Tainted Wings

Chap. 19: Skylar

“So did I teach you?”

“Yes you did. The shop owner was so surprised by you, he even gave you the violin for free and had you start teaching lessons there.” I listen to him, my eyes glimmering with hope. I’m learning about my past, and maybe if I learn some of it, I will start remembering again.

“You think I could play it now, if I tried?”

“I think you could. In fact, you want to try?”

“Can I please?!” He gets up out of his chair, and walks over to a large box. He looks at the lock, then back at me.

“Can I have the key?” I cock my head. I never knew I was supposed to have it. “It’s in the first drawer on the right.” I reach down and open the drawer. The only thing in there is a key.

The Bit of the key looks normal, it’s the Bow is what amazing. It’s shaped like a pair of wings, just like the ones I have.

I remove it from my neck, walk over and hand it to Kadaj. He takes it and puts it in a square lock that has the same design as the bow, wings. The box pops open and there’s a violin case in there, it has lace designs all along the edges. He pulls it out and hands it to me.

“I believe this is yours.” He hands it to me and it feels like it’s mine as soon as I touch it. Like I’ve played it before. 

I close my eyes and I hear a violin playing in my head. Then I see two little kids standing by the pond outside. Both have violins up and ready to play. The girl is explaining to the boy how to hold his properly. The boy keeps getting frustrated because once he does one thing he forgets to do the other. He puts his violin on the bench and sits down in the grass pouting. He sits there and looks away from the girl every time she tries to talk to him. She eventually stops trying, and sits next to him. The boy looks at her, with gleaming eyes as she starts to sing. Her voice is so pure and angelic. 

The boy sits there and listens, and when she is finished, he holds a pinky up to her, “Will you promise me that we’ll be friends forever no matter what?”

“Of course.” She relies back a little surprised. She wraps her pinky around his.

“Cross my heart and hope to die.” They both say in unison. After the promise was made, they both remain in their places, and watch the sunset with their pinkies still clenched together.

“Skylar? You OK?” I blink my eyes, and I’m back in the study. Kadaj is looking at me with concerned eyes. I smile at him. “What?”

“I just remembered something.” He smiles back.

“So what did you remember?” We make our way out the study, and towards the back door. Everyone else seems to be getting ready for bed. The sun is already halfway down. 

“I remembered our promise.” This seems to cheer him up even more. I’m glad I remembered it myself. “I was teaching you a lot back then wasn’t I?” We both laugh as I set my case on the granite bench and unlatch it.

“You sure were. Too bad you didn’t get to finish before that day.” I pull out my classical violin. I turn it to the side though, and realize there’s a mark, a carving of two wings on it. I guess they were there to represent my mark that made me different from the rest. I’ve always had my wings.

“I know what you mean.” I hold the violin in the playing position. “Let’s just hope for now that I remember how to do this.”

I glide the bow across the strings with such ease. Instead of stopping to see Kadaj’s approval, I continue. I close my eyes and listen to the music. It’s so clear and beautiful. I don’t even know what song I’m playing, if I am playing a song. It doesn’t even feel like I’m playing it myself, like some music god has possessed me and is expressing themselves through me, then through the violin. I play the last note, and then I relax. I take a deep breath and hold the violin to my side.

Before Kadaj can say anything, someone behind me speaks up, “Canon D Major. I was with you guys last time you played it.” 

“That’s right you-” Kadaj is cut off by people flying over the stone wall surrounding the backyard. They are all wearing black cloaks so we can’t see their faces. He grabs Kei and me, and pushes us behind him. I grab my case, put my violin in it, and sling it over my shoulder. I have to keep it safe. 

“Who the hell are you and what do you want!?” He shouts at them. None of them move, or even attempt to answer.

“Seems like we interrupted a family moment.” A guy comes over the wall his hair trailing behind him. I raise my eyebrow. I heard a guy’s voice, but I’m not sure if this is a he or a she.

“Akaito what are you doing here?” I can hear a bit of an edge in Kadaj’s voice. I look over at Kei and he seems to be questionably calm. I feel a wet drop on my head I look up and find its raining.

“Just to get the main piece in this game back into my possession so I can once again be ahead all the others.” He starts circling us. “And I’m terribly sorry, Kadaj, but it seems there’s nothing you can do.” He flicks his wrist and all the cloaked figures pounce on Kadaj. They’re clawing and tearing him apart, and there is nothing he can do about it.

“Get off of him!” Kei and I yell it at the same time. We both pull them off him, one by one. One of the cloaked people grabs a hold of me. They have extremely long nails, and they dig into my skin around my throat. They start to pull me back towards the wall to make off with me, but Kadaj attacks them from the side. He literally comes out of nowhere. Then all of the cloaked people are all back on top of Kadaj. For some reason, once we get them off him, they just disappear. Once we get all of them off I bend down to hold Kadaj’s hand.

“I’ll find you and rip you limb from limb Akaito! You’ll pay for this!” Kei screams after him. He rushes over to my side and tears are pouring down his face. “Kadaj are you OK? Please speak to me and let me know you can make it.”

“Don’t worry Kei. I’m not that much of a wimp.” He tries to sit up, but he’s too weak.

“It’s OK, I can-” I try to say.

“No.” Kei interrupts in a stern voice. I look at him surprised. His head is down and he’s looking at the ground. “No, you can’t do anything. All you do is bring pain and despair to us. You don’t do anything good.” He looks me in the eye now. “You’ve never done anything good for us, and I’m tired of it! You need to leave! You need to just get away from us and leave us alone!”

“But Kei I-” 

“I don’t want to hear anymore! Just go!” He’s on his feet now walking towards me. I stand up too hoping to compromise with him. “Just leave!” Tears are streaming down his face, and I can see anger in his eyes. He means it. He makes his way closer to me, and forces me to the ground again. He pushes me. “Just get out of here!” He yells.

“I . . . I’m sorry!” I stand up and spread my wings, sending feathers flying everywhere. “I’m sorry for ruining your live! I didn’t mean to, I swear! I’ll just leave if that’s what you want!” I raise my wings.

“S-skylar, you can’t-” Kadaj tries to reach for me, but he can’t reach.

“No. I-I’m sorry.” I say under my breath. I thrust my wings and I rocket into the air. Tears are blurring my vision, but I fly anyway. I try to clear them with my arm, but it just worsens my direction and the rain doesn’t help any either. I swerve into a tree. I cry out in pain, and I smash into the ground. I just lay here, crying my eyes out in the mud and rain. 

What am I to do now? I have nowhere to go, I have nothing. When I think about it, it is all my fault. If I was never born, then the government would have never gotten me. Then they wouldn’t have been able to conduct the Haldrin experiment. Then maybe Meela and Jayias could still be alive. No one would have to be hiding. Everyone would be able to live a happy life, if it weren’t all because of me.

“Aw, look at the poor little girl. Lost her hopes and dreams, and has no friends anymore. If only someone could help her. Oh wait, someone can. Maybe, I can.” My key dangles in front of my face, my lock is clinging to it as well. I follow it up and find it’s the one man they called Akaito. “Come with me my darling, and I can give you meaning again.” 

I gasp for air, “You’re going to take me back to the government aren’t you?”

“Maybe so, but at least we’ll treat you like family.” He picks me up into his arms. A few seconds later, everything is black. I hope it never returns to color, for I have nothing to live for any more.