The Winged

12- Only Way

Satisfied he had upset me enough, Sam shifted his hand high over the top of the jar and tipped his hand into a wall. I crashed down onto my knees with a weakening shriek of pain.
Micah's arms were immediately around me.
"Azure!" He squeezed me protectively, forgetting his anger. I was panting and quivering, with the bang of the drop throbbing through my legs. Probably I wouldn't be able to stand up for a minute. I didn't try it just incase.
Just outside the jar, he was peering in at me, watching the two of us curiously.
"I'm okay, Micah." I assured him in a breathless lie. I was painfully aware of Mike's eyes too as he gave Sam a look.
"Why do you always have to tease her?" He rolled his eyes, though still smiling.
Sam replied with a shrug, "Can't help it. Look at her. She's adorable."
My eyes widened at his words, heartbeat refusing to slow. Micah's heat was the only thing that kept me a bit calm.

Something promptly fell on my head following their exchange. I immediately shied away and pushed Micah to my back, expecting prying fingers or a hand, but instead an object fell to the glass floor. Micah peeked at it from behind me. The two of us did nothing but stare at it for a long while, me in front of him, him clutching me. It was big and fluffy looking, almost white. I glared. It was probably some other torture device... like the tape.
I kept Micah behind me as I gave it a sharp kick. It wasn't heavy— that made it tumble all the way to the other side of the jar. It bounced fluffily across the glass floor, leaving bits of debris as it went.
I had never seen anything like it... what the hell was it?
"It's bread," Sam suddenly thundered above us, a hint of amusement playing on his tone.
I turned on my heel and looked back up at him. "Bread?" I repeated the strange word, narrowing my eyes. Nothing in the world would make me trust what he said.
"Food!" He let out a laugh, "To eat? I'm not trying to starve you!" Eyes flicked over me before he added, "You wouldn't be much fun dead, would you?"
I sunk into the floor. He said it so casually. Dead. Was that the only reason I was still alive; because I was fun? The sick feeling in my guts reminded me that I hadn't eaten since he captured me. Or maybe I was simply going to be sick.

Turning my attention back to this 'bread', both myself and Micah glared. I had never seen such a thing. The top was golden and firm, cracks tracing across it, yet the centre seemed to be soft, almost like the fresh moss on a wet log. I gulped, my mouth feeling dry and my stomach rumbling. The 'bread' was giving off a scent, a delicious smell that was enticing me. Yet still, I ignored the cravings and kept my distance.

Sam watched us for a few more moments before sighing, "Well, I'll leave it there for you. I suggest you eat it."
The chair gave an almighty creak as he stood up, casting a wide shadow across the table. The glass rattled around me as he took a slight step. With one swoop of his arm, the human had grabbed the lid and lifted it from the tabletop. I stared up uselessly as he clicked it in place and spun it round a few times, sealing us in our glass prison once again. All I could do was watch the familiar process with great bitterness. Trapped again.
"Coming?" He said to Mike.
The other giant nodded, rising slowly out of his chair.
"I'm going to get some stuff," he murmured to Sam rather pointlessly. I raised my head from within the glass. Did he really think that he could lower a voice as loud as his so that we couldn't hear it? Even their breathing was loud!
He gave me a glance, "If you do manage to find the rest of them, I'd like to have things ready."
I glared back at Mike, Micah still hidden behind me. Throw yourself off a tree, you dammed beast.

Sam nodded, "Good idea. Why don't we pack up some stuff too? We're not going to know what to do with them all."
Then he gave me a grin, loudening his tone, "Let them eat and get some energy, then we'll have a walk." His eyes bore into me, "You're leading, Azure."
Stupid as it was, I scowled. These people were worse than the stories, worse than the monsters my brothers had conjured to scare me, worse than the foxes that hunted us. Worse than anything. So yes, as stupid as it was, I glared at him, because all I wanted to do was go home to my family and he was the one keeping me here. I hated them. With everything I had inside me, I hated them.
I expected him to smile back. Everything seemed like a joke to to these creatures if it had something to do with me... but Sam didn't smile, he narrowed his eyes.
"You know what'll happen if you don't." Was his only response to my defiance. And then I remembered. He didn't need to look at my wings to remind me, but he did, and that only made it worse. Any glare on my face melted within seconds.