Sam

Prologue

        The air was a sharp, bitter cold that crept up the back of your neck and blew down your spine with a chill of nerves. It cackled in the wind with a maleficent laugh, but by then I could hardly hear it over my beating heart and the blood rushing up into my ears. The wind pierced through my clothes like knives, while I stood pondering on the reason I was with these people who didn't even care about my well being. I pulled my black hoodie over my head to block the elements from making my nose freeze off and to shield my emotions before they show on my face. From experience, feelings were a curse that choked me with guilt and regret.
Was I making the right decision?
Why am I here in this building that could fall at any minute?
As I looked around, the grimaces seemed to mimic every face I looked at. Most wore hoodies, a bandana, and or a hat to cover their faces, I could barely tell each of these delinquents apart. The town lights illuminated faintly against the bodies as they stood on top of the gravel roof, swaying in the wind. In the background, dogs barked and howled as if they were the ones trapped on top of a roof about to trash a store. Almost as if their parents were getting a divorce and their sister didn't even know. As if they were alone in this big dangerous world, all alone trying to make it out alive.
Stupid animals.
I grabbed the metal paint can with a iron grip as I looked up to the night, wondering if I could fly away into the stars and never return. A gruff voice came from behind and I whipped around trying to hide my nerves and surprise as the alpha glided forward. It seemed the others back's straightened as the superior male stepped forward with his broad chest unnecessarily sticking out. He wore a skull bandana that covered his mouth and dirty blond hair that was in the hair do of a mow hawk. When he took off his night vision glasses his gray, blue eyes reflected off the lights with an unnatural silver flashes in his irises.
" Remember when we go in, spray the cameras first then check for alarm systems. If you get caught it is your fault, there is no I in TEAM. Got it!" The teenager's voice rang across the roof top as he spoke with independence and leadership, but only for a second. For the first thing I wanted to say was, but there is me in team! Instead, I kept my mouth shut for my own health benefits as the only-real-man on the roof continued. "Team one and two you stay here and guard the perimeter. Teams three and four will follow me inside." I sucked in a tight breath and exhaled slowly.
I was on team four.
My mind raced rapidly as I processed the possibility of being a player in the wild game I played unsurely. How could I be going inside with the others? I usually stayed watch, I wasn't a criminal! But you are ,the wind hissed into my ears savagely. Mutters arose quietly amongst the group wondering how a shrimp like me made it to the top. Frankly, I wasn't even sure if I wanted to be with the top dogs. I was in the deep end now. No one to save me, no one.
From behind, a firm hand fell onto my shoulder an patted me on my left shoulder blade.  Chills shot up and down my spine, sending a wave of goosebumps up the sides of my ribs. Jack, the reason I was in this mess in the first place.
"Know where you stand runt." Jack growled under his  breath that smelled of liquor. In a quick motion he slide his finger across his throat gracefully. I stepped back out of his way for the right of passage and grunted " I know."
Silently I slide my hand into my pocket to check if my phone was there and with a sigh my fingers brushed over a glass screen.
In and out, I thought trying to reassure myself.
The wind chuckled loudly in the back of my brain, rattling around like a loss screw.
I begrudgingly walked forward to the moldy door that lead to the inside of this dump. Jack unlocked the door with ease with a single push, then stood to the side to let the spray painters pass. Like a mouse, I scurried past the bulk of a nineteen year old with a since of dread as soon as I stepped through the door. Immediately, a stench of paint spray invaded the air as I tip-toed forward to get down the wobbly, metal stair well. When I entered the room a new fragrance filled the space.
Weeks old frying oil, uncleaned toilets, moldy food, decaying wood, and most likely a dead person somewhere in a closet. Roaches climbed the peeling wall paper and stains splotched the restaurants carpets all the way to the kitchen doors. Did I even want to know what was behind the those doors. My nose scrunched into one corner of my face and for the first time in my life I think I was about to puke. Clenching my stomach I waved to the other spray painters that I was going to the restrooms.I now understood why they wore face masks.
I despise this place. I am so glad I didn't have to work there.
                                                                                                      €
I came out of the bathroom with the sound of faint sirens ringing through the restaurant and teenagers frantically trying to escape a sinking ship. Like rats in a sewer being flushed out. My pulse quickened as the sirens became closer and my heart skipped a beat as I sprinted up the staircase. Above , I could see others jumping to other roof tops hidden in the shadows that loomed over them.
I was going to make it, I had to.
From behind I heard foot steps following me, but I was too concerned over my own safety to acknowledge the engaging person. Moments later I burst through the rust doors to the open night and I broke into a run to escape the lights that stung my skin. I leaped to the next roof that was the door way out of the bars and screaming, with wings of fire empowering me to just run faster. But with an iron blade, my wings were sliced into two by an cruel monster that brought me down from escaping and blood spilled all over my back. I fell with a clash and the air was knock right out of my lungs.
I whipped my head around to see Jack standing above me like a mountain, his fists with blood trimming his fingers. Red, hot liquid painted my right shoulder with splotches and covered my shirt. Jack's eyes blazed with fury as he spat his last few words. "It's all your fault." With that he kicked me in the side of the head and disappeared into the night without a trace. The few lights left blurred into my vision, and my head felt as if hammers were clanging against my skull. A bang came from above and blue soldiers lifted me up.
I started to fly higher and the stars consumed me.