Fourteen years later....
Charmeine's point of view
"I can't wait till I get my fully developed wings," I say as mother braids my long, golden hair in a French braid. "I don't really like these 'stubs' all that much. They flutter sometimes, though."
"Well, dearest, you have to wait until your sixteenth birthday," mother replies. "And they're going to flutter sometimes without you telling them to. They're exercising themselves. Getting ready for your big day. And remember, on your sixteenth birthday, you have to fight in the arena to prove yourself worthy to your people."
"And if I'm not worthy?"
"You'll be banished to the city of unworthy angels. Though, of course, you'll still be able to come to banquets and everything, but you won't be able to have physical contact with the highest, worthiest of the angels."
"I don't like practice, mother. Do I have to continue doing it if I don't want to?"
"Yes, dear. It's very vital for you to know those things, so you're able to prove yourself worthy."
"But I don't want to have that life, mother!" I jump up, knocking over the chair in the process. I immediately pick up the chair and sit back down at the look on mother's face. "I'm sorry, I just don't want that life. I don't want to be always surrounded by strangers because I'm 'worthy.' " I do air quotes when I say the word worthy. "I just don't want to live that life. I want to be able to settle down and have a family. I want a simple life. Not a life full of what you all call value."
"I understand that, but if you don't do it, you'll be banished."
"I don't care, mother."
She finishes braiding my hair and kisses me on my forehead. "Okay, now be on your way. I love you."
"Love you too, mother." I leave our room and go down the hall. I grab my things and turn left. I stop and glance around the corner. I wait until everyone's gone. Then, I dash across the hall and go outside. Once outside, I run to the woods.
*****
After several hours, I stop and look around for something to eat for lunch. I see a bush with purple berries and bend down beside it. I pick a berry and look it over. It doesn't seem to be poisonous. I'm about to eat the berry when I hear a noise to my right. I jump up and pull out my sword. I watch as the bushes shake. A grey rabbit jumps out and I let out a relieved sigh. I turn back to the berry bush and kneel down. I put my sword back in its place and pick another berry. I go to eat it when a voice says,
"Don't eat that!"
I jump up again and pull out my sword. I look over at the bushes. They rustle.
"Who's there? Show yourself!"
Another rabbit jumps out beside the other one.
"What the...."
"BOO!!"
I jump and fall on my butt as my sword goes flying. It lands beside the rabbits and they run away. I hear someone laughing. I see two shiny, polished shoes--black shoes. I slowly look up as the person stops laughing. Whoever this person is, they're wearing black from head to foot. I stop at his face. it has and amused look with a smirk. His lips part and he says,
"You alright?"
"Why do you care? Especially after you scared me practically to death."
He chuckles and holds out his hand. I stare at it.
"If you don't take it, I'll leave you here like that....beautiful."
I take his hand and he pulls me to my feet.
I walk over to my sword and pick it up. I look it over. "Oh, good. It's not damaged."
"You supposed to be in training?" He nods at me.
"Yes. How'd you know?"
"Your outfit. And I'm guessing you're deciding to skip."
"Yes. Why is that any of your business?"
"You know, a beautiful face like yours shouldn't be out here alone. Someone could easily snatch up a pretty girl like you."
"Like who? You?"
"No. No, no, no. I'm not like that." He flashes a smile. "Oh, I didn't introduce myself properly. My name is Lucifer Jr."
"Charmeine."
"Hmm. Means joy. Or delight. Fits."
"Why Lucifer?" I sit down and grab the sharpest, hardest rock I can find. I use it to sharpen my sword. "And if you're an angel, why are you wearing all black? And why do you have black hair? And dark eyes?"
He sits down on a log beside me. "It means morning star or light bringing. But it's not an angel name. And I'm not an angel. Matter of fact, I'm a demon. Son of the devil, to be exact, so you probably shouldn't hang around me."
I shrug. "I don't mind."
"Cute stubs."
"Shut up. They're really annoying. Oh, do you have any?"
"No. I have actual wings. But they're not that big. And I don't walk around with them showing all the time."
"Then where are they?"
"I can make them appear. Here, watch."
He closes his eyes and spreads his arms. I watch as he slowly puts each of his fingers down one by one, flicks them straight again, and wiggles them. His lips are moving, but no sound is coming out. Suddenly, a pair of bat wings appear and he opens his eyes. I just stare in surprise at the wings. They're about the size of the wings of a great horned owl.
"Not very big, are they?"
I shake my head slowly. "No."
"Oh, trust me, the next time they develop, they'll be huge."
"How big will they be?"
"The wingspan when they're spread out fully will be anywhere from eight feet to ten feet long."
"Dang."
"Do you know how long yours will be in wingspan?"
I shake my head. "No."
"If I were to guess, I'd say your wings would be anywhere from six to nine feet in wingspan."
"You know, I know how those angel trainers train you younger angels and they don't train very well, so I can train you myself. Only if you want me to, though. But I would say no if I were you."
"Let me think about it."
"Well, you've got to know, if we get caught, it's going to be very, very bad." He stand up and rolls his shoulders. His wings disappear and he walks off, saying, "Meet me right here at this very spot in three days if your answer is yes. Don't if it's no. Also, don't eat those purple berries. They'll kill you instantly."
"Oh, okay."
He walks into the darkness of the forest and seems to fade into it. I put up my sword and head home.
ns 15.158.61.23da2
