The Different Way

Chapter 1: Awakening

Mom always said there was something different about Mikey. I remember the day when he got them, it was a normal day. He was only 16, I was 19. Mom and dad where gone for a month. They left me in charge. He told me he had back pains throughout the day, I told him it probably was the mattress. We were watching X Files, throughout the show told me "Gerard my back is hurting again," looking at him I say back "I'll take you to a doctor tomorrow if you want." he sighs "okay, it's a kind of a throbbing sensation in my shoulder blades." I move my head back towards the tv "before you go to bed take a nice warm shower, that might make it feel better." He nods "okay." then he got up and went to the bathroom.

Mikey's P.O.V

I get up to go to the bathroom. I use the toilet, once I was done the throbbing pain was back, I take off my shirt and I can't. A minute later I can see this blue thing poking out, I decide to pull it out. It was a feather, I pulled out a feather from my back. Maybe I imagined it? Or maybe I was watching too much X-files. Wow, my shoulder blades itch like crazy. The more I scratch the more it feels like it isn't doing anything to fix it. I can see more of these feathers falling to the ground. I stand up and look in the mirror to find I have wings, two big blue wings. There's a knock on the door

"Mikey are you okay? You've been in there for like an hour." It's Gerard, I'm panicking, I don't know what to say. Maybe I shouldn't answer. "Mikey are you okay? You didn't take the heater into the shower did you?" There's a slight concern to his voice, but I decide not to speak, again "Mikey I'm worried. If you don't answer I'll be coming in." finally I speak "I'm fine, there's no reason to come in."

"No, you're not," he pauses "I'm coming in," he sighs "NO PLEASE GERARD DON'T!" I scream "too bad" I sit down as he opens the door. He walks in, I'm crying. "Mikey, what happened?" He places his hand on my shoulder. "Why are there feathers everywhere?" He pauses as he looks at the wings "ARE THOSE WINGS?!" I turn my face to him, it was wet with tears "go away Gerard, I'm a freak!" He helps me back onto my feet "no you're not, you're my brother and I'll love you no matter what," he brings me into a hug. I can't help but cry herder, I'm bursting with tears "what am I going to do? It's not like you can hide wings."

"No, what are WE going to do, your problems are mine too." We hug again, still thinking that I'm a freak. We sit back down; X files is finished. I sat back down on the couch with Gerard helping me. I don't know what to do with the wings so I decide to spread them out, though I hit Gerard in the face. "Oh Gerard I'm so sorry, I don't know how to control them yet" patting me on the head, he says with a small smile "it's fine, I wouldn't expect you to control them just yet." The small smile disappears "now we need to think about what we're going to do." We both pauses, thinking about this situation. Looking up at him I say "I have school tomorrow," he replies"well you're going to fake being sick, it'll give us more time to think about this situation." We're thinking about solutions for this, Gerard's writing the ideas down.

I speak up "why don't I wear a trench coat for the rest of my life," he's thinking about my idea "that could work in the winter, but it wouldn't work in the summer and spring. Besides you would have to take it off when you get to class." Looking up at him, I sigh "yeah you're right" I hang my head, looking down as a tear rolls down my cheek and lands on the couch. Gerard lifts my head up "what's wrong Mikey?" I say with an irritation to my voice "what's wrong?! WHAT'S WRONG IS THAT I'VE GOT WINGS! WINGS GERARD! I'M A MUTANT FREAK!" in an instance, I felt something hit me across my face. I look up to see Gerard did it. My brother just slapped me, I'm shocked he'd never do anything to harm me, not even this.

"No you're not. You're my brother, we went over this! So what if you have wings, nobody else does. It makes you unique! Now promise me you'll never call yourself a mutant freak again?" he has a sincere look on his face. Looking at him, my hand where he slapped me "I promise." Gerard turns his head to the clock "wow it's getting late; you better get to sleep little dude" I sigh "okay, but how will I sleep with my wings?"

Gerard helps me up from the couch "I don't know" he pauses "just maybe sleep on your side tonight or on your belly" while nodding I say "okay, goodnight Gee" he hugs me "goodnight little bro." I start walking to my bedroom, with these things attached to my back. I wonder what tomorrow will bring.