I Have Wings

We live in the middle of nowhere. A long driveway leading from a barren road down to a farmhouse and a barn. The bent windmill will creak as it spins around. Not having been oiled in years. It stands in front of the white rundown house. Surrounded by a neglected flower bed that is now full of weeds. Momma was always the one who gardened. I can barely grow hay with my pops. Once momma got sick, everything started to decay. It is almost as if she was the life of the place and now that she is dying, it is dying as well.

The barn has seen better days, but it still stands tall and proud. Holding equipment and hay, it does the job. It could use a fresh coat of primer red paint, maybe some new shingles for the roof. The white around the door is almost non-existent. I would repaint it, but pops want's no one touching it. So, I leave it alone. I continue to help with what I can. I'm best at keeping the tractors running, making sure they are squared away when pops need to cut the hay. I work on the trucks and momma's jeep. I can tinker with anything, and my hands are callused to prove it.

I'm out in the barn the first time I hear it.

I've heard them before, but only at night, never in the middle of the day. It doesn't sound upset or in distressed. It was a quick little hoot. Just loud enough so I could hear it. I rolled out from underneath the truck and took a look around. I looked up at the top of the barn, along the frame. Nothing stands out. I know a barn owl lives in here. Has been since I could remember. I even had a name for it when I was a child. I'm surprised it is still around, well, it could be a different one.

I would never know; I've never actually seen her.

I roll back under the truck and continue my work. Then I hear it again. Only this time it's a little louder. I push myself back out and sit up on the creeper. I look around, squinting my eyes to try and see better. I happen to look outside the barn doors, and I see something very unsettling.

The color seems to be draining from the house. Going from white to gray. It's starting to crumble. The ground isn't shaking, can't be an earthquake. I slide off the creeper, letting it roll back as I run out of the barn. My hands up to my head in disbelief. I see pops run out, but he doesn't have momma with him. She's still inside. I race against the falling debris, aiming for any entrance.

But I'm stopped.

Something is grabbing me from behind. I hear the flapping of a bird's wings. I turn my head and before I can scream, I am let go and I fall to the ground.

It's giant, about as tall as I am. It's snow-white face with its intimidating black eyes, stare down at me. It lands and I can see a beautiful golden sheen upon its feathers. It's like none I've ever seen. One of its large talons comes up to its face, like telling me to be quiet. Shushing me. I want to retort, but I'm not sure what to say.

"Get her out of here!" I hear pops shout out. I almost forgot he was there.

"I ain't leaving, pops. Momma's still inside." I yell back.

I can see him shaking, staring back up at the house. Our home is on the verge of being lost. Why isn't he trying to get Momma?

"Momma will be okay. Go!"

The owl doesn't wait for me, it grips me around my middle with its talons and I'm swept into the air. The wind hits me in the face, my cap comes flying off my head. I can't scream, all the air has seemed to have left my lungs. My eyes are watering, I can't stop them. I can't even wipe them away. It's making it difficult to see.

Then I'm falling. This time I scream. The owl is falling with me. I can't see it to well. I only know we are both falling. I'm cold and possible a little wet and now I'm falling. I'm praying this is all a dream and I'm going to wake up in my nice warm bed. I close my eyes, waiting for the ground to catch up to me.

Only it doesn't. I stopped falling, but I don't feel like I'm on the ground. What is going on? I sit up and take a look around. The owl is standing over me, looking down at me. It's head cocked to the side.

I have no clue where I am, but it is not any place I've ever been too. The area seems to have a glow to it. There are tall trees surrounding the area. Tree houses attached with rope bridges leading to each. The ground, I don't know if I would call it the ground. It's like a fluffy cloud. I must be dreaming.

"I'm sorry about that, but I had to get you out of there. I thought I would be able to make it to the meeting point, but it was chasing us, and I was shot out of the sky. So, I had to teleport us too here." It spoke. It just spoke. Owls don't speak.

I look at it with wide eyes, well actually I think it's a her. Thats what it sounded like. Her voice sounds oddly familiar, I can't place it.

"Where is here?" I ask, my voice scratchy.

