Wings

Chapter Six

I leave the shower wearing a brown silk robe. It's big around the shoulders, but it'll do. I put my hair in a messy bun before walking down the rickety stairs. While I'm walking, I hear arguing. I try to quiet my steps to listen in, which is difficult to do on these stairs.

I hear Jason's voice, "Frosty, why is she here? She's the whole reason why the Creatures have tormented us all these years. Little Miss Princess might as well be the enemy."

Frosty's voice has an icy bite, "How could you say that, Jace? That's not her fault and you know that. Besides, Erin said we were her last resort and I agreed because I wanted to. I trust her and you should too."

Jason grumbles, "Why? What has she ever done for me?"

I suddenly realize that they're talking about me. I enter the kitchen to stop the argument from growing. I smile weakly, "What you guys talking about?"

Frosty looks at Jason and clears her throat, "We were discussing where you should be sleeping. You can sleep with me, Katheryn."

Jason barks, "No she's not! You know why she can't."

Frosty folds her arms, "Then she's sleeping with you."

Jason's face turns bright red. "No she is not! Little Miss Princess can sleep in Mom's room."

Frosty protests, "I don't think it's safe for her to sleep alone. Our windows are weak. Our walls are thin."

"Your point," Jason asks.

"A Creature could easily break in and kill her."

"Oh right, that would be tragic," Jason says, sarcastically.

I stop the argument again, "Guys, its okay. I'll sleep in the mom's room. Now, do you have anything to eat? I'm starving."

Jason gives me a bowl of soup and rice and a glass of water. Frosty sits across from me at the small wooden table.

"So, how is life on Earth," she asks. "I hear about it from time to time but it'd be nice to hear from an actual civilian."

I chuckle at her enthusiasm. "The experience is different for everyone. For me it was... not as normal as other people."

Jason has his back toward me while he washes on the dishes. "Oh my, your life must have terrible. You had someone to call Mom and you didn't have to worry about bloodthirsty monsters coming for you in the middle of the night. I feel so sorry for you."

I scowl at him even though he isn't looking. "You don't know anything about me," I say. "So I suggest you watch your attitude."

"Sure whatever," he scoffs.

I the kitchen and go up to their mother's bedroom. I will not let Jason stress me out anymore than I already am.

***

I spend the rest of the night awake in the mother's room. This house could use some serious repairs; it constantly creaks and moans. The night light Frosty offered me is very dim.

These conditions aren't helping me sleep any better than I did back home. Restless, I begin to wander and look through the drawers.

I find a picture of a woman with her husband and two kids, Frosty and Jason. The woman in the picture must be their mom. She's very pretty: she has a round baby face like Frosty and long, wavy black hair.

The dad looks goofy. He has a huge smile and he wears big glasses. His hair is blond and curly. I wonder what happened to them.

I walk down the hallway when I notice Frosty's bedroom. She's sleeping. I tiptoe into her room, which, again, is difficult with these creaky floors. Frosty flashes her eyes open and they seem to glow in the dark.

"You couldn't sleep?"

I shake my head. "No not really," I chuckle.

She smiles at me, "You shouldn't be sneaking around. I was going to whip out my dagger."

I raise my eyebrow, "What dagger?"

Frosty grabs the dagger from under her pillow. Its blade is sharp and curved slightly. The handle is made of glass and it looks as if there are thousands of tiny blue crystals swimming around in it.

The hell? My mom wouldn't even let me carry around pepper spray, why can Frosty have a magical knife under her pillow?

Frosty holds it up, "The crystals give the dagger its strength and power, one stab and you're dead."

"Oh how fascinating," I laugh nervously before asking her to put the shiny and very sharp knife away.

"Forgive me," I say to change the subject. "But I was going through your mother's things and I saw a family picture that I thought was so cute. What happened to your parents?"

It's quiet for a moment. Hopefully I didn't strike a nerve.

Frosty flicks on her lamp and sits up in her bed. I sit on the other end of the bed and she scooches farther away from me.

"Well, my dad left us when I was 3 years old. I guess he didn't love my mother as much as he said he did."

"Oh I'm-"

"No matter," Frosty says. "Anyway, one day, we were all sitting in the living room when a Creature came and," she stops for a moment before continuing.

"And it pushed my mother down on her stomach. I will never forget the sound of her horrible screeching. The Creature was killing her right in front of me. Jason had to destroy it while I ran and hid. As soon as it all started, it stopped. I ran downstairs only to see Mommy's dead body."

I reach my hand toward Frosty shoulder to comfort her, but she scoots even farther away from me. "Why do you do that? You won't even let me near you."

Frosty looks at her hands, "I'm an Ice Wing. This means my power is to form and control ice." A small icicle forms and hovers over Frosty's hand.

"So..."

"You see my mother was kind of a drinker. So that means I have a defect with my power. Everything I touch freezes instantly. I could kill you in a minute."

Frosty touches her bedroom window and frost forms on the glass. "That's why Jason didn't want you to sleep with me."

"Well, is there some cure," I ask.

"I could be cured, but I don't want to. Mommy was an Ice Wing and I feel like if I don't have ice, I lose a part of her. I don't want that. That's why everyone calls me Frosty. My real name is Lana."

She's quiet for a moment then smiles, "The defect is good for self-defense though."

I smile back at her. "I should get some rest. Goodnight Frosty."

As I lay in bed, I think about the story Frost- I mean, Lana told me. I close my eyes and, eventually, fall asleep.