2024-12-04 19:02:53••••••
The bell rang, signaling school was over.
I go meet Ashlyn who was waiting for me at the school's football field.
"Hey, Ashyln!" I waved while approaching her.
"North! Hey" she smiled.
"Did I keep you waiting?"
"Oh, no. I just got here"
"Okay"
"So remember when you saved me, you dropped something" she said, her voice laced with excitement.
"Uhmm..." I hummed, thinking of what she meant.
She grinned. "Yeah, I'm sure you must be worried, so I have it!"
*Is she talking about my violin? Please let it be my violin.*
"I took it home with me after you got taken to the hospital" she said, then squat to take something from a bag I had just notice.
"It's your violin!" She smiled. "You dropped it on the roof when you saved me. So I figured I would be the one to keep it save for you. So here! It had a crack but I fixed it, hope you like it"
"Ashlyn! Thank you so much! This means alot!" I exclaimed as my heart eased up with relief to finally see it. To see the violin I got from my dad.
"Yeah, no problem. I know it must be special to you" she said with a warm smile.
"It is. It belonged to my dad. He use to play it for me when I was little. He was really good" I said with a smile, but my voice laced with sadness.
"Oh waw! Does he still? I would love to listen"
"No. He died when I was 9"
"Oh. I'm sorry!"
"Yeah, it's okay. I have my mom and this violin which is a piece of him he left behind. That's why I am relieved it's safe" I said while noticing what she meant by 'fixed it', which made me smile a little.
"Do you normally play it on the roof alone?" She asked.
"Sometimes, yes. I learnt how to play, so I could play it for my mom just as my dad use to play it for us" I said as I moved my fingers through the sticker she placed over the crack.
"How sweet! Can I be one of the people you play it for. I would love to listen to you play"
"Yeah. Of course!" I exclaimed as my chicks turned red.
She chuckled.
"Great! Here's my number. I need to go now. Call me" she said as she wrote her number on a paper she brought out.
"Oh, okay"
"Here! Alright bye" she said, then left.
"Okay, bye" I muttered while holding the violin on my left hand, and the paper on my right.
The school had ended so I needed to get home. I went through the alley I usually go through to reach the bus stop. But something didn't feel right.
"Hey, Birdie" Jake said as he, Nate and Max approached me.
I sighed. "Hey, Jake"
"Now what did I say about Ashlyn? Huh?!" He asked, his tone laced with mischief.
"I don't think he heard you the first time. Maybe he needs to be taught a lesson for it to stick" Nate added.
"Look, I do not want any trouble, just let me pass"
"Oh, okay, sure, you can pass" Jake uttered as he took a side step to make me pass their middle.
After walking by, he grabbed my violin case and immediately brought out my violin.
"Hey! Give that back!" I exclaimed trying to reach, but Max pushed me back.
"You play this!" Jake sneered. " Ah.... You must be in Mr Alfred's class then. And from what I remember, all his students got injured in some way recently. So what happened to you?!" He said while pointing the bow towards me.
"Give it back! I won't ask again!" I exclaimed.
"Oh... little Birdie wants to spread his wings now, he thinks he is now tough and can take to the sky. I see, you were the cause of what happened that day right?! You came back from the dead and now you want to hunt us all. Do you know how much my dad had to pay for the fixing of your mess!" he said. "Well, I don't, but I am sure it was a lot of money. So, go on, pay it back, right now, common! Pay back what you owe my dad. Gimme the cash!"
I stared at him while my hands turned into a fist.
"Or what? You are poor.... And can't afford anything for yourself. I know all.... about you. Your mom works all the time just to feed you. Huh! A loser mom who raised a loser kid!" He sneered as he stood behind Max and Nate, who were acting as a wall.
Immediately, I pushed the both of them and landed my fist on his face, forcing him to fall backwards. After I had hit him, Nate and Max grabbed both my hands and forced me down to my kneels, which stopped me from moving.
"You little shit!" Jake voiced, touching his injured lips.
"You broke my tooth!" He sneered while spitting out a tooth.
His brows farrow. "Now I'm gonna break you!"
He then threw a punch that landed on my face, another that hit my gut, then another on my left chick.
"You know what! I have something else to break" he said while taking few steps back to grab my violin.
"Don't!" I muttered.
"What?"
I looked up and uttered, "Don't!"
"Oh is this special to you? Oh well, too bad, I am gonna break it! Maybe when I break it, you are gonna know who not to mess with next time" he said while taking few steps towards me.
"Know you place, Birdie!" He voiced as he took few steps back, rose it high above his head and smashed it to the ground.
"Stop!" I yelled, struggling to break loss from Nate and Max's grip.
"Damn, it is really strong! Maybe the second try will do" he said, raising it high above his head and hitting it harder on the ground.
"Stop!" I yelled again, as he smashed it the second time, making the crack that had been there bigger.
"Maybe one last try will do" he grinned, swinging it from below this time to above his head, to make it more impactful.
Few seconds before it hit the ground, I felt a surge of energy from within as I tried to break loose.
Then I yelled, "I SAID STOP!!"
My eyes immediately glowed, resulting in blasting everything around me by the wave that left my body.
Jake, Nate, Max, and the two dumpsters that were close by, all got lifted up and pushed by the wave.
This made Jake lose my violin in the air, which I noticed, because while it all were happening, it felt like my speed and senses increased.
I looked up and ran towards my violin before it hit the ground, while everything else fell.
I exhaled while my eyes turned back to normal. Next thing I saw was Jake, Nate and Max laying on the ground unconscious.
Immediately, I heard a car pulled up, I turn around and saw two guys and a girl approaching me.
Before I could blink, one of them dashed towards me with great speed, it was in an instant like a flash.
Suddenly, he whispered in my ear, 'Sleep', catching me off guard.
Right there, I fell on his shoulders and lost consciousness.
••••••
•NEXT TIME•
I Remember
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60• Echoes: iii
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56• Adapt: iv
•••••••Moments later.I shut my eyes, feeling Mana surge through me. I imagine wings unfolding from my back, strong and majestic."Now, reach out with your mind," Saint guides. "Connect with your wings, feel their presence."As I focus, a searing pain erupts in my back, like bones splintering and reforming. I grit my teeth.Michael cries out, clutching his back. "Ah, god!"Claire's face contorts as she tries to focus.Saint's voice remains calm. "Let the pain fuel your growth. Trust your wings, trust yourselves."I force myself to breathe, focusing on my Mana and visualizing my wings.Saint's voice guides us. "Imagine the sensation of wings unfolding, the weight of feathers, the stretch of muscles."Michael grunts, his face contorted.Claire's eyes are clenched shut, her jaw set.Saint continues, "This process will take time, patience, and endurance. Your bodies must adapt, transform. It's not just about willing your wings to appear; it's about reshaping your very essence."The seari
