gweiloken

Fallen Wings (Chapter X) The Creature Sleeps Tonight...


I lead the way through the brush, with John close on my heels. This new makeshift path was narrow. There was only enough room for one person at a time, so we walked single file. Dennis, Paul and Jennifer were further back. I could hear Paul swearing and swinging at palmetto bushes. Dennis and Jennifer were laughing at him the whole way. The path didn't take us towards the quarry, well not exactly. It went in more of a direction that would take us to the north side. I was up front so I could look for tracks, but it was difficult since the trail was new and covered with pine needles and palmetto branches.
" Hey guys keep it down." John said in a forceful whisper. " If there is something still out here, you are going to scare it off."

"Alright, alright." Jennifer whispered back but with a twinge of anger in her voice.

We carried on in a hushed silence. You could only hear the wind through the trees and the crunch of our feet on the narrow path. Finally I saw what I was looking for. On the ground in front of me there was a small patch of sand and nearly right in the middle was a print. I held my hand up so everyone would stop. I knelt down and saw the same print we had seen on the trail.

"What is it?" John asked, standing over me. The others were gathering around and pushing their way through the brush to get a look.

" A footprint. It's like the ones we saw earlier." I said.

"This one is a little different. Look." Jennifer said. She had seen it to. This print was different it was a bit smaller than the other one. and there was another thing that was obvious.

"Yes it is different Jennifer. Look everyone. Look at the small toe." I said in my best "hey check out what I know" voice. "The small toe is much smaller almost like it is gone, and it is much smaller than the other ones."

" It has to be Emielia." Paul said frantically. "We have to find her. She might be hurt."

" Calm down Paul. If it is her we will find her." John said reassuringly. "Come on, let's get a move on. We don't have much daylight left."

" Yeah let's get moving gang." I said. I hoped that they didn't notice the quiver in my voice. Footprints with toes missing on a makeshift stumbled through trail didn't comfort me at all.

* * *

We trudged along, with me still in the lead. We were closer to the quarry now. I could actually hear the small current waves lapping at the shore line, with the occasional splash of a fish jumping. Probably trying to get away from the gator. We were only about ten yards away from the water, but you couldn't see it due to the thick brush. the path turned sharply away from the water and then opened in to a small clearing about 20 feet wide. As soon as I saw it I stopped, but it was too sudden for John and he ran smack into me, sending me flying into the open area. I slid to a stop on my stomach about five feet from it.

"What are you stopp...." John trailed off. He obviously caught sight of what was now just a little more than arms length in front of me. " Everybody stand still. " I could hear John say, but it seemed like it had come from very far away.

" What, what is it?" Dennis asked. He was in the back of the single file line, so he was just entering the clearing when he asked the question.

I could hear my own heart beating inside my head. I didn't know if I should stay still or get up and scurry away. My body seemed to choose for me. I couldn't move. I was paralyzed with fear from the sight of what was curled up in front of me.

" Ron, are you alright?" I heard John ask. " Why aren't you getting up. I think its dead. Its not moving. I couldn't answer.

* * *

It seemed like I was laying there forever. In front of me laid curled up the creature that had made the prints. I could see it's foot. It was almost human like except for a toe where the heel was, and it had a large nail on the end of it. One foot was missing the small toe. It looked as if it were ripped off or cut somehow. It laid curled like a cat. It's eyes closed. It had a bald head and pasty white skin with purple blotches all over. It looked thin, you could see it's ribs through it's skin. It had cuts all over it's arms, head and legs, but there was no real blood that I could see. There was only a clear liquid coming from them. It shimmered in the sunlight that was trickling in through the branches of the trees. My sense of touch was finally coming back to me, and I slowly and cautiously started to get up. I felt better about things now that it hadn't moved.

"He is getting up." I could hear Jennifer say with an excited voice. It came from far behind me. They must all be standing in the entrance to the clearing.. I turned to see if I was right, but I caught something out of the corner of my eye. From my point of view now, I could see much more of the man creature thing in front of me. On it's back was a large gaping wound. It was located where the shoulder blade would be. I moved closer to see it.

"What are you doing Ron? Get away." Jennifer said in a panic.

"Its ok. Everything is ok." I said as I turned to look at them. I was right everyone was back at the entrance except for John. He was a few feet behind me. He had a look on his face that I had never seen before. It was one of fear.

I walked around the creature to get a better look at it's back. There were two wounds. They were on either side of it's back. If I hadn't seen the wings earlier, I would have had no idea what was supposed to be there.

"This is the angel. Look, here on it's back." I said with a bit of excitement and fear in my voice. " It has wounds were the wings should be." Paul was the first to say what most of us were thinking.

" If that is the angel, and his wings are the ones we passed. When what happened to him and how did his wings get ripped off?" A new panic swept through everyone at the sound of what Paul said. Then it twitched and turned it's head up towards us. I jumped back as did John. I could hear Jennifer scream and Dennis breathed out heavily in shock.

" You must leave this place." It said with a strained small voice. " It is not safe here for you. Azel will find you and kill you for being here."

Everyone stood where they were. We were all in shock. I was still the closest to it. Then it hit me. It spoke, it could understand us, and it said a name.

" You can speak?" I asked.

" Yes, now you must go. Leave." It struggled to get the words out.

" You are hurt, you need help."

" There is no help for me, now leave."

Then from above we heard a large CRACK. Limbs from the trees above started falling all around. We all ducked for cover and put our hands over our heads. I felt a strong breeze and was knocked back. a searing pain came from my side as I hit the ground. All I could see was a cloud of dust...
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