(The other parts are in my bookmarked section, sorry again this took so long, the next part should be sooner? No promises though lol. And thank you Jewelie Rain for the name suggestions!)

I still can’t process this. I don’t know how to process this. There are two mages and five people with wings.

And it turns out, the broken down shack was actually an illusion by the mages! It’s basically a castle in reality!

I am not alone here, and maybe I can get back. Maybe…

Venika freaked out at first when she realized I had wings, my heart skipped a beat, a tear rolled down my cheek. But then she hugged me, and for the first time in weeks I felt the comfort of wings wrapping around me.

It felt nice.

These people, how did they get here?

Venika had asked, “Flair, how did she get here?” And Flair explained. If there’s a mage surely he’d be able to get me back home! She offered to let us all stay a few days, which Flair and Mateo agreed to.

Right now I pick at my dinner, reviewing the past events in my mind, something heavy in my chest. Is it fear of not being able to go home? I should’ve found hope in these people, but it’s like my brain is stalling behind. I’m sure I’ll feel better soon.

They’ve been nice so far, right?

I start to listen in on their conversation.

Madeline, one of the mages, mentions a device she found that could help them in their plight, an amulet of some sort. What is their plight? No one has really mentioned any more details about it, but they seem to want something other than to go home.

Are they staying here on purpose? Who would want to stay in this place where night is day and weird machines buzz and shine all the time no matter how late and no matter how dark?

“Maybe we could get the kid to help distract the shopkeeper.” Aiden says with a laugh. He has light red wings, but not quite pink.

Everyone is laughing and looking at me now. Oh. I’m ’the kid’. They’re laughing at me, aren’t they? I feel their eyes burning into me, and I force a smile.

Do they steal or something?

At least I’ll be home soon. Then I can forget about these weird people. Besides Mateo and Flair, I don’t want to forget them. What will happen to us after this? Will I just leave them?

Eve has been glaring at me. She has green eyes and green wings, yet ginger hair. I force a smile. It feels wrong, there’s a feeling in my stomach that weighs me down.

She doesn’t smile back. She just rolls her eyes. Venika nudges her, probably trying to be subtle. I see all their attempts at being nice. It’s kinda comforting that at least someone isn’t pretending, but it still is weird that Eve is just staring at me.

It is actually just really uncomfortable.

Suddenly the smell of all the fish, fruit, bread, it all makes me want to vomit.

This place is strange and it’s nothing like home and I want my mom. I bite my tongue so that I don’t cry.

Luckily I’m seated between Flair and Mateo. It feels as if they’re protecting me, which maybe, they are.

Eve finally speaks instead of just glaring at me, she says, “why are you really here? How am I supposed to believe you just washed up on the shore with only wing injuries? And why would the only people who wouldn’t turn you into the police or scientists so happen to find you? The whole story just doesn’t seem very plausible.”

Oh.

I stutter a bit, but finally am able to say, “I, I don’t know. I know I’m lucky, but I’m not, not, lying.” Mateo passes some spice or sauce or something to Flair and it takes my brain a few moments to process that he is trying to protect me from Eve’s gaze.

But Eve doesn’t respond, she just rolls her eyes.

Mateo is quick to back me up. “I promise you she’s telling the truth, I’m actually the one who found Nova, and everything that she says is correct.”

“How should I trust you after what happened?!” Eve says, raising her voice and slamming her fists on the table.

Incredulous, Mateo responds, “I thought you were over that!”

“Over that? You think I was over that?!”

“Now is not the time!”

“Why, because there’s a kid here?”

“Maybe!”

This wasn’t what I was expecting when Mateo and Flair wanted me to meet someone who could help me get home. Did they seriously just start yelling the moment they got angry? Maybe humans are like that, but what happened to the integrity we’re taught back home? If I stay here will I behave erratically when I’m angry like them?

Flair takes my hand and leads me away to another room. She look genuinely guilty, even though it’s not her fault. “I’m so sorry about that. Eve and Mateo have a bit of a history.”

I don’t know what to say. I don’t say anything.

“So uh I’ll show you where your sleeping. She leads me to a room with three beds in it. “Me and Mateo will be sleeping in the same room as you, if you’re alright with it.”

I nod, my throat dry.

“I’m sorry this hasn’t been exactly what any of us were expecting.”

“It’s ok.” I say, because that’s what people are supposed to say, right?

She starts to walk towards the door, then pauses. “Do you want to finish your dinner?”

“Um… no thanks.”

“Ok. I’ll bring you something later in case you get hungry.”

“Ok. Thanks.”

Closing my eyes, I try to imagine seeing my mom and brother again. I try to imagine the joy on my and their faces. They must be so worried. I really hope Raindrop isn’t blaming himself.

Imagining just makes me feel worse.

The distinct sound of rain pitter-pattering on the roof almost calms me. It’s gentle and not at all like the storm that got me here.

I need to get out of here.

I walk towards the back door of my room, not really knowing where it led. Ahead of me is another room with a couch, a tv, and a piano in it. Strange. There’s a door that looks like it might lead outside, I open it, and emerge into a garden of some sort.

Roses line the area for as long as I can see.

This house is really big.

At least I’m outside. The rain is dripping down my face, and I tiptoe between plants.

I don’t see any exit, or even fence.

Eventually, I lie down in between rose bushes, feeling the gentle rain on my face, closing my eyes, and taking a deep breath. Now there’s a new feeling. Nostalgia? No, that’s not the word for it.

Melancholy.

But something is wrong. Something about this unsettles me and I immediately sit up. It’s like I can feel the rain but I can’t really know it, like a broken record it just keeps repeating in the same pattern.

The roses waver and glitch? I’m no longer wet, the rain isn’t real. What’s happening?!

My surrounding crumble before me, I scream, but no sound comes out. A crack splits across the garden and even my wet clothes. I’m split in two and it’s so painful.

The garden is breaking apart and I’m falling again and again and again and- It’s gone. The roses and rain and sky and garden, it’s gone. The cracks are gone too. I’m not even feeling any pain anymore.

Finn, the other mage is standing at the edges of a small room, snickering. “You’ve got a gift, you’ve broken free of my illusions faster than any other person in this place.”

There is no rain pattering on the roof. No garden. No roses. No peace.

Feeling stupid and foolish and childish, I sit down and begin to laugh. Of COURSE it’s not real! The one moment of peace I have just has to be completely fake! Why not?! Why the hell not?!

I should never have come here.

I don’t want to be here.