Howdy!

It’s Saturday which means it’s time for part 3 of my new serial story, Children of Two Worlds! Enjoy!

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“What do you mean?” he asked. She related everything that had happened including her lightening-rod impersonation.

“Huh,” was all he had to say. But she knew him better. A “huh” from Sam was the equivalent of high panic mode in a normal person. They’d met about two and a half years ago. They were both on the streets. She was on the run from her family and the CPS and he didn’t talk about his parents. Ever. She’d learned not to ask. She had her problem and he had his. Along the way, they picked up a few more strays like themselves. There was Caleb, a fourteen year old, Abigail who had just turned eleven by her reckoning, and Mariah; man were the hormones hitting that girl hard.

About ten minutes later they pulled into the run down apartment complex that they called home. Frank had again come to the rescue and had signed the lease for them. Between Samuel and Cassie, they managed to make rent, mostly thanks to the random bonuses both their employers gave them. Sam actually deserved his. He was a genius mechanic for a nineteen year old. Cassie just shoveled manure for a living. Mariah had somehow managed to trick a clothing store in the mall to hire her part time. Whatever she didn’t spend on the latest trend also helped out.

They unloaded her motorcycle in silence. Samuel had rebuilt it from a pile of scrap metal. His boss had jokingly said he could have it if he could repair it. Ever serious Samuel did just that. His boss didn’t joke about things like that anymore. The angel wings carefully painted onto the engine caught the sunlight. Cassie usually hated the symbol but Sam had done it and that was his way of making a joke, therefore she could tolerate it and actually found it funny. Seeing as how a frown was usually the only expression to grace his face. She fished her keys out and unlocked the door.

“You’re home early!” Caleb ceased his endless pull ups.

“Cas had an accident at the barn,” Sam explained.

“Ooh, what happened?” Abigail ran over and took Cassie’s hand.

“Nothing! I fell and hit my head is all,” she replied.

“The smell probably overwhelmed her,” Mariah looked up from painting her nails. Cassie ignored her.

“I’m going to go change,” she went to the room she shared with the other two girls. She plopped down on her mattress on the floor and pulled off her boots. She pulled on gym shorts and started pulling off the wraps under her shirt. Her shoulders were screaming to be free. She tossed the wraps to the side and pulled on a tank top and reached for an oversized t shirt that she had cut and modified. The sleeves were gone and partially opened down the sides to allow her tie the back together.

She stood and stretched out her arms and shoulders before allowing her secret to burst forth from her back in a rush of golden feathers. Her wings flapped for a second as if reprimanding her for keeping them imprisoned. She glanced in the mirror. The dusky gold of her wings deepened her skin’s brown shade. Her dark hair was pulled back in a ponytail and there was still some dirt on her face. She grabbed a washcloth out of the bathroom and wiped it off. Mariah would be sure to say something about it if she didn’t and she could hear Sam calling her for a “family” meeting.