To Learn To Fall (Sequel to the Other Side)

Chapter Twenty Three

"And how much longer do we need to go?" asked Philip, picking his way through the undergrowth.

"Not much, actually," Peggy said. "It's inside a tree not too far from here."

"How do you—" Thomas began, spinning to face her, but his shoulders dropped as he realized. "Oh. Right. You've been there."

"Quite a few times," she said with a sly smile.

"Wait, it's inside a tree?"

"The entrance is inside a tree," Thomas said as he continued walking. "Just keep your ears open. You'll hear it before you see it."

I listened, just as he had instructed. At first, I heard nothing but the chatter of birds, rustle of leaves, and the occasional gurgle of water. But it wasn't long before I heard something unusual, far off in the distance. It didn't sound like the simple forest, it sounded like life. Like vibrancy, like music without instruments. I knew it should have put me at ease to hear something, but strangely, a rock sat heavily in my stomach.

I was about to meet Thomas's family, see the world where he grew up. More importantly, meet his family. Fuck. I'm not ready for that.

"Is it that tree?" Peggy asked, as she had for every third tree we've come across.

"Peggy, you're really dampening the surprise here," Thomas said. "And no, it isn't that tree. Why don't you just relax?"

"I will not relax! I'm excited! I've never been to Avionerra in this form before." Nobody questioned her, and I have to believe it's because nobody wanted to press further to try and understand what she meant.

Thomas came to a halt in front of one of the trees. It didn't seem anymore special than any of the other ones. In fact, it looked like it was dying. The only thing that set it apart was the carving of something into the trunk about six feet off the ground, a depiction of a feather. "Okay, this is going to feel very weird, but just loosen your body and don't scream."

"Oh, okay," Angelica said dryly. "Very reassuring."

"What can I say?" he said, adding a shrug. "I try." His fingers fell upon the carving of the feather. I waited, eyes shut tight for something to happen. I focused on my breathing, keeping my body as relaxed as I could possibly keep it. A strange feeling washed over me, and I opened my eyes.

I didn't feel like I was in my body. I looked around me, searching the forest for a sign of movement, but it remained still. I had control of my body, I think, but I felt no urge to move. Though everything looked and smelled and stayed the same, it was somehow different. A force compelled me to close my eyes, a force that seemed much stronger and more powerful than me, but I wasn't alarmed as I fell into its grasp.

My eyes shot open again, but I was no longer standing on the forest floor. My boots were against wood, and when I glanced around in shock, I realized we were standing on a walkway impossibly high up in the air.

"Fuck!" I yelled, stepping away from the rope, which was the only thing keeping me from a thousand foot drop. "No, no, no. That's okay. Thomas, I wanna go down now. This was fun, but let's go home."

I felt the brush of a hand against my back, and I didn't even need to look to know who it was. The warmth that traveled through me was enough. I wanted to curl into his touch, but instead, I moved away from him.

"It's going to be alright, Alexander. There's a spell that stops you from falling, if that's what you're worried about." I turned to face him, and everyone else who seemed to be having just as much fun as I was.

"We weren't meant for this," Lafayette mumbled underneath his breath. "The whole Capital isn't like this, is it?"

"Of course it is," James said with a smile, much happier to be home. He stretched out wings he didn't have a second ago and took a deep breath of the forest air. "Oh, I never thought I'd see this place again alive."