Our Future

I jumped awake from a nightmare that seemed silly to be scared of. There had been like a giant beetle flapping its wings in front of my face and when they flapped down I got really scared and jumped awake.

My jolt surprised Gabriel who fell backwards into his seat at my sudden movement. I know I had a slightly frightened look on my face. The memory of the tall hill and sunset flashed in my mind and the fear was lost in wonder again.

“Nathan,” he said happily.

It was like I had stopped breathing and came back to life. He looked relieved and glad.

“How long was I out?” I ask looking around.

We were back in the principal’s office with Abele. Jasper was nowhere to be seen but Abele still seemed to be doing pretty well. He still had yet to wake.

“About five hours,” he says.

I notice Sam leaning up against the side of my bed asleep.

“He came in three hours ago. He didn’t say anything. He can’t be that upset with you if he still came to visit you. I told Anna and told her not to tell Sam. I figured you would want to tell him about everything,” he says quietly.

“What time is it?” I ask,

“Almost one in the morning. It’s late. You chose a weird time to wake up. Then again you have been out for a while,” comments Gabriel.

“You should have just told him. I was hoping you would, actually. I never would have told anyone if nobody had asked or caught us. I wouldn’t have because I’m worried and scared. I’m afraid of losing you and losing others. That’s silly, I know...” I whisper quietly. “But... I don’t know.”

“I could still tell him,” Gabriel replies. “I don’t know how happy he’ll be if I tell him, though.”

“I know. I’d still prefer it, though, “I reply quietly. “How did Anna respond to the news?”

“She was slightly confused but I told her you could love anyone. That it didn’t have to be the opposite gender if that wasn’t what you liked. She accepted me, kind of, I guess. She’s still young, still learning,” he replies.

“He’s older. He’ll understand. I hope. I hope he doesn’t react like my mother either, silence and no comment, “I reply.

Sam shifts in his sleep. I was really scared and worried about his response.

“Did they hear about us having wings?” I ask next.

“Anna heard I’d been shot and had wings so I’d assume Sam knows, too,” he replies. “If he was scared of us he wouldn’t have come to visit you.”

“Maybe he’s mad that I didn’t tell him about that either,” I whisper.

“You only learned you had wings a few days ago,” he replies.

“Yeah, but I didn’t even tell him I could see the future. I knew that something about me was different and I didn’t tell him,” I reply slightly louder.

“We all have secrets. Even secrets we don’t tell our own family,” he replies sadly.

Sam moans as he wakes. He blinks a few times so his eyes adjust to the light.

He looks up at Gabriel slowly who sighs. I look away. I don’t want to tell him things that will make him angry at me. Our relationship was strained enough as it was.

“Nathan, you okay?” he asks.

“Yeah,” I reply quietly, I glance at him nervously.

Maybe physically I was fine but I wanted him to know, yet, I didn’t want to be the one to tell him.

“Do you... do you really have wings?” he asks nervously.

I let my wings silently grow out the two holes in my shirt from the previous appearance and sign.

“Why did Mom stab you?” he asks cautiously.

“I don’t know why,” I reply.

“Did she do it because you have wings or because you’re in love with Gabriel?” he sounded too young to ask a question like that, yet, wise at the same time.

So he did know. He didn’t seem upset by the thought.

“I don’t know,” I reply quietly wishing I had an answer because he deserved it. “Who told you about me and Gabriel?”

“Grace did. She told me and Anna but Anna said Gabriel had already told her,” he replies.

I smiled, I was thankful. I hope the news wasn’t spread to the entire world. I just wanted my family and friends to know. I guess that would mean telling Arran if Emily hadn’t already told him.

I hoped I’d be able to get the courage to tell him myself, I should have told my parents the truth long ago and I should have told Melody, and Emily. Sam, too. But I didn’t.

“You should go back to the room and go to sleep, Sam. It’s late,” I comment.

“But, what about you?” he asks worried like I might still die at any moment.

Even then I wouldn’t want him to stay.

“I’ll be fine. You need your sleep, kid,” I reply.

“Okay,” he replies quietly.