"This is my home and where the rest of us live. You won't find it on any map, but we are high in the sky. Still over Earth. Come let's go inside and we can talk more. I'm sure you have many questions." She started to walk away. I stood still for a moment before racing off after her.

As we walked, more owls began to come out of the buildings, walking around, talking with each other. Staring at me in particular. All of them have different colors and patterns upon them. They are extremely beautiful. I wish I could take a picture. No one will believe me otherwise. We stop in front of one of the trees. I look up and search for a way to get up, but I see nothing. Before I can ask, I'm grabbed again, and she flies me up top.

This time I don't scream, but I do huff in surprise. She lets me go and I drop to the deck. I wipe myself off as I stand and fix my wrinkled shirt.

"You going to tell me why I'm here?" She doesn't answer but starts to walk in the house. I again follow, because I don't know where else to go and I want answers.

"I am going to tell you something and please don't freak out." I give her a nod and she continue, "I'm your momma."

My jaw drops and I stare at her. I try to find anything familiar about her. The color of her feathers look similar to my momma's hair color, but not so vibrant. Her eyes are intimidating like my momma's. Those are the only things I can think of.

"Last time I checked, my momma was on her death bed and was about to have a house fall on her. You ain't my momma." I cross my arms and look away from her. I'm fuming with anger now.

"I know this is hard to understand, but I really am. Your favorite pie is apple. Growing up you were always in the barn with your pops, helping him work on the tractors or trucks. He threatened to take your tool chest away after you crashed the tractor into the hay barn. Also, you never left the farm, so you never had friends to talk to or play with. We kept you isolated from the world. Something I am terribly sorry we did. I'll never be able to make up those years to you."

"How is this possible? I saw you laying in your bed this morning. Turning more and more pale every day. Now you a bird?" I cry out. I don't know what to believe anymore.

"I have always been an Owl. Your father is an Owl and so are you. Yes, I was dying, that is only because I was trying to protect the both of you." I look at her in disbelief.

"I am so confused." I bring my hands to the side of my head. Eyes wildly staring at the floor trying to process this.

"I know it's a lot but listen closely. I didn't want to tell you yet, but you need to be prepared." Her black eyes stare into my equally dark eyes. "We are all in grave danger. Moreso you. There are creatures called the Mobus, they eat us for our magic. We have been in hiding up here for centuries. We try not to go down to Earth unless absolutely necessary."

"Wait. Then why were we on Earth?" I interrupted.

"You know it's rude to interrupt." She snapped looking at me scornfully.

"Sorry" I lean back and cross my arms, waiting for her to continue.

"As I was saying. We don't normally go down, but sometimes humans need our help. They don't know about us. We can change from owls to humans. Though we prefer to be owls. If the Mobus catch our sent, they keep attacking, no matter the cost. They are out for blood. The reason we were on Earth was because you were born human and couldn't live up here in this atmosphere, at least not yet. Everything was fine while the three of us were down there, until last year when I started getting sick."

She pauses for a moment, looking to the ground.

"The reason everything started to seem to decay as I was 'dying' was because your pops and mine entities were intertwined with the area. I got the house and front yard; your pops had the barn and rest of the land. So, when the Mobus caught our scent and began digging at our walls, I was losing my magic."

"How were they trying to get in? I thought they had to eat you to get your magic?" I wonder.

"Correct, but they were sucking the magic out of the house. Thus, taking my magic. Slowly as I was using very powerful magic to keep you safe. As we grow older, our magic weakens. Thats why you could see the barn starting to lose some color or shingles fall off. As your pops got older his magic was beginning to faulter."

"Why did they come after your magic then?"

"It was stronger thus easier to smell, but it was also because they smelled you."

"What's so special about me?" I look down at my hands. I'm not sure why, it's not like they can give me an answer.

"You are very strong. Your magic has yet to show, but you can already see it will be very powerful. You will be able to move mountains. I am sure of it."

"How do you know that I will be powerful?"

"It is said when an owl is born human, it's a sign that her body isn't ready for the magic she holds. Until her body is strong enough, she won't be able to turn. That is powerful magic. I only know of one other owl that has happened too" She walks over to the window, looking out below.

