‘Ok, explain.’ I demanded sternly sitting on a rock.
‘This may sound ridiculous.’
‘Gabriel just tell me.’
‘I’m…not…like…you,’ he explained slowly.
‘I don’t understand.’
‘I’m not……human,’ he finally declared.
‘What?’ I whispered, ‘What are you then?’
‘I’m like a….,’ He signed. I stared at him waiting for an answer.
‘This would be so much easier if I could just show you,’ he muttered quietly rubbing his temples and turning so he wasn’t looking at me.
‘Go on then, show me,’ I replied.
‘I can’t it would freak you out…’
‘I can handle it.’
‘Ok, you asked for it.’
It chuckled under my breath. But the next thing he did didn’t make me laugh. Gabriel stood on the edge of the cliff, then two, huge, black wings came out of his back. I was so stunned the only thing I could do was stare wide-eyed at him. His wings were about 8ft on both sides; he was still turned in the opposite direction to me.
‘What….are….you?’ I finally whispered.
‘I’m a species called the gifted.’
I didn’t say anything but just look at his wings. How could this be?
He was part bird or angel or something with wing. Gabriel spun to look at me; his huge wings were still out. He walked toward me but I flinched away.
‘Emily, say something.’
I couldn’t speak; the words were struck in my throat. I probably looked like a fish because my jaw had dropped.
‘I knew it was a mistake telling you.’ He scoffed turning his back on me.
Then a thought dawned on; who cares if Gabriel was a half bird thing. His wings were the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. I crept up behind him, watching his wings. When I got close enough I touched the small feather at the end of his wings. I followed the wing to his back, and then unexpectedly hugged his back.
‘Let’s see you fly then,’ I whispered into his ear.
He turn so he was facing me, my arms were still hugging him; his face broken into a smile, the deep blue of his eyes bright gleaming with happiness. I let go of him, he suddenly ran and jumped off the cliff, and I followed him but stopped at the cliff. Watching him fly down the cliff the swoop back up reminded me of my dream. It amazed me how it his huge wings could be so swift and elegant when he was flying. He flew back up to the cliff grinning from ear to ear; he sat next to me on a tree trunk.
