Cherish Red ✔️

Chapter Nine

Masey used his wings to cover himself.

"Oh god: I wasn't expecting an eye on your back. Jesus Christ..."

"Yeah, see what I mean? It's... because of the stuff," Red sighed. "I have six more of them."

"What?"

"Mhm. I won't show you, but there's two each on my arm, one on my forehead, and one each on my legs. My actual eyes don't count. Everyone's born with those-"

"No, no they're not!" Masey snapped. He slumped against the steel doors and said "Look, I was made without eyes. Don't know why, because eyes are like windows to the soul. Especially since there was someone who decided it would be a great plan to try and make real angels."

His voice was mixed with sarcasm and sourness, which did not match up with the wings and melting halo.

"Wait. Why is your headpiece thing melting?"

Masey looked up and hissed. He turned back to Red and answered "Just ignore it. It happens everyday. Probably those stupid magnets overheating or-"

"Magnets?" Red gasped. She was in a lab for 14 years. Yet she had never heard of people with magnets. "Where the hell are the magnets?"

"They're a part of my skull," Masey said, rolling his eyes. "Something's got to make the halo float after all."

"Is... there any other magnets-"

"Look, ya trying to get my whole life story or what?"

"Well, yeah sort of. I know, I'm probably really rude for doing so, considering you don't even know my name."

"Haha. No, it's Rad or something. Am I wrong?"

"Very close, but no. It's Red."

"Last name?"

"I would tell you, but I originally didn't have a last name, so I'll just leave it at that."

Masey nodded. Then he moved aside so the steel door was visible.

"You should be going now, Red. You might get get in trouble if you stay out any longer," He said. "Also, aren't you cold? It is cold and musty out here-!"

Red fidgeted with two straps on Masey's shoulders. He pushed her away, but she'd already got them undone. The wings dropped as Masey slapped his forehead. Red gasped. They're fake?! She thought. But-

"No, no, no!" He balled his hands into fists. "I-it's not what it looks like, I promise. I- oh goodness."

"Wh-what?" She tugged at her hair. Why would he lie to her? She should've known: she'd been lied to twice now, first her 'Dad' and now this boy. "They aren't real?! I-"

Masey closed his eyes and sat down. Quietly he replied "Th-those weren't real. I do have real ones though. Th-they've been so badly damaged though... I..."

"Oh... how about you show me...? I'd like to see them," Red suggested. He thought for a moment, and then sighed.

"Why?" He asked, as melted and ripped wings rose out of his back. "I don't get it. You should be here too. Working for some humans who could've have the potential to be great. But... they're not. They act like it, but... they're not."

Red kneeled down and lent her hand to his gloved ones. She could relate to him so much. The abuse, the experimenting, the feeling that asks "Why am I here?". All of it. Every bit-

"You wouldn't UNDERSTAND!" Masey screamed all of a sudden. He stood up and with a snap of his fingers, he summoned a spear with broken diamonds and steel. "You should be going now. You're probably just like the others. Aren't you?!"

"No, no!" Red gasped. "I understand! You're hurting! I get it! I'm hurting too!"

Masey grabbed his head.

"No! NO!" He cried as the spear dropped. His wings covered him as defence. "It doesn't work like that! I-I can't take this anymore. Something's seriously wrong with me..."

"Yes! There is!" Red shouted. She threw her arms around Masey's waist. Then she gently whispered...

"But it's the same thing that's wrong with me."

Masey fell to his knees and covered his face. He began to cry. Red still hugged him tightly, rubbing his back and making tiny hushing sounds.

"I don't need you!" He sobbed. "Why don't you just LEAVE?"

"Because I care," Red answered softly. "You don't have to hide anything from me, even if I did just meet you..."

"I'm a monster though!"

"No, you're not."

Red held his hands in her small lap.

"If anyone's the monster here, it's me."