No difference from nightmare to reality now, it’s drowning me …. I miss him, his smile, his comforting hands that made me safe. I can’t remember how long it’s been since I saw him but I guess they don’t let post man pat deliver love letters here so I can’t blame him. Sadly I’m still here, I think it’s been a day at least? I have a mysterious pain in my side like something is chewing my insides and I’m pretty sure rats are in here but where they come from I have no idea? My head ache has faded away I just want to shut down. Turn off. Maybe all the pain would go away, but of course being me I can’t just go to sleep that would be too easy. My brain just kept rattling and asking questions but not solving any previous ones I actually asked! Shut up! I told myself stop moaning! Harden up! I shifted across the floor like a deadweight. Nothing’s changed again… I’m fed up this is pain stakingly boring now…. Pathetic even, GET ME OUT OF HERE!!! the little girl is still sitting in the corner, staring at me with innocent eyes “hey” I groaned in hope for a response… no answer “hello?” I said a little louder but still nothing. “Oii” raising my voice further sounding a little more concerned than I thought. Still no answer. Has she given up? No, no, no! I refuse to believe she’s given up! She couldn’t of! She was my inspiration while in this place. What have they done to her… every day or hour I think (ive lost track of time) they take her away. I mean I don’t know, hope she’s okay, every time she comes back the light in her eyes fades away more. Staring back into her eyes and they are blank! No emotion, no hope, no light, no sadness no nothing, not even that deep desperateness that a man in shining armour would burst in here and save us like damsels in distress, but I think we’re in a worse situation than dragons, these monsters are even more heartless… what have they done to her, I mean I don’t know who they are but they are disturbing. The men that barge in are stiff with large bulky muscles that seem to show bigger in their slim clean suits, all black, they look like something off a James bond movie. She used to struggle in protest but now she just goes with them, willingly, helplessly being dragged out by her arms, her feet dragging behind her, by these huge, giant like guards that were masked behind slick black sunglasses and a foul stench which has that metallic, sickening smell, like…. blood.

Next time. I told myself encouragingly, I’ve been getting stronger. Now they give us a glass of water and a slice of bread a day just enough to keep us alive It’s stale bread and warm water but Its keeping me alive I guess, why do they even want to keep us alive, these stupid experiments and tests are getting more frequent, the little girl is still here, she extremely weak and lifeless and she only just managed to say her name was Melissa… such a beautiful name. I was determined to break out of here and take her with me. I will do it. I will escape. I’ll do it when they come to get her next, when they storm in my heart feels like they instantly cremate it just leaving tiny ashes and well my dignity is now extinct so nothing there to be damaged. I bet they’ve even already tried to incinerate my heart, god knows what they’ve done to me. but I’ll have to suck it up and get out of here…. I told Melissa my plan and she nodded still not speaking but a response at least. I thought I saw a flicker of hope. I really, really hope I did and it wasn’t my mind making a desperate illusion. We will eventually get away, Melissa and I… well get out of this hell hole if we have to scratch ourselves out. So, want to hear my plan?

I will do it! next time the thugs burst in to take us, my heart stops every time but I haven’t got time for emotions, I'm breaking out of this place. We’ll stay awake (well try to) ill low sweep kick the first one and the little girl will uppercut the second (she’s surprisingly strong) while they're dazed and kick the one on the floors stomach leaving him retching then kick him In the face, ill roundhouse kick the second then pop his ears and run out of the doors obviously taking her. I told her the plan she seemed to be ok with it. After that we have no idea what to do but we’ll find an exit. We have to. Let’s hope it succeeds because that’s the extent of my plan… just as I thought we were ok for a while and they weren’t taking us, I black out…

I wake up struggling; my hands and feet are tied down? I shake fiercely but no use? It seems to be some sort of metal chain, its designed to keep me here for sure, I lean up slightly, I can’t get far my chest is strapped down, my eyes focus vaguely and I’m in a sterile white room, I notice there’s a little black camera in the corner, adrenaline pumping through my veins I’m terrified. Is this where they, experiment, on me? A shiver shoots down my spine just thinking about it. What do they do to me in here? What are they doing now? Why am I awake! Who is so sick to put me here, I guess curiosity got the better of these scientists humanity. I’m panting and frantic, not knowing where to go or what to do, I guess there’s nothing I can do… I scream “GET ME OUT OF HERE NOW YOU SICKOS!” oh okay that didn’t work… what do I do! I’m searching the room desperately trying to find a way out of here but no luck, I see a door but you need a passcode, damn it. Who are these people I’m questioning everything too much lately my brains going to explode! I feel something poking into my back I have no clue what it is… its hurting me now I realise the pain. What