Six

Darby glanced at herself in a mirror. She was starting to embrace the darkened bruises, they weren’t looking to be going away any time soon and she was starting to get used to it.

And it was starting to show. She strode up the steps of the school confidently. She was tired of keeping her head down and hiding from everyone. Today, she wanted to take them all head on. 

“Wow,” Carrie noted, “you’re in a good mood today.”

She shrugged, “I feel like I’ve come out of a long sleep or something. I just have all this energy.”

“You can tell.”

As she said this Travis walked by, his left eye was swollen, bruised, and seemed that the skin on his cheek had a slight burn. He glared viciously at Darby as he passed.

She cringed into the locker.

“What happened to him,” Carrie asked, watchin him trudge through the halls.

“No idea,” she lied.

Seth never said anything about that. 

“Probably got into a fight,” she rolled her eyes, “idiot.”

The bell rang then, saving Darby from commenting.

In first period while the teacher went on a tangent answering a student’s question about the faerie anatomy Darby found herself doodling an elaborate set of wings. When she realized what she was doing she crumpled it up threw it in the trash. To many weird things like that were happening. Little things, but it was the minor details that threw her off balance the most.

“Darby,” Mackenzie began, studying her during lunch, “are you okay? You look really pale and during math you completely spaced out.”

“That’s weird,” Carrie stated, “this morning she was better than normal.”

They looked at her expectantly.

Darby wanted to answer but she was having a hard time breathing, suddenly she gasped out, “I think I’m going to be sick.”

Mackenzie shot up and helped her to the restroom. After a minute Darby said wearily, “I’m okay now. Can you get me a wet paper towel?”

After Mackenzie helped clean her up she told Darby to go home.

“I don’t need to, I feel better,” she argued meekly.

But Mackenzie didn’t give in and walked her toward the office.

“Kenzie, can’t you just take me home?”

“I am, I just need to tell the office.”

“They’ll make me call my parents and I don’t want that. They’re at work, they can’t do anything to help me, there’s no reason to worry them.”

“What about your brother?”

“He’s at home,” she lied, “he can take care of me.”

“I think I have to. . .”

“Kenz, please,” She didn’t know why she was fighting so hard for this, something inside her just told her too.

“Fine,” Mackenzie gave in getting into the car, “will you be alright until your parents get home?”

“Yeah, I’ll be sleeping and laying on the couch. How much trouble can I get into?”

“I’m serious. I’ll call your parents and let them know you’re sick.”

“Don’t, I just need some rest and I’ll be fine.” But she was uncertain. The sick spell was so abrupt and without warning, she didn’t know what to think. But she didn’t want to worry Mackenzie so she knew she’d figure it out.

They pulled up to her house and Darby wasn’t sure if her feet would support her if she stood up. 

“You sure you’ll be okay?” Mackenzie checked.

“Positive,” she got out, “thanks.”

“Call if you need anything. I’ll bring your car by later.”

She nodded and weakly dragged herself inside. She sat down and caught her breath. In only a moment she felt better, until she got up to get a glass of ginger ale. Then she felt sick all over again.

The rest of her day was long and torturous. Every time she thought she was getting stronger she turned violently sick out of no where..

“Darby?” Christopher asked in surprise, the front door closing behind him.

“Hold on,” she called out from the bathroom where she was washing out her mouth for the eighth time so far.

“Are you sick?” He questioned her as she sat back down on the couch.

“I don’t know,” she started crying, “I don’t know what’s wrong with me.” She wasn’t just talking about the sickness.

“hey, it’s going to be alright. It’s probably just the flu,” he put his hand on her forehead, “you’re hot, definitely a fever. And throwing up? Yep, it’s the flu.”

Darby moaned and leaned against him.

“Mom will be home soon, don’t worry. Do you need anything?”

“I’m fine,” she mumbled, eyes drifting shut.

“Try to sleep,” he advised her.

“Hmm. . .” she murmured, already half way there.

Darby woke up to the slam of the car door. She sat up, feeling much better.

Finally, it’s over.

She stood up and went to get a glass of water.

“Darby!” Dad yelled.

“What?” She came back out.

“She isn’t even sick,” Mom hissed.

“Would you care to explain why you skipped your last three periods?!” Dad roared.

She rolled her eyes, “I didn’t skip. During lunch I got sick and Mackenzie took me home.”

“You didn’t tell the office,” he stated.

“I didn’t want to, they’d call you and you didn’t need to worry.”

“And Mackenzie let you do that?”

“I had to persuade her,” she admitted.

“I think you’re lying,” Dad went on, “and you had Mackenzie help you skip.”

“I didn’t skip, I was sick,” she repeated, getting angry.

“You don’t look sick,” Dad surveyed her.

“I was. But I took a nap and now I’m well again.”

Mom put a hand on her forehead, “There’s no sign of a fever.”

Darby swatted her hand away, “Because it broke. I was sick, ask Christopher.”

“Don’t bring your brother into this!” Dad yelled.

“I’m telling the truth!” She yelled back.”

