Fallen

Chapter 42. Fly boy fly [Caleb]

"I might have an idea," M says. He starts pulling off his shirt, revealing toned muscle and a lot of tan skin. Then he goes to pull off his bindings.

"I know we're going to die and all, but now's really not the time, even though-" I say as I point at his figure.

"No idiot," M hisses as he tries to reach for the piece that holds the bindings tight and his wings confined. "We're going to fly."

"Are you crazy!" I exclaim in a splutter of noises. "You're still injured, and don't let me remind you that the last time you were flying around you face planted right into my backyard."

"There's no other way Caleb, unless you wanna go through them," M says, pointing towards the door where the beasts are ready to tear me limb from limb. I gulp, eyes wide as I take in M's words. "I can try and get us away from here."

"Okay," I say hesitantly. M turns around, letting me untie the knots in his bindings. The white fabric falls to the ground in a heap. And out unfolds his white feathery wings.

M goes to unlock the window pulling it all the way open. He's instantly bathed in the bright and pale moonlight.

"You ready?" M asks as he holds out his hand for me.

A cold draft of wind finds its way inside. Creating goosebumps along my skin. A shiver runs down my back as I take M's hand in mine.

"I don't think I'll ever be, honestly," I say as M gathers me in his arms, bridal style. My arms wrap around his neck. I spare a glance to look up at his face. He looks so concentrated, jaw locked tight.

There's a final crack coming from my bedroom door until it breaks, allowing all the beasts to tumble inside.

M takes a step up to the window. I squeeze my eyes shut, stomach plummeting as he jumps off the window sill.

I expect pain before the inevitable fading to blackness, but none of that happens. Instead, there's no pain, no nothing. I open my eyes to the clear night sky. The moon is closer than ever, shining brightly, bathing us in its light. Treetops are visible beneath our feet. And further away are all the brightly lit houses.

"Oh my god," I gasp as I look around us. We're actually flying. This isn't some dream but reality.

"Caleb," M speaks lowly.

"Yeah?" I say, looking up at his beautifully concentrated face.

"Stop moving," He begs with a soft groan. "You're heavy."

"Sorry," I wince, holding on to M tighter and trying not to move further.

The wind picks up, suddenly stronger than before. It pulls at us just as raindrops start to cascade down on us, drenching us in seconds. I can feel M's hold on me loosen.

"M?" I falter.

"Hold on." M is groaning, neck strained as he tries to keep us in the air, but to no avail. His wings give out.

Suddenly we're falling, heading straight towards the ground, no longer above the treetops.

M covers me with his body as I squeeze my eyes shut, preparing to make impact with the hard ground. Instead, there's a loud splash of water before everything becomes muted.

I can't feel M's hold on me anymore. Instead, everything has become dull, all sound gone and replaced with nothingness. Everything is dark, and the water starts to make its way inside my mouth and nose. The water is freezing, the cold bites my skin, lungs burning, with need for air.

I try to swim up, or at least to what I think up is. I reach the surface with a loud gasp, flailing around to catch sight of my surroundings. There's no sight of M anywhere.

"M!" I yell out, fear creeping up. He fell into the water with me. Taking the impact of the blow from the surface instead of me. If he's not here, he must still be under the water.

With a gulp of air, I dive down. It's dark, and I can't see anything, so I feel around desperately, trying to catch on to anything. M must still be here. He has to be.

I reach the surface again to get some air. Lungs burning in pain. I scream out M's name, but there's nothing. I have to find him because If I don't, that means-

I dive down again, flailing around until my arm hits something firm. I grab a hold of it, a hand unmoving and cold.

I use all my strength to pull M up over the surface. "M!" I scream into his ear as I hold onto him, keeping his head above water. He's not moving, no sound, nothing. In a panic I start to shake him to get a reaction, but his head only lulls to the side, responseless.

I pull him towards the shore, dragging him up the dirty ground. My legs are trembling. They give out next to M's motionless body as I cradle his face in my hands, looking for a sign of breathing. "Please wake up," I whisper brokenly. I place my shaking fingers under his jaw and around his neck, where a throbbing pulse should be.

"Come on, M," I beg. "Please wake up."