is it? What have they put onto me? Spikes? Oh god I might look like a stegosaurus now, great! What animal DNA have they put into me? I guess that how it works, They can’t just graft claws onto me like wolverine, can they? Are they trying to make super humans? I don’t even think god knows… if only I could read their minds. I haven’t seen them I guess they know that id rip their heart right out of their chest if I saw them so wise to black me out before taking me… I realise I have a name tag, it says experiment 0683 oh brilliant a name tag and a number! I feel so vulnerable… Then it says Kayla Roberts underneath it. I picked my last name, I grew up in foster homes jumping from home to home but never got adopted so I just got used to being alone. I chose the name Kayla when I was three ( well that’s what my first foster family told me). I never really went to school I just wondered around the streets, I enjoy running, I love the peace to it, I feel free and I just love to run around the cliffs maybe 10 miles a day. The beautiful scenes and views, I have been all over America in foster homes so Ive had a variety, from Colorado, to new York, to Virginia. I kind of like having a life on the run, not really stable, I like the adventure and the danger that comes with every new place, it’s kind of exciting. I love danger but not this type of danger, this is petrifying. You know what happens to all of them people that are currently in psych wards. I don’t want that to happen to me. I don’t want to be screaming out every night “NO! PLEASE NO! NOT THE DARKNESS!” I couldn’t handle that sort of crazy so let’s just hope this doesn’t traumatise me because I know I’m getting out of here! oh no… I feel dizzy, I smell something funny, oh just gas. I think I know how they black me out. Oh wait here I go…

I finally wake up… head pounding like usual , before I knew it Melissa rushed over to me, mouth gaping, eyes widened! What is it? What was she so shocked about? “So how was it?” the words tumbled out of her she sounded really eager to know what happened. “What do you mean?” I groggily growl still sleepy I didn’t want to stay awake but she has been waiting for me obviously, so I told myself to suck it up, I sit up and lean against the wall. Why do they just drop me here lying on the floor? “what was it like… in there. I heard the scientist mumbling outside something about how you woke up, luckily they just finished something but I didn’t catch what they did…” she was nearly shouting now.” Are you ok!” she said. “I’m fine” I managed to spit out “ it’s a white room with a disinfectant smell, it was scary, I didn’t see anyone but I was clamped down to the bed.” I told her. She finally closed her mouth and gulped. “Oh… do you feel anything different about you they seemed pretty pleased with themselves, something about you, were the first successful one” she sounded concerned and curious. “I’m fine but when I was on the table something was sticking out of my back and it hurt to lie on it but I don’t know if I was hallucinating or something because of the situation but I’m too scared to look…” I sounded like my voice had little trembles just saying this. “let me see” she whispered, I nodded silently, but I was shaking with nervousness, maybe this one mystery had to be solved straight away. I was terrified but I swivelled around for my back to face Melissa, I could feel her shaking too… she was just as scared as me, she knew what I was going through. I shivered with anticipation and she pulls my scruffy top up slowly, to reveal what the scientists have done to me, it went silence and Melissa was frozen with shock… she just sat there not knowing what to say… her mouth dropped and she gulped “what! “ I snapped at her. She didn’t listen; like the words were going straight in and coming out the other side… she looked overwhelmed trying to take in what has happened to me. I shivered as she felt my new…. Wings.

It took me a while to process what has happened…. Wings… wings… wings…. I just kept repeating the same thing in my head wings... Why wings?! I shook my shoulders, and spread out my now new wings. A wave of shock paralysed me. I have an unbelievable 13 foot wingspan… stunning light caramel and white wings. Omg I have wings! Do they work? I can’t find that out here it was too small. I can’t believe I have actually wings. I try to flap them back and forth, well they move. I feel my feathers, they’re like silk, I get a tingly sensation. I thought I was unique before but now I feel like a freak. A magnificent, but weird freak! I’m not even sure this is legal but if it is I’m making a complaint. I feel like just breaking down and crying but Melissa and I know that’s not an option to have them be entertained by my tears, so they know that I’ve finally broken down. that they’ve won! No way was I going to let them win! I stood up suddenly and shouted “you think this is funny! You haven’t won! I will beat you; you will be avenged for this!” Melissa held my hand and stood up and hugged me. I felt startled but I smiled. She said “we will win” she started smiling, in a calm comforting voice that seemed to convince me. “we will get payback when we get out of here, just promise me that you and I will never leave each other’s side” a light twinkled in her little sweet sensitive eyes. I beamed a smile back at her and nodded and hugged her back, a tear rolled down my cheek. I have gotten so close to Melissa since I got here, parting with her would break my heart. I knew from that day forward we would be family.

