Queen of Hel

Chapter 9: The Crown

Two months later, I am sitting in the cabin, Sam next to me and Avery across from me. The bag of candy lays open on the floor, the last few pieces spilling out.

"So what does the birthday girl want to do?" Sam asks, singing a bit.

Avery throws a piece of candy at Sam, intending for it to hit her in the face. Instead, I catch it. "What was that for?" She asks, looking at me. "That was supposed to hit Sam. Also, I want to sit here and eat candy."

"The candy's gone," Sam comments.

"Too bad, I have more." Avery gets up and walks to the bedroom. "Oh wait I forgot that I added it to that bag." She comes back instead with three towels. "Let's go to the Valley."

"Is it warm enough?" Sam asks.

"The Valley has warm itself. There is no wind and the rock is close enough to the surface that the heat gets soaked up so it will leak into the dirt as well," I say.

"Whatever," Sam grumbles as she stands up.

We walk along the path to the Valley. Even though it has been used thousands of times, there are still many plants. And a couple of rocks that Avery and I take to jumping over.

When we reach the Valley, I see that there are a few more plants than I remember. Pausing at the top of the hill, I look at the indent.

"Do you think I can make that?" I ask, spreading out my wings. The few gold feathers glint in the corner of my eye.

"That depends on where you're going," Sam replies as she slides down the hill. "If you are trying to make it back to the cabin, then definitely no."

"I think she is trying to make it into the lake but I'm not sure," Avery suggests.

"Not originally, but I think I will now," I say, taking a few paces back.

The ground passes quickly beneath my feet as I run six feet forward. Then they leave the ground as I leap off. Then I feel myself even out and my wings begin to move. When I am supposed to be falling, I instead go up. The wind rushes around me, and I feel myself falter. Before I have a chance to accidentally fall, I tuck in my wings. This causes me to lean forward and fall quicker. As I dive, I close my eyes, trying to avoid the moment where I crash into the water.

Then it happens. I feel the wate engulf me. Then the pain hits. Just for a second. And then open my eyes and see blue.

I swim to the surface and feel the air cools my skin. I make my way over to the bank, where Sam and Avery are laying watching me.

"Please tell me one of you weren't filming," I grumble as I climb out of the water.

"I did," Sam and Avery say at the same time.

I swear under my breath. "Why would you do that?" The towel is warm as I lay on it.

"Because we want you to have a record of diving into the lake." Sam leans over and holds up her watch. "Here. Watch."

I watch the video. "Why did I do that?" I moan, laying on my stomach so that I don't have to see anymore of the video. It isn't that long, but it is still in slow motion. "Why did I do that?"

"Because it was amazing," Avery sings.

After a couple minutes later I hear a splash and a yelp. I turn over to see Sam laying in the shallow water wrestling with Avery.

I jump up and run over, tackling the both, with Avery being the one to end up in the water. She gives me a betrayed look.

"Why did you do that?" She asks, sitting up as Sam and I back up.