Black Wings

Chapter 7:

No one notices my bad mood.

Truthfully I plaster on the smile I have not had to use in years and tell everyone that I'm fine. I reassure Astoria that X is doing anything in his power to sure she gets her hands on the ash. I do not tell her that the odds of it happening are low. Fortunately, no one presses the matter further allowing me to fight back the tears that threaten to fall. The chat I have with X reruns in my head while I try and catch up with what is happening.

"Olie please calm down." X states before tapping me on the shoulder in a feeble attempt to make me react to anything he's saying. The words do not make sense to me and I'm distraught over the fact the person I love is going to die. I do not react to what he says, "Olie, Ol calm down. I do not want to be massacred by your doting boy and girl friends."

The attempt at humour is so small during that sentence as if he is scared that they will come murder him. Kai would most likely jump straight into the murder. Astoria would possibly be kinder seeing as he is her ticket back to life. Irene is just rational and would never kill someone for the joke of it. I think.

"Olie I do not know how to calm you down so if you could do so yourself?" X was starting to sweat in fear but I still stared at him scared to blink. Finally some words seemed to leave my mouth, "Why?" I ask. I'm so quiet I doubt you could hear me unless I was right in your ear. X looks up when I move my mouth, he stares at me for a while before he finally respond to my question,

"It's confidential. I guess I could tell you, would it calm you down?"

I nod while my eyes sparkle at the promise of new information. I really need to know what is going on and if Jelly is merely tricking me.

"The judge does not make the most choices, when you die your appearance dies. There is some part of that which stands for how kind and how good of a life you have lived. I had no idea how bad Astoria's trial would be until I saw.."

I turn around and look at her. Suddenly the glaring black wings anger me instead of looking comforting me. Those wings have deemed her to death and we can't change it.

"Black wings." I mumble but X hears me and nods.

"She was condemned to death the second the sprouted Olie. I cannot help you change that."

X smiled sadly and walked away officially leaving me to my thoughts. The thoughts make me want to screech and cry but I place on a brave face and hide under rocks and jokes. My laughter echoes through the hall and no one notices the difference.

Astoria approaches me causing me to jump back and hide my tears from everyone. She frowns and sits down, "You okay?"

I nod my head but I know she sees through my pretences seeing as she responds to my mute answer with, "Okay well, Storm suggested we go flying since I have wings and I agreed, it's dark now so it's even better! Want to go see the stars?"

I nod and follow her out the cave and into the night sky where the wind is chilly and snow is starting to fall. We did not get a lot of snow back in pair tale so seeing it fall onto the ground made me feel like a little kid again. The desire to run into the snow (no matter how thin it was) and create a snow angel was overwhelming me. I managed not to but I still tried to catch some with my tongue. I heard Astoria giggle in the background before she attempted to catch a falling snowflake as well. I laugh at her attempt and find a legitimate smile on my face.

"So can you fly in snow?" I ask.

I ignore the fact I'm shivering in return for hugging Astoria. Although the ghost does not create body heat herself she protects me from the bitter coldness that surrounds us and threatens to eat us whole.