A Toy With Wings

Ten

I look around, and see the man in the heavy coat Evangeline had pointed out, puffing on his smoking shotgun. "Shirams," he moans. "They're always so dramatic."

"What?" asks Evangeline.

"And where are your daughters?" Kev asks.

"What daughters?" asks the man in return as he lights a stick and starts burning the vines binding Jezebel. After burning her bonds, he moves on to mine and leaves her to uncoil her bonds by herself.

Once mine are done, I get the limp weeds off easily. All I had to do was spin in a circle a couple of times to unravel my bonds.

"First of all, I don't have daughters, and second of all, a Shiram is a servant of Satan. Yes, stupid name, I know. Those duffers named themselves, so what can we expect?" the man answers as he starts burning Evangeline's vines.

I rub my wrists. "Why are you helping us?"

When he's done, the man puts out the small fire by stomping on it with his combat boots. He also casts aside his coat as he replies. "Because I can tell you kids aren't human."

"How?" I demanded.

"Nobody would charge after an armed man so selflessly, and know nothing about human geography," the man reasons. "Meet me at Tasty Tucker's at seven o' clock tonight, and I'll tell you anything you'll need to know. Just ask around and you'll find it."

"What if we refuse?" I ask before I can stop myself.

"Ah, suspicion," says the man. "Always helpful for a mission. If you don't show up...I won't really mind. See you around...or not." And with that, he leaves.

"Let's get out of this shit place," I suggest, and nobody obliges. As soon as we're out, we start debating whether to show up.

"Why not?" asks Evangeline. "We have nothing to lose!"

"There's something off with that man," I say. "Sure, he saved us, but I just don't trust him!"

"I think we should go," points out Kev. "In return for saving us from that Shir-something."

"But why not just say it here?" I argue. "There's nobody else to overhear us!"

Jezebel remains silent.

"Charlotte?" I ask.

"I think we should go," says Jez. "He looks like an open book."

I shrug.

As soon as the sun sets, Evangeline asks a woman for the time (6:30 p.m.), and Kevin asks an old fatty for directions to Tasty Tucker's. We set off almost immediately.

We meet up with our saving grace. He's dressed up, in a much more appropriate coat and cap.

We sit down at a booth for six.

Six. Can't that man fucking count?

After a few minutes (Kev makes polite small talk with the man), another person has arrived.

"Ramol!"

"Lucas," the newbie greets. "You asked me to join you?"

Lucas turns to the four of us. "This is Ramol Skyward," he says.

Wait a second. Ramol Skyward?

"Mr. Skyward?" asked Jez as Skyward seated himself. "Are you related to Amber Skyward?"

Skyward smiles. "I see you've met my daughter. Have a snack and a drink. It's on me."

Minutes later, I just sip my iced soda as I listen to Jezebel and Skyward.

"Jezebel, right?" Skyward asks.

"Correct," replies Jez.

"My daughter talks of you often. She says you know her like none other."

Jez fiddles with her straw. "You flatter me, sir."

Why is Jezebel acting so fucking formal all of a sudden? And what is she getting at?

Fuck, I can't even swear properly!

"Speaking of Ambs, have you seen her recently? She says she's on a trip to Hawaii, but we haven't heard from her since," says Skyward thoughtfully.

Jez slumps and shakes her head.

"Well, if you see her, please tell her that I send my love," Ramol Skyward says. "She's never at home, you know, chasing down tales for her job and such."

At the same time, Evangeline is quizzing Lucas, and scribbling down his answers in a notebook.

"Why are we meeting here?" asked Evangeline.

"Because your friend mentioned Amber. I thought that Ramol would be interested as well," replied Lucas.

"Why did you help us?"

"As soon as I realized you four weren't human, I followed you guys. And when your friend mentioned my best lad's daughter, I knew I couldn't stand idly by."

"Are you in love with Amber?" Evangeline smirks.

Lucas facepalmed. "I'm married with a son, kid. Plus, I'm old enough to be her father."

Seriously, Evangeline, seriously?

My phone makes a small clicking noise, the indication of a text message. I unlock it and read the message.

miss orsin can i pls txt melody
-goodie

I sigh. Bitch.

No, you may not. F*ck off.
-Orson

plz?
-goodie

She's not even here.
-Orson

aw man
-goodie

Now f*ck off you f*ckhead
-Orson

tell a story?
-goodie

I'm thinking of a two-letter word that starts with 'n'
-Orson

n*?
-goodie

The word is 'no'. Go suck a dick you motherf*cker
-Orson

And with that, I sigh and block my stalker.

When, oh when will things finally get better?