The Dead And The Risen

Chapter twenty nine: Crisis -Robert

After two days of flying, constantly stopping about every 5-7 hours, we were nearly upon Colorado.
My arms were beyond aching, and Clarissa was fast asleep.
Night was falling as we flew over Nebraska, and we had to find a place to rest.
I began to think about the girl we had left behind.....back in..where was it?
Around Wisconsin or something.....yeah.....
She had seemed like she could handle herself.....but for how much longer? She had too much baggage with her....and she was so naive...
But there really was nothing that either of us could do for her...she was several states behind us and long gone.

I pulled in my wings slightly, and tightened my hold on Clarissa as we began to loose altitude.
I scanned the city below, flying dangerously low over a highway, I spotted a highway sign saying
DENVER.
65 MILES.

Our destination..... Denver Colorado..
Once we get there I know exactly where to find the back road leading to my luxurious mountain cabin.

I could tough it out.... I could make it there...

I flapped my wings, spreading them to their fullest extent as I quickly rose into the sky.

•••••

Raindrops spattered across my face as I flew over the beautifully dismal Colorado.
I came in on the high roof of a hotel to fix the blanket on clarissa, covering her face from the rain, which was now growing heavier.
I held her bridal-style in my arms.
It was the most comfortable for her, although my arms had locked up about 3 or 4 hours ago.
I stood up on the slippery, wet roof of the building, trying hard not to loose my footing.

As I tried to take off, my wings gave out on me.
A sharp, burning pain of strained muscles stopped me from jumping off the roof with another's life in my arms.

I could only see one way out of this situation, and that was walking.

••••••

I tucked my wings under my jacket and cautiously began looking for a fire escape.
To my far left, I found one.
Getting down would require climbing.... Not something to do when you're carrying your girlfriend around because she has a broken wing.
I pulled the blanket away from Clarissa's face and set her down on the safest-looking spot on the roof.

"Clarissa....Luv you have to wake up"
I placed my hand on her cheek, gently brushing her bangs out of eyes.
"Mmmmpphh.....what is it...."
She opened her eyes, glazed over from sleep.
"Luv I'm so sorry to ask this of you... but we have a bit of.....walking....to do...."
"O-oh....um.....okay...I can do that..."
"Okay... i'm sorry Luv."
"No no no it's fine..."
She protested as she unraveled herself from the thick blanket.
She got to her feet, stretching her limbs as her shoes squeaked on the roof.
I gingerly placed my hands on her waist to steady her on the slippery roof, not wanting to scare her.
"O-oh...."
She let out a startled gasp and I pulled away slightly.
"Is this okay Luv?"
"Yeah....you just surprised me...its okay"
She had stopped stretching and brought her hands down on mine, placing them back on her waist.
My face flushed and I was glad that she couldn't see my nervousness.
"Are you ready to start walking Luv?"
I began to stuff the blanket into our backpack before it got soaked. I swung the bag onto my shoulders and took her hand to guide her to the fire escape.
"Oh, what?"
Her eyes were wide and unknowing, not comprehending what we were about to do. she must have still been asleep when I addressed our situation.
"Darling we have to walk from here.....i promise it won't be much longer"
"Why are we walking?
"It seems that I've strained some muscles....in my wings....."
her tiny, pale hands flew to her mouth, eyes widening in shock.
"I'm sorry Luv...."
I stared down at my feet, waiting for an angry response.
Instead, I felt Clarissa's skinny arms wrapping around me.
"Why didn't you stop sooner? I broke a wing not a leg"
Her eyes were brimming with tears and sympathy.
"Oh darling....I'll be fine...we just have a bit of walking to do, thats all"
I gave her a strained smile, hoping it would suffice.
I took her hand in mine, leading her to the ladder the was connected to the fire escape.
She gave me a stern look as we descended the building through a series of metal grates and stairs.
After a bit of untangling, we reached the bottom, my shoes splashing on the wet pavement. I surveyed the alleyway I now found myself in while I waited for Clarissa to come down.
As I looked to my left, I could swear that I saw a flash of deep purple darting by.

Maybe I was so sore that I was hallucinating...
I snapped out of my daze as Clarissa landed on the pavement beside me.
"Come on Luv....maybe we can grab something to eat"
"Alright...."
I started down the ally, but opposite of where I had seen the mysterious purple blur.