Melissa and I were sitting quietly and she was thoughtfully playing with my hair like it was a game of operation, my matted, filthy, torn, blood clotted hair, but still hair. She brushed through it with her fingers as I winced at every knot. I was never a girly girl but I’m pretty sure I need a shower and to brush my hair. My hair is a dark chocolate colour, it was naturally straight but it’s knotted beyond recognition, I have bright blue eyes, they are crystal blue like the Caribbean Sea. I have been told I have a beautiful smile and when I smile the corner of my eyes have cute little crinkles. What pathetic people would even say that, I’m not big on getting compliments I know my flaws and what I excel at I don’t need flattering but I guess it’s nice once in a while. I’m unusually tall for my age and quite slim, I skip meals a lot but when I eat, I eat a lot! I have a huge appetite but I guess bread and water is good enough for me at the moment. We’ve already had ours today so I’m not expecting anything till tomorrow; I think they give it to us at the same time every day so I can have a better count on what seems like the endless days in hell. I’m still thinking about my plan, about what could go wrong, what if I get beat up more, not possible but I could never forgive myself knowing I gave her more pain. I swallow the thought. I turn to look at her intently, she smiles. I smile back, she has hope again, I think she’s ok about the plan but I’m not sure if a seven year old girl can recover from this sort of traumatic event, well I say that but this is not even humane enough to be called a trauma. How long have they been doing this for? All these people I thought. She said I was the first successful one that means lots of other innocent kids that were in the same position as me. Scared, tired, bleeding, confused… I feel sorry for the failed “experiments” they must have “disposed” of them somehow, they would have killed them poor little children after torturing them, how bitter cruel this world is, these “people” well I use that as loosely as possible, I’m not even sure they have hearts. They probably just took them away from their homes, their lives, their normality and brought them to what has seemed to be a devilish nightmare and illusion of torture and endless pain just to die. In here it’s obvious about the absurd amount crying and tears that have once flooded the floor, the musty smell of dried blood, left from previous failed experiments, left here to DIE. But that doesn’t mean I’m going to! Not me or Melissa! We’re not going to be defeated by these (I’m not going to call them people anymore I’m going to call them the lab rats) lab rats, they won’t win! One day they will be the experiments….
So I wake up next to Melissa, last night we were cold so we snuggled up tight, I have a warm sort of snug feeling and grin, we weren’t taken last night, but I have a feeling I just jinxed my situation. This will get better right? It has to! We can’t end like this… I can’t help but feeling that I need to stop this and put an end to all the experiments and endless little lives lost, one day they could’ve been doctors, presidents, life savers! But no! that was torn from them from the lab rats. All them tiny faces that would’ve lit up at the presents under the tree at Christmas, them inspiring, life changing, lights have been turned off… just shut down, they didn’t even have time to dream or to see the beautiful things in the world, they maybe had a few years and then just brought for slaughter… this has a depressing effect on me, I feel compassion, I bow my head silently apologizing that I’m too late to save them too. But they have countless children to do this too so If I don’t stop them now thousands, maybe millions of lives will be lost in the future. This has to stop! They have to die… Melissa shifts and slightly opens her eyes… “Morning” she whispers, gaining her energy, “morning” I say back. We sit up, fold our legs then face each other. “So when is then plan happening?” she whispers cheerfully “today!” I said louder than I expected, practically screaming with excitement. This is it! Finally the day we will escape the lab rat’s trap. So to recap our plan, we’ll start talking a lot and giggling and having fun, they get frustrated burst in with their mightiness! And try to take us, long story short we take `em out and run! Got it? Then I’ve been practicing picking her up and hovering so far with my new…wings. Still not used to that by the way… hopefully, I can pick her up and fly away with her in my arms. I did say hopefully so I’m not really sure this might work but be positive and optimistic, things can’t get worse right? Well It can’t really, the only thing worse is death. “So…?” she interrupted my thoughts abruptly, I must of drifted off in a trance. “uh yeah of course, sorry just thinking. Umm? So you ready?” I replied tumbling over my words. “as ready as I’ll ever be to burst out of a secret, nightmarish, experimental, child killing facility” she burst out laughing then turned to an awkward worried smile, then the smile was gone. “Umm Kayla?” she asked me, “yes, sweetie?” I wondered what she was worried about, I realised I was frowning. “do you actually… You know?” she whispered, “what?” “do you think well be okay” she bowed her head, she was scared, I couldn’t blame her anyone would be not even able to survive this long here let alone have the courage to escape! I lifted her chin and said “of course we will, a little soldier like you, don’t worry we’ll be fine” I gave her a reassuring wink and grinned. “Ok” she giggled.