"Who was that?" I ask, walking over to her, standing next to her. Her feathers brush lightly against my arm.

"Your great-grandmother." I look out to where she is looking.

A snow-white owl, with black tips on her wings, stands out in the crowd. She is looking up at us. Her black eyes holding truth and knowledge. She has her chest puffed out and wings clamped to her sides. Looking like a leader with his hands behind his back.

"Unfortunately, because we were found. Your pops and I were unable to tell you at the right time. It's too early for you to change yet."

"But how will I know when I am ready?"

"When you were first born, your great-grandmother told me you would know when you're ready. You will feel it in your bones. You may start to shift in small stages. Great-grandmother said she had a wing for an arm for a whole week before she was able to fully change." My mother gives a small chuckle. One I mirror. I can just imagine me having a random bird part instead of a human one.

"Now, you should probably get some rest. I need to go make sure your pops is okay." She shakes her wings, getting ready to take flight.

"I want to go with you. I can't rest now. Especially now that I know I'm actually an owl."

"No, it is too dangerous for you. You are much safer up here."

I give a huff as I watch her take flight. I shuffle over to the small bed that is at the other end of the room. It is almost as if momma knew I would be coming.

-------------------

Momma didn't come back, Pops never showed up either. Two weeks later I am still with the other owls. I have met them all now and even became friends with two or three. Great-grandmother has taken it upon herself to teach me our history and what my responsibilities will be. She is very strict, but she still has a big heart. She found me crying the other day and it was the first time I saw her change form and she sat down next to me, putting her arm around me, holding me close.

I woke up this morning and screamed. Instead of regular human legs, I had bird feet. I have owl talons. I looked at my hands, only they weren't hands, they were wings. My body has feathers covering it. I touched my face, and I felt my beak. I feel as though I'm going to hyperventilate. I can't believe I'm finally an Owl. The color of my wings got the same golden sheen to them, but with a tint of red. I can't describe the beauty I am seeing.

"You look beautiful." Great-Grandmother walks in, looking me up and down with a smile on her face.

"I wish momma and pops could see me."

"Don't worry they can. Now come let's show the rest." She wraps a wing behind my back and helps move me forward to the door.

Cheers erupt the second I step out. Everyone is just as excited as I am about my transformation. I open my wings up, ready to test them out. Before I am able, something falls from the sky. It lands on the ground with a sickening thud. We all look down and see an owl with a golden sheen. My momma. I try to fly down, instead I fall down and am caught just before I hit the ground. I don't get to say thanks to who helped me. All I care about is getting to my momma.

"I'm sorry, princess. She's dead." Another owl confirms my greatest fears.

"We need to get to Earth. I fear it's not going good down there." Great-grandmother announces. "I'm afraid I won't be able to teach you the things you need to know. I can tell you this. To use your magic, you only need to think and feel it. I will fly with you this time down to Earth, but you will need to learn to teleport fast. Right now, there isn't time." Her wings rest against my sides as she speaks to me. I give her a nod in understanding.

"Every Owl, be prepared to fight. For we are going to war." Her voice raises and the owls all agree.

One by one they either fly or teleport. To where I don't know. I do know they are all assigned an area to protect. I only hope it is enough. I hope I can quickly figure out my magic. Great-Grandmother and I are the last to leave. I figure out how to fly quickly. Must be a natural. It takes us a little longer to get down to Earth, but once we get down there. It looks as if the war has been going on for ages.

"We want the one with the gleaming coat of golden-red. Hand her over and the others shall live." An echo of hoarse voices surrounds us.

I duck my head down, trying to make the ringing stop. My eyes squeezing shut. When I open them back up, I take in more of the situation. Owls and humans lay scattered, bodies beaten, torn and bleeding. Innocent people are dead, having no clue what killed them. The creatures are running havoc on the area we landed in.

"It is time, young one."

I didn't need to question her, to know what she meant. My time to shine has come. I can feel the magic flowing through me. I feel the power within. I am ready. This is what I was born to do.