Fledgling Gargoyle

Prolog

This is the first chapter of the alternant version of Stone Fledgling. Thank you, everyone, who enjoyed the Pringle story.

The rain hit the chiseled statues surrounding the rooftop of the church. The water censored the sounds of the outside world as I heard footsteps and voices in the church attic, where the gargoyles stood guard. ‘Must be Father Romero up there, but who is he talking to?’ I thought, removing myself from the pew and walked over to the old attic door with slight paint chipping off.

Closing it behind me, I ascended the stairs as the voices grew louder. “Will you lads stop it!” A female voice without a 6f an accent said with a troubled sigh. “I swear you two are wee lads, always needing attention for yer mammies milk.”

I bent down and peeked through the keyhole. “What on earth?” I murmured as I assumed to be looking at humans talking, well at least the woman was human. The other two were walking, breathing gargoyles. One of the living statues turned its head to the door, the same door separating them from me. The floor creaked under its weight as it neared the door.

As its hand reached for the doorknob, I began to descend the stairs out of fear of being caught. After backing away from the door, I turned and bolted for the corner of the steps only to feel someone or something grab the back of the collar and began pulling me towards the door. Clinging my heels to the stairs as a last attempt to flee, only it failed me as I lost a shoe when I was being tossed into the room as I hit my head against the wall.

Feeling that my bell was ringing, I stood up slowly with my right hand on the dusty table as I looked at the stone creatures. “What are you guys?” I asked them with a tone of fear in my voice, and my eyes grew wide in disbelief.

The only woman of the group walked towards me as she cleared her throat and changed into one of them with her wings outstretched. Coming closer as I stared into her eyes, noticing that they were genuine sapphires as she helped me up.“Gargoyles lad. Think of us as a physical manifestation of angels.”

The one who threw me was leaning against the wall as another gargoyle was sitting on one of the tables, both looking at me intently.  “So, what now? Will you kill me or erase my memory because I know of your existence?” I asked looking at them as the group reverted to their human forms and laughed heartily.

“While we normally would erase your memory of this event… we won’t.” Said the person sitting on the table as he stopped laughing and removed himself from it. “My name is Ezekiel, the guy who threw you is my half-brother; his name is Samuel, and the strawberry redheaded enchantress near you is Catriona, as you can probably tell she is from Scotland, and our Queen. Samuel and I are both from England.”

“Since we are doing introductions, my name is Kyle. Kyle Kenway.” I said as I shook Ezekiel’s hand and nodded to the other two members. The room was filled with silence as rain slammed harder on the outside world.

“Since you know of us, there is only one option for you now child,” Samuel said as he looked at the others with a firm nod as he walked towards me. “We want you to join us.”

I looked at the group of strangers as I thought about the possibilities, about how choice could change my whole life. “If I do join, would I be in slumber until the sun sets? If not, then would I be able to live my normal, everyday, mundane life?” I asked them as it was Catriona who gave me answers.

“You won’t be an immobile statue when the sun’s up lad, and you will be able to live as one of us, that is if you wear an amulet.”  She said, holding up her own for me to see. The brothers followed her action, and I noticed that they each wore the same.

“If you wish to join us, then we will have to contact me wee sisters coven that we have an allegiance with to give you your own.” She asked as I nodded my head. And with that, lightning struck the church, signaling the new chapter in my life. An episode of war shrouded in secrecy for eons from the lives of the mundane.