I threw myself up and was on my feet in seconds, a noise? I heard a noise echoing outside, maybe muffled footsteps? It must’ve woken me up, I wasn’t imagining it because I looked across and Melissa was standing in the same battle stance position as me, fists tight, jaw clenched. I looked at her and nodded. She nodded back and mouthed is this it? I shrugged unsure of what this is, I heard alarms going off? What was happening, I suddenly heard screams and people rushing out of the doors, hustling and bustling and shoving were happening out side of the dark walls. Must’ve been a thousand people running to safety from something? I didn’t know what exactly… everyone left but us. Through all the silence I saw a tiny light appear in the corner and Melissa and I quickly swivel our heads to see it. Adrenaline was pumping round my body manically like rush hour in New York on Friday. Mellissa turned to look at me for a response but I didn’t know what was going on, neither of us had any idea of the situation. The door opened more slightly, the bright white sterile corridors viscously felt like it was tearing my pupils apart like I opened my eyes to the sun. Melissa obviously had the same reaction as me, recoiling from the light. As my eyes focused I just saw a dark figure emerge into our room, as it came closer stepping cautiously but confidently, he was ready for whatever I was going to throw at him so I backed down a little but if he so much as moved one step closer I would snap his neck. “Stop moving!” I snarled, “Who are you! What are you doing here! What do you want with us!” I was anxious and terrified at the same time, I just cannonballed him with questions. He stopped and I saw a smile light up on his face, he looked my age, not harmful at all! He had a warm welcoming face and a smile that lit up his eyes, he was gorgeous! I wondered whether he was here to save us or kill us. He swayed his picture perfect dark hair, like a model. “Kayla, Melissa, I’m not sure we’ve met?” he calmly said, his voice that could stop a million hearts, it was intriguing and like a harmony. Oh my god. He knew my name, I realised I was gaping over him, stunned by him, my mouth hung open, I straightened my posture closed my mouth gathering what was left of my dignity. “How do you know our names? What do you want?” I was growling, I’m obviously not a social butterfly I am very untrusting but you can’t blame me. “Im here to help you Kayla, listen to me. don’t freak out ok” he said heavenly, I didn’t trust him with his good looks and all being all looks can be deceiving sort of person I took a step back, don’t freak out! Who does he think he is telling me not to freak out, how dare he! But I felt like I could trust him. “What do you want with us? What are you going to do?” I shouted furiously. “I’m not going to harm you, I’ve been sent to help you, to be your friend, you’re going to lead me, lead us all.” I think I trusted him, to lead who? What is he on about? “I know you don’t believe me but Kayla your special, you’re important I’ve been sent to be your wing man” he continued, wing man? What is that a sick joke? “Who sent you” I said a little calmer but with an icy stone cold voice, my eyes analysing him, trying to make sense “I don’t know but I got told to come save you so here I am… I’m a freak, like you” what? He’s perfect… what does he mean freak like me, Melissa took a step towards me edging back behind me. I was going to ask him something when he started to take off his clean black leather jacket. My mouth drops, I am frozen with shock, I understood what Melissa felt like now… he has wings?! Like me…. his are black like the angel of death or something? Pure black… they were just magnificent they were easily 14 foot and filled half the room; he had a shy nervous look to him. He was just a kid like me. he got experimented on, he had a normal life and a normal family. “Who-who are you?” I finally manage to stutter some words. “My name is Alex” he shyly whispered. “So what are we supposed to do again?” I interrupted the long awkward silence. He folded his wings back in and shuffled his jacket back on. Regaining his stability and standing up straight he crossed his arms casually and walked out the room shouting over his shoulder “follow me!” I quickly turned to Melissa and grabbed her arms and stared into her untrusting eyes, she wasn’t taking this well. “look I know we shouldn’t trust him but my senses tell me that we should follow him and if he gets weird we just run ok? Hes a freak.. like us so we cant just abandon him… I know he said someone sent him and said some weird stuff but we have no choice in this matter of desperation. So you trust me?” I quietly whispered out nervously. She gulped and nodded reluctantly. “ok Kayla, ill keep looking out for suspicious things and tell you if I have a question, ok.” I smiled at my little soldier, look at us. I like to think were family. I hugged her tightly and we just stood there for a brief second before running out after Alex… let’s hope I was right about him.

Finally I wake up not in that filthy, creepy, chilling room but in a tree. The fresh cool air ruffling through my feathers, my beautiful caramel feathers. I have a look around; Melissa was soundlessly sleeping next to me. Oh I forgot about Alex, he’s there too, lying awkwardly on a branch opposite me his perfect face sweet and innocently staring back at me, his silky long blonde hair dropping down like silk across his face. He shuffles slightly and I feel a sense of embarrassment and guilt wash over me, I was staring…. I think too much maybe he is good? I reattach myself to the real world and refamiliarase myself with my surroundings… yesterday all comes flooding back, we were flying away from that hell hole when we got tired and rested at the nearest tree for awhile. A beautiful oak, emerald green leaves glimmer blissfully in the morning sun, swaying gently back and forth. We should get going, just as I think that alex shuffles upwards and moans while rubbing his eyes. “where are we?” he groans at me like a guard dog. “uhh the tree you suggested us to land on last night?” I mumble while I stand up and stretch my back before unfolding my wings and shaking them, shivering as it happened. I love that feeling. It was exhilarating. Amazing. Just fascinating, captivating and remarkable… I lightly nudge Melissa with my foot to wake her up and she just says “five more minutes” and turns around on the awkwardly bent branch and fell back asleep. I guess I owed her at least five more minutes. Me and alex both sat down opposite eachother, I started to swing my feet