Fly (2nd in the feather series)

Sixteen

My story could've ended here, having a tragic end but life (thankfully) isn't like that. So, my story continues. The rain was still pouring and I was crying my heart out when I suddenly sensed someone else was there. But I continued to cry, despite them being there. I felt someone put their hand on my shoulder and flinched, turning round to see who it was. It was Amy, the bird girl, who'd helped me since I'd arrived in Atlo for the first time.

"Layla, I can see you're very upset and I think I know why. I want to let you know that I'm deeply sorry for all you've been through. It shouldn't happen to anyone, especially not to someone like you."

I, still feeling depressed, ignored her. I heard Amy sigh and mutter to herself, shaking her head,

"But sorry isn't good enough. I'm probably not being at all helpful."

I sniffled and Amy began to tell me,

"But Layla, even though everything seems to have gone wrong in your life, there is always a hope and a future for every one of us."

I stopped sniffling and turned to look at Amy before arguing,

"How? How have I got a future?! My dreams can never come true and my life is in ruins. Srrin means a lot to me and I've no clue on how I'm going to cope without it..." I could've spiralled off into an argument but Amy stopped me.

"I never asked you how you were going to cope Layla. But what I did say is that you do have a future and a hope, even though it isn't clear yet."

I looked at Amy like she was mad. Couldn't she see what had gone wrong for me? Had she not heard me?

"Layla, you are actually a whole lot luckier than I was when I was your age." Amy began, standing up. I listened intently as Amy told me her story. "When I was 14, I wanted to be a Doctor. But I thought the only way to get this job was to conform with everyone else, to be likeable. I thought no-one would ever want to be helped or treated by me if I were different. I wanted to be cool and confident, so I joined a gang at school and dressed fashionably. But the thing is, Layla, you can't ever be truly happy being someone your not and I soon discovered conforming wasn't making me happy. Then, once I had won my 'feather prize' I did something very stupid because everyone else thought I couldn't. I wasn't getting good enough grades at school and they all said I'd be a rubbish Doctor and betted that I couldn't even stitch up someones wounds. So I snuck into a hospital at night, found someone who needed stitches in A&E and tried to do it myself..." Amy hesitated before continuing, walking around the mountain cliff thoughtfully. "But I was caught and forcibly removed from the hospital. The next day, the Aviar council heard of my stupid act and stripped me of my 'feather prize'. At that point, I thought my life was over. I thought I wasn't unique and would never be happy again."

Amy paused and I said quietly,
"It's okay, Amy."

But Amy then told me, walking back over to me,
"But I was wrong. Every one of us is unique and the only way to be happy again was to be myself. I learnt a lot of important lessons that year and if I didn't have my bad past behind me, I would never have been where I am now, Layla."

I looked at Amy and saw how much she'd changed from the past version of herself. Looking at her now, you'd never have guessed that Amy had had these problems in the past.

Amy finished her talk, saying to me,
"Layla, you can't always get what you want in life and I certainly couldn't be a Doctor - I simply wasn't getting the right grades at school. But, even though you are having a hard time, you can still manage to fly away from a storm and be happy."

I stood up and faced Amy curiously,

"Amy," I asked, my dirty blonde hair blowing in a light breeze, "How did you get to where you are now? How were you able to get a job that earned a living for yourself?"

Amy responded calmly,

"I started my own organisation in Srrin, that also operates in Atlo, to help teens who are transforming for the first time. I help them learn about their powers and educate them. Although I do ask for a donation when I get a request for help, I help others because it is something I want to be doing, I don't do it because I have to."

I asked her again,
"So is this something that I could do?"

Amy replied sensibly,
"I think you would suit this job very well, Layla. You could join my organisations team of 17 helpers. You have a kind heart, you're sensible and can give advice. But you can't do it right now. In Atlo, the law says you must go to school until you have reached the end of S4. Then, you can leave school and go to college, or go straight into a job. But Atlo doesn't recognise Srrin jobs as real jobs, so you'll still need to train in a college until your 18 years old, like me. But Layla, I don't think thats a bad thing. I reckon a bit of extra education on Atlo will be beneficial for you, give you some experience."

I nodded. Next, I walked around the pink-purple bell heather bushes on the mountain thoughtfully. I was thinking about what Amy had told me. I soon realised Amy was right. I did have a future and a hope, although it wasn't quite what I expected it to be. Maybe, just maybe, I could be happy in life without having 'the feather'. I walked back over to a boulder, which Amy was leaning against.

"Thanks for telling me all this, Amy." I thanked Amy. "Your words have really helped me."