••••••

Clarissa and I had walked for nearly 15 miles before we stood on the sidewalk in front of a little cafe to hail a cab
I made sure that both of us had our wings tucked safely under our shirts and jackets before climbing into the cab.
The driver had a heavy Scottish accent and thick red hair. He smiled and laughed when he heard my own accent, which is a gentle blend of British and Cockney.
Clarissa sat quietly as the driver and I began to chat it up, exchanging stories and experiences. The guy only looked about 30 but he talked like he was much older.
"An then the wee lad pulled that scoundrel right out of the lake!"
He was currently in the middle of a fishing story about his nephew when I saw a sign that have instructions on taking the road that I knew lead to the forest where my house was nestled by a glassy lake.
"I truly am sorry to interrupt, but we need to take this turn up here..."
"Ahhh! So I see your destination is in the Abalon wood?"
"Spot on!"
"Aye...it's a lovely secluded place....let me guess.... you're taking this one home?"
He pointed his thumb at Clarissa, who was sitting behind him and had begun to doze off.
The way he said it sounded crude, like she was an item for me take around.
I chose my words carefully when I spoke.
"In a way...yes... We are going...home"
The driver let out a short laugh, and I reached over to place my hand softly on Clarissa's thigh. She stirred, and put her hand on top of mine.

The rest of the drive was passed in silence. I was sure the driver could tell that my darling Clarissa was a bit of a touchy subject, so we spent the entirety of the hour and a half drive listening the radio and the pounding thunderstorm.

We were about a mile away from the house, and the road had been getting steeper and more twisted for the past fifteen minutes.

"Aahhh....you can just stop here"
I hurriedly pulled some spare cash out from out bag to pay the driver.
He pulled to a stop on the side of the road and stared out the window at the pouring rain. He began to scan the woods for some sign of life or possibly a house.
Thank god the trees were thick enough that he couldn't see the extravagant house a mile a way.
"Are ya sure ya wanna get out 'ere?"
"Yes yes.....we'll be fine"
"Let me at least give you a 'brella that I've got 'ere......."
As I roused Clarissa, the driver began to rifle through his things in the front seat, looking for his umbrella.
I pulled my bag onto my shoulders and waited, anxious to get out of the car and run off with Clarissa.
"Ah! 'ere it is!"
The driver sat up and offered me a rolled-up black umbrella.
"Thank you sir....I guess we'll be on our way now"
"Yes yes.....have fun you two"
I glared at the back of the driver's head as I stepped out of the car and opened the umbrella as I waited for Clarissa to climb out.
She had been unusually quite, and I couldn't tell if her wing was causing her pain....or if she was......troubled...
She climbed out of the car silently, keeping her eyes fixated on the ground where she avoided stepping in several puddles.
"Are you okay Luv? You seem.....off"
"Mmhhm....Im fine..."
"Is it your...."
I tried to hint that I was asking about her wing, since the door of the cab was still wide open.
"Huh? No..."
She looked up at me in surprise, as if she had expected I had forgotten about her injury.
I stared into her eyes, so dark yet so bright, all captured in one beautiful girl.
She broke our gaze, but I watched as it traveled across my face.
She was taking me in.
She was taking in the way my dark hair fell around my face, the way my eyes had the same mystifying contrast as hers, the way my cheekbones created shadows on my porcelain complexion.
I watched as her gaze traveled further down, examining my collarbones that jutted out from my skin, visible even under my shirt.
I felt her hands on my shoulders as she gently pulled off my leather jacket down to my elbows and traced my jawline with her finger tip.

I felt so beautifully exposed.
My pulse quickened, and I couldn't resist any longer.
I smoothly wrapped one arm around her waist and pulled her in, against my chest.
She placed a hand below my collar bone, steadying herself.
"You are such a beautiful creature Clarissa...."
Her face flushed pink, and she turned, pretending to stare off into the trees.
From the cab, I heard a voice calling out, breaking our trance.
"Aye! Thought you two lovebirds were headin on your way?"
I pulled Clarissa closer.
"We are! I thought you would have left by now!"
I gave him an arrogant expression as I pulled my jacket back onto my shoulders, along with the backpack.
I slammed the door of the cab shut as I watched the nosy drive make a messy U-turn and drive off into the heavy rain.
"Come on then Luv"
I wrapped my arm around Clarissa's waist as we walked the last mile to my home that was hidden away in the trees.