dangling down towards the floor were maybe 20 feet up? feeling uncomfortable, a confused and frustrated tension between us but I can’t help but feeling somehow connected to him. “hey!” I shout just as he kicks my leg, he must’ve been talking while I drifted off into a meditation of thoughts; I shook my head slightly and blinked twice trying to focus on what he was saying, “what? Sorry I wasn’t listening” I said. He shook his head, and repeated “I think we should get moving, I mean, they’ll be looking for us! So we should get going, I have a plan but I don’t think it will work” he tries to explain although im pretty sure the words are washing over me as I deeply and intently stare into his beautiful eyes, note to self: stop thinking about Alex that way, damn it girl get a grip! I promise to myself to think of him only as a friend, I curse under my breath and nod silently. “What’s your plan?” I blurt out trying to regain my dignity. “Well I think we need to expose these people for who they are and what they’re doing to kids like us, first we should head to the nearest city, hit a café and get on the internet to research.” I nod my head in agreement, these people need to be punished, the world needs to know that they’re own children aren’t safe from these savage animals. So I nudge Melissa again and she wiggles, she pushes herself upwards, looks at the floor 20ft below us and panics, she clutches my arm and I shout “hey! Melissa were ok” I gently say stroking her hair, “oh, yeah, I remember now, hey Alex!” she smiles and shouts over to Alex who is in another world staring out into the distance, “oii! Alex?” I shout to get his attention, I obviously startle him because he jerks his head towards us, loses his balance and falls off the branch then starts to tumble towards the floor, I start to panic and get ready to jump to save him when he shoots out his wings and the upward draft of the wind suddenly cannonballs him back up to us, he lands awkwardly back on his branch and finally catches his breath “jeez I gotta be more careful” he says hysterically laughing with Melissa who is doubling over, she looks at me and I’m still in shock trying to process what just happened, I shrug it off and smile at her, I punch Alex in the arm in frustration “ that’s not funny! Be careful!” I shout at him, “calm down K, I’m fine, I was only messing” he smiles at me and I instantly feel better. “not funny! I nearly had a heart attack!” I grunt and fold my arms with a stubborn look on my face, “ don’t do it again” I warn him sternly, just to catch Melissa in the corner of my eye giggling, Alex giggles and nudges my shoulder “im fine, maybe we should just take off, yeah?” she tries to calm me down, I nod and in a mood quickly get to my feet and jump off my branch and instantly snap out my wings letting the wind glide me, Alex followed with Melissa on his back because Melissa has no wings, so she has to be carried. I head north, the bird DNA they put into me gave some sort of internal compass, so we head inland. Alex caught up to me and was flying directly above me, our wings in perfect unison. I still have no idea how to turn but Alex seems to have this flying thing mastered, ill just have to watch and learn.

We finally see land, I shout to Alex and we start to swoop down just as Melissa shouts Land Ho! She seems to take the flying thing pretty well, I mean back before all this happened I would never trust someone to carry me on their back while flying a couple hundred feet in the air! This is some brave seven year old. Swooping down I think we can go up to 250 mph, it’s exhilarating. When we finally get close enough we land on top of a building making sure were not seen, Melissa climbs off Alex’s back while I search the surroundings my brain logging potential danger, threats and escape points. We spot a café but first we need to get down the side of the building, I search around for something to open the escape door, “hey Alex…” I start to shout before I turn to see him with Melissa on his back with his wings spread out, or we could just fly down. Obvious solution. I run up to them and just before hitting the ledge they were standing on I take off snap out my wings and hover, which is harder than I thought, the distance to the floor is too short to power shoot down so we have to glide, we choose the deserted side with the least amount of people, lucky for us there’s an abandon alley-way, Alex landed perfectly, like usual. Then there’s me tumbling into a dumpster, head first. Great! Now I smell even more. Alex lets Melissa off his back just as he spots an ATM, he sneaks towards the edge of the building and looks around for people, everyone seems to be in work apart from a few bystanders, rushing off to meetings in grey suits, high heels clanking against the concrete, shiny briefcases held in perfect hands, fingernails polished and straightened as if they could be advertised, slick buns that hide any individuality, tight knotted ties, straightened around necks so skinny you could see the bones and veins. Alex looked at me, strode over and stared intensely into my eyes and whispered “look there’s something else I’ve got to tell you…” this didn’t sound good, my heart starts racing. “It’s about Melissa” he said nervously, “what?” I whispered, “She’s some sort of computer genius, that’s her power” he said slowly, “oh, I thought it was something bad” I say too quickly jinxing myself, “you didn’t let me finish” he blurted out; I folded my arms and nodded for him to carry on. “I need her to hack into the ATM” “ok” I said happily, “wait, you don’t understand, if we get caught we could go to jail… I got told that’s bad?” I laughed hysterically, “Look, Alex, jail is like the Ritz crown hotel compared the lab rats dungeon, trust me” he smiled at me and I smiled back, I motioned Melissa to come over and I whispered what I wanted her to do in her ear, she smiled nodded. “Okay, so I’m the oldest so I’ll take her over, Alex you stay here and keep guard” I sternly say, “hey! I’m only a few months younger than you, that’s totally not fair!” he shouts getting annoyed, “tough, keep an eye out for anything suspicious and whistle if anything goes wrong, okay” “okay…” he grunts, he didn’t sound happy, he was obviously a man of action kind of guy, but I’m the leader, my rules. Melissa and I run across the deserted road towards the ATM then slow to a casual walk just in case suspicion arises, I nod at her as we reach the ATM, she nods back then tests out her new ‘power’ she takes a look at it, then something suddenly clicks inside her like someone flicked a switch and her fingers