Lace-kun's Wings

   There was a toxic river that ran through the caves where we used to be imprisoned. The water was full of treacherous poison. If you got it inside of your system, you would die painfully and slowly. Jomeo could never swim there; it would kill him after going through his gills.

   We used to go there before it was poisoned and try to plan an escape. That was before Equinox and Jomeo came. When they came, they decided that they might try to escape, as they were both aquatic humanoids. They poisoned the river. The clear, warm water turned black and cold. So none of us could ever leave the lab.  


   We didn’t know how to write, so we couldn’t send a message down the river for help. Nobody would come help even if we could write a note. Nobody would care about a bunch of mutant kids being held hostage in a scientific lab.

   We dreamed about escaping when we still had hope. Back when I could still fly. But there’s no hope anymore.  

*            *            *            *            *



   “Are you sure you want to do this?” asked Equinox hesitantly. I looked over to the man next to me. An onamiki. His smooth, slippery, pale blue skin with light green spots glistened in the dull illumination from the torches lining the walls.


.      Equinox's concerned violet eyes met my teary sunset ones. I tentatively ran a finger over his silver lip piercing.

"Do it." I said nervously. Equinox was shaking from the tip of his salamander-like tail to the slender hands trying not to lose their grip on the jagged knife. Equinox averted his eyes.
"I - I'm not sure I can-....." I put my hand on his face and forced him to look at me.

"The rebellion against the people keeping us in this hell hole has already started." Equinox gave me a desperate look.
"Please, Lace-kun, I don't want to do this!"I buried my face into Equinox's loose black shirt and spoke.
"I don't want to either, but I have to. Titanium got rid of her wings as an act of defiance and an example to the rest of us. We need to support her and the rebellion. I can't hide my wings if I ever escape. We need to get out of here, whether by death or other means.” Equinox ran one hand through my purple hair.

   “I don’t want them to kill you because I cut off your wings.” I took in a shaky breath at his trembling words. I forced myself to turn around and stretch out my wings. The ones the scientists gave me. They were ptarmigan wings, white and fluffy with silver flecks on the edges of the feathers. They were smaller than most avian humanoid’s wings; about 14 feet across. I flexed them slowly.

   Equinox ran a hand over one of them gently.
   “Don’t you want to fly one last time…. ?” he asked quietly. I blinked back tears.
   “It would just make it harder…. Please, just get it over with.” Equinox pecked me on the cheek. I felt my face flush hot.
   “I really don’t want to do this…. Are you absolutely certain?” he asked.
   “Yes.” I said, firmly resolved. I heard Equinox unsheath his knife and then felt him press the knife against the base of my left wing. I let out a little gasp of pain as warm, wet blood trickled down my back.

   Equinox hesitated momentarily before sawing through the muscle of my wing. I heard him sobbing quietly. I squeezed my eyes shut as the pain exploded in my back; and let out a cry of agony as the weapon hit my bone. Equinox kept sawing when I weakly insisted he continue.

While it must have been only minutes, it felt like hours until he got through the bone. My wing now hung by a thin strip of sinew. I knew he was done when I felt my wing drop to the ground. The side of my body that still had it’s wing felt as if it was made of lead.

Equinox quickly packed herbs and neosporin into my gaping wound.
“To stop the infection.” he choked out.

Then he started on my remaining wing. By now, I was slightly numbed to the pain. I felt my wing fall away, then the cool neosporin and powdery herbs. Equinox carefully peeled away my shirt and wrapped a crisp bandage around my upper torso. I opened my mouth to speak.
“Where-.... Where did you get this medicine?” I asked.
“Titanium stole a lot of it. She’s been secretly giving it to people who need it.” Equinox whispered. Slowly, I turned around.

I immediately leaned over the river and vomited. There is something sickening about seeing your disembodied body parts lying on the cold, rocky ground. I wiped my mouth, then shakily turned back to Equinox.

“I’m so sorry.” he said, then buried his face in his hands. I slowly moved over to him, grimacing in pain to maneuver without hurting the gashes in my back. Equinox met my eyes when he felt my hand on his shoulder. I ran my hand over one of the bloody wings.

“What should we do with them?” I asked.
“I….. I don’t…. know…” Equinox said.
“Let’s just dump them in the river.” I said bitterly. Equinox sat up straight.
“Why?” he asked gently.
“Because I feel sickened when I look at them lying there.” I said, holding back tears and pretending to be disgusted. Equinox helped me stand. I grabbed one of the huge wings and dragged it to the edge. “Could you get the other one?” I asked. Equinox gently picked up the other wing and carried over to the riverbank.
“One, two, three.” I counted. At three, I shoved my wing into the raging poisonous river. Equinox carefully eased the second wing into the water. They both were swept away, until they passed out of view.

I collapsed to my knees, dizzy from blood loss. Equinox bent down and put his webbed hand on my shoulder, careful to avoid the fresh wounds on my back. I put my head in my knees, sobbing quietly. I could never fly again.
“Lace-kun?” asked Equinox. When I didn’t respond, he look a deep breath to continue. “This might not be…… the best time for this, but it needs to be said. You probably hate me now, but….. Lace-kun….. I love you…..” I raised my head, eyes widened. I felt my tan skin flush a deep red color.

Equinox’s face was twisted in concern.
“You don’t feel the same way, do you?” he asked sadly.
“I love you too.” I said quietly. I leaned up and kissed Equinox. There, seeing him in the soft torch light, I knew that I had found my new wings.