Four Months Earlier
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I was on the couch in our house. My arm wrapped around my girlfriend, Lisa’s, shoulders. We had been dating for nearly three months. Lisa was a year younger than me. I was seventeen, she was sixteen. My younger brother, Sam, was almost thirteen. It was going on four, thought it was darker than usual. We were expecting a bad storm. Lisa and I were watching this show called Ghost Facers. The two men in the show were ridiculous. Sam came through the front door, the loud noise adding to the intense moment on the television.
“Dean!” Sam said loudly. I looked over the back of the couch at him. He had spots of wet sprinkled along him. Sam was panting. I figured he rode his bike to and from the library in town, trying to get inside before it poured.
“Yea, Sammy?” I asked. He tossed his backpack down, not bothering to hang it up next to mine on the hooks by the door. Sam was trying to talk, but he was out of breath. If he had been panicking or upset, I would have been up and over there in a heartbeat.
“You busy?” Sam asked after he finally caught his breath. I gave him a look and motioned at Lisa. “I know, but this is important.” Sam said, he threw his hands up.
“What do you need me to do?” I asked, I watched him.
“I have a project due tomorrow. I want to get footage of the storm tonight. I got some scans and I found where the storm will be the strongest.” Sam answered. Lisa started laughing.
“You want to chase a storm?” Lisa asked, teasing.
“It’s important, Lisa. I have to get a good grade!” Sam said dramatically. I looked at Lisa and she gave me a sigh and a nod.
“Okay, Mr. Harvard.” I teased. “When?” I asked.
“My scans say it will be strongest at two in the morning.” Sam said. I nodded. I wouldn’t dare ask where he got the scans. He was smart and knew his way around computers. He probably hacked into NASA or the News Station Of All Storms or summat.
“Alright, we can do it.” I said. “How far away is it?” I questioned.
“Two hours.” Sam answered sheepishly. I glared, not really mad. “You’re going to change your mind aren’t you?” Sam asked sadly.
“Nah, it’s fine. We’ll leave at eleven.” I told him. Sam smiled brightly. He ran to the stairs.
“Awesome! I’m going to go fix my camera up!” Sam said, he ran upstairs. I rolled my eyes and Lisa sighed.
“Kicking me out, huh?” Lisa asked. She wasn’t really upset, she knew how much I cared for Sam. Our Dad was gone a lot, especially when I was younger. I practically raised Sam after our mother died in a house fire. Dad was gone a lot, he worked and went across the state. We used to move a lot, but sometimes only for once we didn’t have to. Dad would come home every week or so, but only for a minute, other times for a day or two.
“You can come if you want.” I told her. Lisa shook her head, she kissed my cheek.
“I’ll go home. My parents don’t like me being out late with you.” Lisa said, a small smile. I groaned and laughed. There was one time I had been at her house until ten and her parent walked in on us having a small moment. “I’ll be over tomorrow though.” Lisa said.
“After school?” I asked. I had already graduated five months ago.
“Of course.” Lisa said. “I’ll leave soon, we have to finish this show first.” She said. She curled into me and we turned out attention back to the dorks on the television.
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I was in the car with Sam, we were almost where we needed to be. The rain was coming down hard. Echoing along my car. The car was my dad’s, he gave it to me. A 1967 Chevy Impala.
“Thanks for doing this with me, Dean.” Sam said, he was in a thick jacket, it was cold even with the heat on. I nodded and turned onto a dirt path. It may have been considered trespassing, but Sam said we’d be fine. I found it funny, the things he did.
“There won’t be a tornado, right?” I asked with a laugh. I pulled the car to a stop, finally where Sam said we needed to be. It was just going on two. Sam was getting his camera ready.
“No tornados.” Sam said. We sat in silence, waiting. I had the radio on low. Sam leaned and pointed at the sky. “See that? That’s the centre.” Sam said, I looked. That’s when things changed. Sam hit the record button just as the wind picked up. The clouds seemed to dip and lash down like tendrils. There were streaks of lightning, but each one was a different colour.
