a loud crack and I felt something spray me across the face. I wiped it and looked down. Blood.

"Fang…"

He was clutching his arm, growling. "I'm fine. Just keep flying."

But he was starting to lose altitude, and I grabbed him before we reached the ground, coming to a stumbled landing.

"It's just my arm…" He put his back to a tree, sitting down. "I'll be…okay."

Fang was shivering. I had to get him out of the cold, but the next sign of civilization could still be too far away.

And then, as if reading my mind, he said, "When I escaped here, I set up places to stop. Safe places that I went to once, hid my stuff, and never returned to in case they were following me. There's one…it's just another…ten minute flight on the edge of a suburb."

I tore a strip of Fang's shirt off and tied it around his arm. He stood, wobbly, and we ascended into the night again. It wasn't long, like he had promised. We reached civilization, landing behind some old building. Fang pushed the door open, and it creaked, probably only deafening because we were trying not to attract attention.

"There's a first aid kit somewhere in here…some cash too…" Fang let out a cough. "A blanket…"

I looked around, my eyes already adjusted to the dark, and my perception better than a normal person's vision. There was an old desk in the corner and I opened the drawers, finding the first aid kit, a wad of cash, and the blanket. Fang had found his way to a couch on the opposite side of the room. I took a seat next to him, opening the first aid kit.

"This is gonna hurt," I muttered as I began to disinfect his wound.

He let out a grunt of pain, but said nothing. When I finished, he took the cash from me, stuffing it into his pocket, and then muttered a thank you, shivering as I settled the blanket around him.

"You're going to…be cold." Fang shook his head. "The blanket…it's big enough."

We spread the blanket equally between the two of us, him on one side of the couch, me on the other. It was awkward, nonetheless, but it was warmth, and at least for now we were out of the cold.

If the scientists hadn't tampered with us, I would have been worried about Fang's wound, but one of the perks that we had been given was to heal quickly, and in the morning, Fang would probably just be a little sore.

I thought sleep wouldn't come easy, but it did, and in the morning, we would start our journey to New York City.

Thanks for reading! I'll update soon.