flew across the numbers, hacking into the machine, the screen flash and whizzed pasts numbers like a military intelligence computer, she smiles as the machine buzzes and my mouth gapes wide open, wow, I didn’t expect it to work, I don’t know how Alex knew about that but he was right, money was flowing out of the machine like a volcano erupted, I counted it all up to 2000 dollars. I glance back at Alex who saw what was happening and was now striding towards us; I turn around to him waving the money in the air. He smirks, “told you” he says smugly. “Time for a makeover guys!” I scream happily, god I can’t wait for a shower! Melissa squeals happily and Alex shifts his weight coolly to one foot just smiling, I high five Melissa and we all look around for a hotel we could check into for tonight. We were just about to give up after wandering around for half an hour when we see this huge fancy building, saying ‘banana plaza hotel’ on the front in big letters, what a strange name. Melissa doesn’t even turn to look at me she just runs through the door and Alex and I just glance after each other before following her in. it was beautiful inside, big towering walls, plush settee cushions in burgundy with glass tables with oak legs, an enormous diamond chandelier hangs above our heads, marble counters everywhere and a tall wall with different pictures of royalty and famous people who visited this place before, I hope we have enough to stay here, we casually walk up to the desk with the posh looking man standing behind, in a clean red suit with ‘bell boy’ on a badge on his blazer pocket. In his low condescending voice he growled “yes…” wow, bad service staff here. “We’d like to book a room here please, just for tonight” I said quite pleasantly. “He pushed his glasses down his nose, lowered his magazine and looked up at us as if we were monkeys. “excuse me” he said sounding quite shocked, “are you sure you’re not lost” he suggested, stepping in Alex pushed past me and snatched the money out of my pocket and waved it in front of the bell boys face teasing him saying “were sure, just give us a room, now.” Sounding quite mean, I nudge his arm and he smiles at me, he seems to know what he’s doing because the bell boy, still shocked turned around got a key from a little box and slided it across the desk and said “500 dollars please” Alex handed him the money, took the key and read the number, ‘351’ it said, so we headed towards the elevator with the floors and the room numbers, we read down the board till it said ‘floor seven(300-450)’ “so that’s our floor guys” Melissa chirped pushing the elevator button, we waited a few minutes before we heard the clean ding of the elevator and the doors opened, it was a small glass box with a hand rail going around the edges, then a panel with the room numbers on and a one saying ‘roof’, we clicked room seven and we heard the ding again before it jerked and slowly stared moving upwards, on the panel the numbers of the floors lit up as we passed them before reaching floor seven, another ding and the doors slid open to a lush corridor with cream walls and a long purple carpet running down the whole corridor which seemed to go on for miles, there was a few sofa’s and frames but other than that just a lot of rooms, we saw a little sign that indicated that we need to head left to find our room Melissa just shot off the hall and Alex just casually started walking glancing at the door numbers and I jogged a little to catch up with him. “Look how excited she is” Alex said, gesturing at Melissa and smiling Just as she shouted “I found it! I found the room!” a big beaming smile on her face, “yeah she seems to be happy at the moment” I said smiling at Alex. “Hurry up tortoises!” Melissa shouted at us to get us moving, “Alright missy, were coming!” I shouted back while running towards her, taking the key out of Alex’s hand. I got to the door and slid the key down a little electronic device, it beeped and a little light lit up green unlocking to door, Melissa barged in front of me and rushed inside, screaming happily. It was nice, cream walls and little lamps, there were three single beds with cute little bedside tables in-between them, there was also a mahogany dresser with a mirror, next to the dresser was a corridor, there was a bathroom on the left and a closet on the right. I ran into the bathroom screaming “I tax a shower first!” Alex shouted “ok I tax the bed next to the window” just as Melisa found little towels and bath robes and she made a high-pitch squeal. They were fluffy and white, god knows how long since Melissa and I have had clean stuff to wear, Alex slumped down on his bed, lying with one arm behind his head, snuggling in to the pillow, running his hand up and down the smooth duvet. Melissa started jumping on her bed just as I locked the door, un dressed and jumped into the shower, “feather pillows” I could hear her shout followed by Alex’s giggles, I turned on the water and felt it great pelting my skin, it was invigorating, it was sensational, I’ve never been so happy to have a shower in my life. I use the little complementary soaps and shower gel making sure I left some for the other before washing my hair, untangling it with conditioner. Finally it will be clean! I smile as I run my fingers through my hair. Scrubbing myself down, getting all the dried blood in-between my fingers and toes then just standing there my back to the water, hunched over just feeling the water drowning my wings, It was kind of massaging and nice, I ruffle my feathers and shake my wings in the water then I get out and shake myself off before grabbing a soft pristine white towel off a rack and wrapping myself up then I grab a smaller towel and rub my hair before opening the door to find Melissa standing outside waiting impatiently. “That took you long enough!” she shouted. “Well, I was dirty” I said smiling. I ruffle her hair pushing her in saying “hurry up scruff, Alex has got to have one too” I walk down the corridor and sit on the bed that doesn’t have a note saying ‘Melissa’s bed!’ on, I’m next to Alex in the middle of them two. Alex is just spread over his bed; his eyes closed just thinking about today I guess. “Hey, Alex. What’s up?” I sing nudging him. “Oh, I see your clean now, I can finally see your face” he laughs. “Shut up, you haven’t even had a shower yet” I snarl. I get up and rummage around for something to dry my hair, I spot a hair-dryer, I love this place! Well it is better than hell. I plug the hair dryer in and blow dry my hair out while pointing it at Alex a few times annoying him, making him straighten his hair