The island shivered without its light, restless in the dark where shadows lurked—scheming to conquer what it believed belonged to them. Pipa Felice was one of the many who felt the decay of each and every passing day; its quiet, subtle hiss that whispered across the island in the biting wind. She was afraid. That much, she knew.
It was amongst the prey that the sentiment was shared, and the girl in the wheelchair attracted much attention when the day of light came, ironically, over dinner in the dining hall. The headmistress stood upon the ledge of hope, atop the pedestal and behind the podium, announcing to the school with a voice so sharp her words stung, that Iolani Tori was confirmed to be the second Eye.
Vijay turned to the canary with eyed—wide. A gradual smile surfaced.
Following the begrudging announcement was a steady recovery of the island, a flourishing of hope. Unexpected and new, most students knew not how to regard the matter of a prey turned predator; at least one that had, all of a sudden, taken up an identity vastly different from his original self.
Pipa could not identify a day where she was able to get to class without witnessing a fighting. Whether it was between prey and predator or an accidental breaking out of emotions, the canary did not know. She understood the cause of it all. Harshly, and mistakenly put; it was Io.
The bigger picture however, was never really able to come to light in the darkness that Verity had long cloaked over the island. The ultimate truth of Io's self and identity.
They had seen him for who they thought he was, and not for who he could be.
The one whom—deep inside—the boy had always been.
*
"Enough," said the vulture as she stood above the rest, looking down upon them all. "That is quite enough discussion." The whispers died along the way, withering like weeds only to flourish under the perfect conditions, once again. They laid in wait.
"For the month of April," they waited. "I will be stepping down from my position as headmistress."
Her words made waves and they were big. What comes unprecedented often pleased a heart for talk and gossip; a toy that the creature within one's cage seemed particularly fond of, no matter the age. Again, they waited for more. The cause, the resolution—a hunger not for food on their tables.
"A high member of the Order, Professor J.H Kirill of tier one rank three, second in command of operations and of the council's discipline...will take over my position as headmaster." And as though posing an imminent warning for all who misbehaves, V added yet again. "For the month of April."
"That's the week they return," Pipa said to the Indian boy seated beside her, anxious all of a sudden. "They, meaning Io and the rest. Something must have happened." Vijay's smile faded momentarily before frowning and shaking his head.
"We shouldn't read too much into it, Pipa—maybe Lord Falrir has witnessed for himself the harshness of V's rule and has decided to punish her for it. We must have faith," he reasoned with a smile. "My mom always said that the bad will be punished, and the good, rewarded. The Lord is watching. Always."
The canary did not know what to make of his belief, but felt the need to have, however blind, something to cling to in the darkness. Wasn't it simper to hold on to something so large, so high up in the sky; a Dragon, so bright?
YOU ARE READING
Flight School: Predator
Fantasy[Second book of the Flight Series] "More than anything, the sky was red. It wasn't dark, no. Just red." Iolani Tori learns about the part of him that isn't human; and sees the line between animal and himself thin to something less than a thread. If...