“Your grounded,” Dad said, finalization in his tone.

“For what?!”

“Skipping and lying to us.”

“I’m not lying!” She shouted.

Dad gripped her arm and tugged her toward the stairs, “Go to your room, now!”

Darby pulled away and her whole body began to quiver, the bruises began to burn, and her back felt like it was being ripped open, “Don’t touch me!” She screamed.

“What the hell?!” Dad yelped, stumbling back.

Darby screamed again, but this time it was from the pain.

“What’s happening to her?!” Mom cried, tears streaming down her face.

“The bruises,” he gasped, “they’re a faerie tattoo.”

“But she passed, this can’t happen to her!” Mom screeched.

Darby closed her eyes as one last shriek escaped her pursed lips. Then the pain ended and she felt better then she had in weeks.

“She’s a damn faerie!” Dad boomed, horror and anger rippling in his voice.

She stared at them in petrified silence.

No! It’s me! I’m not a faerie!

But she couldn’t make the words come out.

“Christopher!” Mom ordered, seeing him standing in scared disbelief at the top of the staircase, “Grab hold of it!”

It?! 

She backed away from them into a corner.

Christopher restrained her, but his eyes were confused and terrified.

“No!” Words began to pour from her mouth, “Christopher, it’s me! Don’t let them hurt me!”

His face was pained but he held on.

“Ow!” She cried out, tears burning her eyes, “You’re hurting my wings!”

Wings?!

“Don’t listen to that demon!” Dad commanded, carrying both a knife and a cross, “It’s not Darby!”

“Yes it is!” She told him, “Christopher, you know it’s me!”

Whether by accident or on purpose Christopher loosened his grip enough for her to escape. She ran up the stairs and heard someone follow. In her room she realized it was Christopher. He gave her a backpack and quickly they filled it up with everything that she would need. Absentmindedly she grabbed the dress he gave her and the necklace along with her wallet and picture of her and Christopher at the beach. He handed her fifty dollars out of his wallet and embraced her. Then he smashed open the window with her lamp and she slipped out.

“Thank you,” she whispered.

Tears filled his eyes, “I love you, Darby.”

She kissed his cheek and took a quick look down. It was a long way down and she didn’t know how to fly. Taking a deep breath she jumped.

To her surprise her body knew exactly what to do. She was gliding above the houses.

I’m safe. 

She smiled in relief, oddly at ease given her situation. She watched the world beneath her, nervous that people below would see her. But they didn’t, even if they seemed to look directly at her. 

Invisibility? 

She wasn’t sure. She continued flying until she saw Mackenzie’s house. She dipped down and landed on the balcony outside of her room. She knocked urgently on the door.

She has to understand. She’s the only one I can turn to now.

Mackenzie opened the door and when she saw Darby she gasped and shook her head, “No, not you, Darby,” she stumbled backwards.

“No, Kenzie, listen. I’m fine, I’m still me. I’m a faerie but it’s still me.”

Tears ran down her cheeks, then she turned angry, “You demon! You killed her!” She slapped her.

Darby ignored the pain, “No! Please, it’s me, it’s Darby.”

“Don’t you ever use that name!” Mackenzie demanded coldly, “Darby won’t be remembered as some dirty faerie,” she slammed the door and locked it.

Darby stood terrified. No one believed her. The only thing she could do was leave. There was no meaning for her here any more.

Where do I go?

The sun was setting and she needed some place to stay.

After a moment she decided to fly to Eugene, she needed to get out of this town. It didn’t take long, but he body was worn out and when she got there she was exhausted. It was dark now and she wasn’t worried about running into people as she walked along the path around Altenbaker Park, memories of picnics from her childhood overwhelmed her.

I have no family now.  

She went down to the river and laid in the grass, taking off her backpack and wrapping her black wings around her. The night looked like it would be chilly but she didn’t feel cold. Staring at the river, everything crashing down on her. In one day her whole life had changed.

But how did it happen? I was so careful.

Then she remembered the necklace.

She took it out of her backpack and glared at it. She was tempted to throw it into the river but the damage was already done, and hurling away a necklace wasn’t going to change anything.

What am I going to do with me life now? I won’t be able to go to college, get a job, there’s no chance of falling in love and making a family. I have no purpose.

Tears rolled down her face. She reflected back at all the hints that something was wrong. She should’ve done something, anything, and then maybe she wouldn’t be sitting here. 

Nothing’s worse than being a faerie. Death would be better than being a demon.

But she couldn’t find it in herself to jump into the rushing water. She had always been aware of how precious life was and even in this form didn’t want to accept defeat.

It’s a permanent answer to a temporary situation. There’s always choices, and that one isn’t the best one.

And she couldn’t end her life after what Christopher had done. He saved her, he wouldn’t have done that if he knew she wouldn’t make it.

Weak with fatigue, she fastened the necklace and used her backpack as a pillow. 

Everything will get better in the morning. 

She didn’t know how true that was, but it was all that she could hold onto as sleep claimed her.