Feathers falling

1 . .

A single snowy white feather dances along the playful wind. It lands silently on the porch of an unsuspecting human, who looks up from their out of date laptop to find it waiting there, just waiting. The feather seems to emit a faint glow of light and warmth. They cautiously pick up the feather and hastily pocket it to get back to whatever they were doing. A game of dominoes has started but, will they fall in the right direction.

"Gabriel I seemed to have lost a feather" spoke a soft voice.

"Where?" Asked Gabriel.

"In the human world" the voice answered with a hint of venom at the word human.

"You had better find it before Michal finds out" mused Gabriel.

"That is what I intend to do, but..." The voice paused for a moment pondering.

"A human has got it, haven't they" stated Gabriel.

"Yes," said the voice through gritted teeth.

"Are you going to ask Santiago for help?"

"That fool I don't see how his idiocy could help me."

"He knows the human world better then any of us do and besides, you would have no luck finding that feather without him."

"Verry well, I'll go speak to him then."

"Nathaniel!" called Gabriel

"Yes?"

"Be careful."

"Of course brother."

"Some nights I stay up cashing in my bad luck, some nights I call it a draw, some nights I wish that my lips could build a castle, some nights I wish they just fall off..." The phone abruptly stopped playing as it started to ring, notifying the listener that someone was calling them. They picked up the phone without looking at the caller and lazily slapped it against their ear

"Hello?"

"Emma" chirped a voice from the other end.

"Oh, San what do you want?" Asked Emma.

"I was wondering if you want to hang out later today, I've got a friend I want you to meet."

"Gosh, you and your friends I..."

"Please" butted in san with a childish voice"You know you want to."

"Ok ok, where and when?"

"The park, at twelve" he nearly screamed down the phone.

"Ok see you there then bye."

"Bye."

Emma threw her phone across the room where it landed safely on a pile of pillows in the corner. She checked her watch to see the time showed half eleven.

"Git" she mumbled as she dressed in a pair of black trousers and a white long sleeved shirt, that was one size too big. Unconsciously Emma picked up the trousers she wore yesterday and pulled out a small snowy white feather, which she then put in the current trousers she was wearing. A soft hum started to fill Emma's ears which gradually turned in to a voice saying.

"Keep it, you don't have to give it back" the voice hummed for a few seconds before going quietly. All the while Emma was listening with great attention, she seemed neither shocked nor worried but rather intrigued so she decided to answer back.

"Don't give back what?" She asked softly

"Don't give back what?" She asked again raising her voice a little.

"He needs to change, so don't give it back" the voice answered softly.

"And what happens if I do?" She challenged the voice

"Then that is your choice"

Emma thought for a minute and wondered what on earth the voice could have been talking about. After she looked at the clock and saw it was ten to twelve she began to make her way to the park, stopping occasionally to look over her shoulder, she couldn't shake the feeling that she was being watched.

As the park came in to view she saw San sitting on one of the picnic benches since he was looking in her direction. His arms were crossed and held tight to his chest, and his face held a smile so wide that it looked like the sides were trying to connect with each other. His light brown hair as always was perfect and his blue eyes were twinkling with mischief. Across his on the other side of the bench stood a man with glossy black hair and light gray eyes, that shot daggers in Emma's direction.

'I guess this is the friend' Emma thought

When she reached them, San embraced Emma in a love crushing hug that was broken by the friend who said with a hint of disgust,

"Why is that here?"

"Well, it is nice to meet you too," said Emma putting as much sarcasm into her words as she could.

"She, is here so you can learn to have fun," said San emphasizing the she.

"We are not here to have fun," he said through gritted teeth.

"Ah, Emma sorry, this is my brother Nathaniel my brother," he said gesturing to the man in front of Emma.

"And Nathaniel this is Emma, a very good friend if mine" he finished with a big grin plastered on his face.

"Friend" spat Nathaniel

"Santiago how can this thing be your friend?" Before Santiago could reply Emma butted in.

"Ok first of all ouch, second San why is your brother such a dick?" Asked Emma glaring at San with her arms folded across her chest waiting for an answer.

"He has issues with meeting ... new people"

"I can see that," said Emma while she put her hand in her pocket to fiddle with the feather. Nathaniel snapped his head in Emma's direction.

"She has it," he said pointing to Emma.

"Give it to me, give it" he commanded with a harsh voice.

"Whoa dude chill, I have no idea what you're talking about," said Emma with her hands up, backing away slowly. Nathaniel began to advance on Emma but stopped when Santiago stepped in front of him and sat him down.

San brought Nathan to his ear and they began to speak in hushed voices.

"She had my feather" insisted Nathaniel

Do you know for sure?" asked San

"Yes, I can feel it"

San turned to Emma and slowly walked over to her.

"Can I see what's in your pockets?" He asked softly

"What, why?" Asked Emma raising an eyebrow.

"Please ... I just ... please"

She nodded and pulled out the feather. Nathan shot up from his seat and pointed at her hand.

"That is mine!" He shouted unnecessarily loud.

44  33  30