with his fingers. I also find a brush in the top dresser drawer; I rake violently through my hair getting the knots out, “K, you’re going to be bald at this rate!” Alex shouts, laughing. “You wouldn’t understand you’re a boy” I snap back. By the time I finish Melissa gets out the shower and Alex gets up and just walks to the bathroom like it’s no big deal, then again he probably hasn’t been locked in Satan’s lair. Melissa looks at me and smiles “Kayla, look how far we’ve come” she says soothingly, “this is only the beginning love, trust me” I say back, reminding her this is as good as it’s ever going to get, Melissa and I change into our fluffy white dressing gowns and sit and snuggle in them for a bit before Melissa asks me to do her hair, I nod and I re-plug in the hair dryer as she sits down on the little stool in front of the mirror while I stand behind her with a brush combing through her beautiful dark hair, it’s as soft as silk. I stare at her through the mirror taking in how beautiful she actually is her light brown skin, gorgeous green eyes and amazing smile. She catches me staring and asks “Kayla, are we going to die?” I wasn’t expecting that, I panicked and my brain frantically searched for a response. I reply calmly “no sweetie, we’ll be fine” phew, panic over. I was startled then, I realised I stopped drying her hair so I refocused and continued combing my fingers through her hair occasionally blowing her face as she giggled. Alex comes out with a towel tied around his waist, ruffling his hair with a towel looking like god! He took a dressing gown out of the closet and returned to the bathroom to change, it didn’t take long he came out straight after and was like instantly changed! He causally just walked over to his bed and plopped himself down, “so we going to order pizza or…?” he shouts over the hair dryer. Melissa squeals happily (I have to get her to stop doing that) shouting “please, please, please Kayla I love pizza!” grabbing my arm, “sure, Alex, you know the number?” I turned to Alex smiling, “of course I do! Who do you take me for?” he said before jogging to the little ceramic pone hanging on the wall by the door, he picked it up and dialled random numbers. “Hello? Can we have…” he put the phone by his hand and looked at us, we didn’t know what we wanted so I just said “get two meat feasts and a plain” he nodded and turned back to the phone returning to his conversation “yes, sorry we were confirming what we wanted, so its two meat feasts pizza’s and one plain, also a bottle of cola please, thanks, were room 351 at the banana plaza hotel. Have ‘em send it up.” He hung up and came and sat down on his bed. “so tonight we rest then tomorrow we get a move on a look for a café to get internet” Alex suggested, “we need to get new clothes first!” interrupted Melissa, “okay, we’ll get clothes and then find internet and research” I said confirming the plan, “ok” Alex agreed and nodded.

We were just lying there peacefully and I was dragging my finger in a circle on my stomach and it was soothing, we were just about to drop off before we heard a buzz and it was our door, the man with the pizza, “hallelujah” Melissa rejoiced, Alex jumped to his feet and jogged to the door, he opened the door handed the man the money and headed back in kicking the door close behind him, swerving in and out and pretending to wobble the pizzas, my heart was on the floor, I’d kill him if he dropped my pizza! He chucked the cola on my bed and I opened and passed it to Melissa to have a sip, but being Melissa she gulped half the bottle! “Alex! Pass the pizza will you!” I shouted, he came and sit on my bed crossed legs and Melissa pulled the bedside table to the middle and we opened two of the pizzas and put them in the middle and we all just took slices and stuffed our faces, gulping down pop we were like a pack of starving wolves, the two pizzas were gone in seconds, we opened the third and split it into three so it was equal, although Melissa made it so she got the biggest pieces. “So, how’s the pizza” Alex said not stopping shovelling in pizza, washed down with cola not a bad taste combination actually “lush!” Melissa shouted, I didn’t even want to reply I was too hungry, I just nodded. Although that was pointless ‘cause none of us even bothered to look up from our pizza, Melissa even managed to bite Alex’s hand by accident sending me into hysterical giggles. Alex started shouting and rambling on about facts about pizza but he wasn’t taking the hint that we didn’t actually care, we finally finished our pizza and cola, all stuffed we all flew back on our beds and I hear a massive crack sound as Melissa forgets her bed has a wall next to it and she stood up and started wobbling, “well that was smart” Alex said smirking, “sweetie just sit down” I shouted smacking Alex in the head, Alex burst out laughing so Melissa took her pillow off her bed and wacked Alex in the face, “owwwnneeed!” she started screaming giving me a high-five, “oh that’s how it’s gonna happen is it?” Alex said regaining his stability, swiftly grabbing his pillow swinging it with an evil smirk on his face, Melissa ducked and I got hit “oh that’s it you two!” I shouted laughing, I jumped across my bed to Alex’s took the pillow and jumped on Alex’s back coming straight down on Melissa’s head and from there on it was war, there were vases being smashed, empty pizza boxes everywhere, a shattered mirror, feathers all over the place (don’t worry, I mean from the pillows) the towels on all levels, god knows where the cola bottle went! They hotel staff aint gonna like us, everything is ruined in here. after the tyrant of madness were all exhausted, we get comfy in our beds and I lie there for a while just thinking, this is going well so far, I think we can trust Alex he seems ok and Melissa seems to like him too, I’ve connected to him and he seems to be like us, in the same situation even though he acts all cool and like he doesn’t care, you can tell he’s just as terrified as us, just as scared, I don’t know what he’s been through but I’ve seen the scars on his shoulder blades just above his wings, the terror in his eyes, he’s just a little boy at heart. I know that he doesn’t want to go back to where he came from, I sure as hell don’t. He hasn’t told us anything yet but I don’t expect him to be an open book if he’s been through what Melissa and I have then I can’t blame him, to be honest I know Melissa quite well, she’s told me where she’s from, who her family used to be, her favourite game to play, I really want to get to know Alex better. Maybe when we get a chance to be alone.

