11.

Flying for the first time is wonderful. It is something that everybody has dreamed about now and again, though these dreams are not always terribly pleasant. When I flew with Jane that night, and when we flew again, whether it was for leisure or from danger, I would always feel calm and happy. It was as though nothing could hurt us whilst we were in the air. I thought of Peter Pan and Wendy, and Never Never Land. I wondered where exactly myself and Jane were flying to, but only casually, in the back of my head. Truthfully I did not care. The whole world was dark, apart from the tiny lights that people had lit all over the place. I don't know why and I don't know how, but when Jane took my hand and lifted me from the ground and far above the houses and the people and the black snaking river, that was when I sensed that she was good, that she meant well, and that she would care for me so long as I asked her to. My heart was in my mouth, half from fear, but I felt like laughing and shouting out loud. Jane sensed this, I think, and squeezed my hand tighter, and as we reached the height that she wanted and began to move forward rather than up, she smiled at me and I found myself smiling back. I asked her afterwards - a long time afterwards - about the first time that we flew together and she told me that she had longed to tell me that she loved flying too, that seeing everything from such a height made the whole world beautiful. But neither of us could talk and she was my protector besides, and I had not flown before and she did not want to risk talking. The smile was enough though.

We made our way out to the main road, and followed it straight. Past one o' clock it was not at all busy, even though it was a fairly large road. I imagined what it would look like at around seven o' clock: a river of headlights. The town, even at this time was more beautiful than anything I had ever seen. We flew over the shops and the houses, over the schools - including the one that had once been mine in a time that now seemed so long ago - and over the hospital. I thought briefly of how Dianne would be when I did not turn up to work tomorrow, but I did not mention this to Jane in case she became distracted and caused us both to plummet to our deaths. I liked this flying, but I was still aware of how dangerous it could potentially be if things went wrong. We flew past the town, past the airfield outside the town, and out towards the distant mountains. In my county there were always mountains on the horizon. They could be terribly tormenting when I was driving to school on the bus; they would always inspire thoughts of running away that I knew would never materialise in practical terms. We were flying towards them and my heart was racing. I was scared, a little, but I realised that this was what I had always wanted: a way to escape. I was finally getting away. This was what I had always wanted. And I would find my sister and bring her back, if I could. I could be happy then, forever. I clung tightly to Jane's hand, and we went forward into the night.

 

We travelled for what seemed like hours, until we reached the port town on the other side of the county, where Jane said that she had been saying. Here, with much grace, we touched down on the roof of one of a row of terraced houses. From what I could see by the streetlights the buildings were nineteenth century, and when we got close to our one I saw that it was a pale blue. Seaside houses, even though the town was a port town. Jane helped me to scramble in through a window on the roof. I found myself in an attic room - a bedroom by the look of it. Jane closed the window.

'This is our house,' she explained. 'There are three of us - four now that you are here. When everything is ready I will take you to meet the others. You'll be safe as long as you stay in this house, or any of the other houses that we choose. We protect them from the hunt, you see. I'll explain it all to you soon.'

My eyes were becoming adjusted to the dark. I saw a sloping roof and an iron bedstead. I saw a wall covered in paper drawings and a wardrobe filled with clothes. I saw a suitcase and a dressing table. I looked round and saw Jane. Suddenly I yawned. She jumped.

'Sorry - I forgot that fledglings need to sleep. Vampires don't sleep so much - the ones that are vulnerable to daylight sometimes sleep in the day, but other than that we're awake most of the time. You must be tired.'

She went to the wardrobe and fished out an oversized t-shirt.

'Here,' she said, handing the garment to me. 'Sometimes I sleep when I'm bored. You can have my bed. I'll change the sheets in the morning.'

I had not noticed until she mentioned how tired I actually was. There had to be a clock somewhere in the room, but I was too sleepy to go searching for one. Besides, I didn't need a clock to tell that it was incredibly late at night. I rubbed me eyes, and with Jane's t-shirt in my hand I walked over to the bed.

With my back turned to her I undressed and pulled the t-shirt on. She had walked over to a dressing table that stood at the other side of her room and sat down in front of it. I climbed into bed.

'Goodnight,' she said.

'Goodnight,' I replied. I rolled over in her blankets and then thought of something. 'Thank you for rescuing me.'

Jane did not reply. The last thing that I remember seeing before falling asleep was her brushing her long dark hair in the mirror, at her dressing table. I don't know how I managed to sleep, but somehow I did, and I slept deeply, until I was woken by the morning sunlight shining in through the curtains.

Author's Note

Considering how much I dislike the previous chapter, I'm actually rather pleased with this one. The flying might be a little too unrealistic too soon, but I don't know. What did you think?

Reviews

[Jeannie Wilder]

I think the flying is a different quirk to the story, it adds a little more "fantasy" to the idea I suppose. Although I can't quite grasp the image in my head, I 'm working on it. But I like the house and the overall image of this chapter.

[Happy Cereal]

I think the flying is great! Really gorgeous descriptions, as always. Everything is painted in such a magical light, but not at all over the top. I loved the imagery in this, really stunning.