He leaves quietly. I spot Jessie outside. He just nods and gives a half smile. If he heard anything he didn’t seem to mind it. The door clicks shut and we are left in complete and utter silence. Now that I’m not injured I feel like I’m intruding on Abele’s space. I wonder where Jasper went. I’m surprised he’s left Abele alone for this long. How could he trust people he just met so much? Wasn’t he worried about Cain breaking into the school for revenge or whatever? It wasn’t like the doors were locked and Jess was only one guy.

“What are you doing here? You were told to leave. Get out!” I hear Jess yell.

Was it Cain? Or my mother? Gabriel and I look at each other. We rise slowly and open the door as we do Jess is thrown backwards into the doorway. He is stunned, he’s seems to only have sustained bruises. We look up and sure enough, there’s Cain, smiling like it’s his birthday and just got the best present on earth. Jasper appears out of nowhere and picks Cain up by the neck and throws him. He barrels back through the office doors and hits the bottom of the gym stairs. His nose is bloody but other than that he seems fine. He rises to his knees slowly. Jasper approaches him.

“If you don’t leave now, I will kill you,” comments Jasper in Cain’s ear.

We help Jess up and sit him down on my empty stretcher. We watch Jasper carefully from inside the office. The office doors are propped open with door stoppers now so we have a clear view aside from the attendant desk in front of us.

Cain hasn’t stopped smiling for a second. It’s creepy. He certainly was messed up in every way possible. His jaw was covered in blood and there are drops all over the landing below the stairs. Cassie comes out of the side hall that leads from the rotunda to the attendant desk’s area in the office.

“What’s going on?” she asks.

I wave her into the tiny office to look at Jess.

“He seems to have minor bruising. He’ll be fine. What happened?” she asks.

“Cain came out of nowhere and pushed Jessie in here. Jasper appeared then and threw him through the office doors and into the stairs. He did a lot more damage to Cain then Cain did to Jess,” I reply.

Jasper stands over Cain. He’s still on his knees. He’s holding his bloody nose and his side which probably sustained some damage when he hit the stairs. He finally staggers to his feet and tries to punch Jasper but he misses. He falls face first into the floor and staggers back to his knees.

Hayden comes running down the wheelchair ramp and stands starring at a bloody Cain and upset Jasper. Cain staggers back to his feet and goes after Hayden who tries to back away but fails to get out of range. Cain tries to land another punch but Jasper appears between the two blocking it with his fist.

“Don’t touch them,” he says monotone.

Cain smiles and his teeth are bloodstained. It’s creepy, like some monster out of a horror movie. Was he really human?

I wanted him gone. I took off, I grabbed him by the back of the shirt and dragged him off, and I peeled back the twisted metal door. Jasper looked surprised, frightened maybe.

“Nathan!” Gabriel calls after me.

My wings break free from my skin and soon I’m at the top of the roof holding Cain off the edge.

“You won’t do it. Not unless Jasper wants it,” he comments.

“I shot the last psychopath I met don’t think I won’t do the same to you. Stay away from here. You’re not welcome,” I reply and drop him on the roof. He winces when he hits the roof.

I drop back to the ground.

“You’re seriously going to get yourself killed one day,” comments Gabriel.

Jasper appears on the edge of the roof above. He just stares at Cain for a while, probably wishing he could take revenge but knowing Abele would hate him later if he did.

“Mark and Father Daniels settled down in Paul’s old room,” Gabriel comments.

“I don’t like that priest,” I reply. “He acts weird. He was staring at me.”

“It’s just for the night,” he comments.

“If we do kick him out we should at least keep Mark. He’s not safe with the Father,” I reply.

“We’ll have to talk to Michael about that. I don’t know how willing Father Daniels will be to give up Mark,” he replies.

“Well, hopefully Michael agrees. He doesn’t know what he acts like or how creepy he is,” I comment.

“What are we going to do about Cain?” Gabriel asks.

“What can we do? He’s just going to keep coming back until his brothers are dead or he’s dead. You’d think they’d get along better but I guess a tragedy can even destroy a blood connection,” I reply.

That’s when a gunshot rings out. It came from the roof. Jasper is now in his human form holding his glock. Did he seriously just shoot Cain? I thought he was more human but I guess when your protecting someone you love you’ll do anything...