I wake up after a deep sleep, I yawn and stretch out before checking on Melissa, I rub my eyes and wait for everything to come into focus, I get up and top toe to Melissa’s bed, I chuck my hair in a ponytail before pulling down her duvet covers. What! She isn’t there, I run to Alex’s bed and he’s gone too, I’m having a heart attack, really panicking, running round the room looking for a note, they must’ve left a note! What if something bad has happened, oh my god! “Melissa!” I scream desperately, “Alex!” I sprint out the room running down the hall to the elevator still screaming their names, I nearly break the button hearing the once calming beep, I click the kitchen floor and with every ding I get more worried, I’m pulling my hair out, I’m screaming at the top of my lungs, my heart pounding through my chest, where are they! I’m finally on the kitchen floor and I tear the elevator doors apart, squeezing through, pushing crowds of people out of my way screaming “Melissa!” I barge through the door into the eating room just to find Alex and Melissa sitting there, laughing and eating bacon and sausage. I collapse to the floor in the relief, holding my head in my hands, Melissa comes rushing over to me shouting cheerily “hey Kayla, so you’re finally awake” her face beaming, I grab her shoulders violently and shake her “YOU SCARED THE HELL OUT OF ME! NOT EVEN A NOTE!” I hug her tight, “I’m sorry Kayla, Alex said not to wake you so we head down early” her voice trembling. “It’s ok, just don’t disappear like that next time, ok baby” I whisper, “okay, I promise” she whispers back then takes my hand and shows me over to our table, I go to sit down before realising my hair is a state, and im only in a dressing gown, I look up to see everyone staring at me like I’m a freak. “I’m gonna get ready and come back down guys ok” I announce then turn and leave, Alex didn’t even flinch through the whole thing, he only glanced at me then went back to munching his sausages. I headed back up to the room got changed then came back down. The room was spotless which is weird because I don’t remember tidying it last night. I don’t take it into regards because it’s probably the room cleaners, anyway I go back down, grab a plate and head for the buffet, I go to grab what’s left of the bacon and Alex turns up next to me, “Kayla it wasn’t Melissa’s idea to leave you sleeping, I just thought you looked peaceful” he told me, “I know Alex, just don’t do that to me next time, I freaked out!” I said a little bit too loud, I grabbed half the bacon and drowned my plate with beans, Alex grabbed my arm and I ignored him and shoved him off cold heartedly. “Kayla” he whispered into my ear, it sent shivers down my spine. I shoved into him and headed for orange juice. He grabbed my arm fiercely and turned me around to face him, I kept a stubborn look on my face, no way was he gonna get to me. He looked intensely into my eyes and softened his grip, his touch like an angel, “I’m sorry K” he said softly, he then smiled very cheesily and I couldn’t help but grin, I broke free of his grip got orange juice and took his place directly opposite Melissa, he stormed after me grabbing another chair and sitting down. We engulf our food getting a few dirty looks by other people but who cares! “Kayla can we go shopping, pretty please” Melissa begged “but…” I tried to back out of it but she wouldn’t take no for an answer doing them sad little puppy eyes making me melt, damn “fine” I gave in, you have no idea how cute Melissa can look it’s like she puts the charm on and then you’re a goner. We headed out the hotel and started walking up the street. The streets were empty once again except for the occasional cafe with smart men in ties with their morning coffee next to their briefcases or one or two helpless kids skipping school slumped on a high chair with earphones plugged in to the max, crazy hairstyles and black clothes and jackets that look like a tiger has ripped ‘em to shreds, belly button piercings with huge planks coming out of their ears, that isn’t style that’s stupidity! We reached what looked like a clothes store called ‘hitched fashion’ if they don’t sell clothes god knows what they actually sell, so as usual Melissa ran in I just sighed, Alex looks around carefully, he’s just as cautious as me. He starts to walk in before he realises I’m still just standing outside, I’m not keen on going shopping to be honest. “What’s up K” he asks, “nothing” I sing awkwardly, “well come on then” and he drags me in while I stick my feet down but he’s too strong for me, pushing through the door I feel a draft and shiver I really hate when that happens now because it shakes my wings and it feels strange. I spot Melissa jumping up and down running from handbag to handbag then to shoes then to tops, she’s going mental!