“What the hell?” I said, strong winds actually blew the car back a few feet.
“Dean!” Sam said, his voice high. There were more flashes and I struggled to get the car into reverse. The wheels spun in the mud, mud sprayed near the front of the car. The rain came down harder, they looked like crystalline blades. I looked up to see the clouds suddenly open up and a form was plummeting down, bits of flames on long appendages that looked like wings.
“Are you getting this?” I asked.
“Holy shit.” Sam squeaked as the figure slammed into the ground. The car shook. The rain came down hard still. Sam’s camera flickered, the screen glitching. It shut off. The car radio made an ear piercing noise, then the car died off.
I tried to restart the car, the engine sputtered, the overhead lights flickered and the radio made that horrible noise again. I took the key out of the ignition, everything seemed to go silent, rain being the only noise. Where the thing landed, it seemed to glow, giving off steam.
“Stay in the car.” I ordered to Sam, I undid my seatbelt and searched for door handle. “I’ll signal if I need you.” I said. Sam nodded, going completely silent. I got out, my feet actually sunk in the mud rather deep. The rain was coming down like blades, they actually felt sharp. I slowly approached the pit, the spot of impact was four feet deep. I slid a little bit, bits of whatever it was, was on fire, steaming out and becoming embers.
I got closer and crouched down, my hand touched what felt like feathers. I hesitantly pushed the figure, the thing was cold. It was a man. A man with wings. I held back a gasp when the man moved a little, muttering something. I lightly touched his shoulder, it was bare. The only thing he wore was torn and bloody jeans.
“Hey, c-can you hear me?” I asked, ton worried, voice loud enough to be heard over the storm. Bright blue eyes fluttered open, locking onto me. He tried to move a bit, I gave him a reassuring touch on the shoulder, he flinched. “You’re alright, don’t worry.” I said. He stared, his eyes half-lidded. “I’m going to take you somewhere and have you bandaged up.” I told him. He blacked out. I backed up and climbed out of the pit. I waved my hand, signaling Sam to come over. He came quickly.
“What the hell?” Sam said when he caught sight of the man with wings.
“We need to get him in the car.” I said, Sam slowly nodded. We both worked together to lift the man who’s wings fell limp and crooked, broken. We managed to him into the back of the car, struggling to get his wings in. Sam and I got in, his eyes were wide and confused.
“What is he?” Sam asked.
“I don’t know, but he’s hurt.” I answered. I tried to start the car, luckily it worked. “I’m gunna fix him up at home.” I told him.
“You’re not freaking out?!” Sam questioned, he kept throwing glances back at the unconscious man.
“I’m freaking out a whole lot.” I replied, I got the car moving and began in the direction toward the road.
“We’re taking some kind of mutant home, Dean!” Sam shouted. I reached over and hit him on the head lightly. I finally pulled the car onto the road, the rain was still coming down hard.
“He’s hurt.” I said, my tone calm.
“There is a doctor!” Sam stated.
“Would you want them to experiment on him?” I asked. Sam went silent and started at the oncoming road.
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We weren’t far from home now, Sam was checking things on his phone. I pulled onto a dirty road, there was a loud noise. Something thumping against the roof of the car. Before I could look back and check, there was a blade held to my throat. A long silver, stiletto-like blade.
“Dean!” Sam squeaked. I slammed on the brakes, the car jerked, the blade caught my throat a bit.
“Where am I?” Asked a rough voice from the back seat. I went still, Sam didn’t even answer for me, he was shaking in fear. “Why am I here?” I asked, I could hear the grip tightening on the blade.
“D-don’t hurt me. I’m trying to help you.” I said shakily. I felt hot breath on the back of my neck. “You’re hurt.” I said. The blade receded a bit and I could feel him close. Sam’s eyes were wide.
“You do not plan on killing me?” He asked. I shook my head. “Continue then.” He murmured. I glanced in the rear view mirror and saw him slump back, his discoloured chest rising and falling. I started driving again, glancing ever so often at him, his eyes a piercing blue, he stared at me.