Chapter 19

The cool wind is blowing against my face and the sky is adorned with a beautiful sunset,

"Where am I?" I ask this question to the heavens. Apparently I am on a cliff and the view was beautiful.

Wait, wasn't I supposed to be in a hospital?

As I near the edge I notice a feminine figure with black wings sitting at the edge, I move to her and sit beside her, I realize that she's the same woman that helped me out of the fire.

But she was crying.

I wipe the tears from her eyes and they glisten, they're like pearls,

"Crying doesn't suit you" I show her the pearls on my fingers and look into her eyes, so much love and pain in them,

"Eris" she whispers my name and cups my cheeks, that's when I notice her sharp nails, sharper than a new knife, but her touch was gentle. She looks down unsure of what to say,

"You know my name and hold me with so much love but are afraid of saying what's on your heart to me. Am I that scary?" I joke with a weary heart remembering how rejected I am,

"No" she caresses my cheeks and her nails tickle me and then I realize, they're just like mine, the same nail polish,

"Then what are you scared of?" I ask with a soft voice, she smiles,

"I'm scared that you might doubt your existence, your entire being" she wipes her tears, "I'm scared that it might be too much for you to handle"

"I see. You know me very well but I don't know you at all"

"You know me but you don't remember" she smiles and my heart melts, the sun had set and she rose to her feet, "it's time for me to leave"

"When are you coming back?" Like an eager child, I grab her hand tightly, stopping her from leaving,

"I'm not sure" she stares into the horizon, "but I'll always come to your rescue"

"So should I wait for you in another burning building by 11 pm sharp?"

She laughs at my joke and it sweeps my heart off its feet, "you're just like him" she pulls my cheeks,

"When do I meet him?" I grin like an idiot,

"Soon" she smiles and plucks a feather from her wings and places it in my hand, "to remember me. Keep it"

"I will, it is precious" I hold it close to my heart. And with a flap of her wings, she's soaring in the air into the horizon, but then it hits me, "wait!!!! What's your name?!?!!" I scream,

"Islana!!!" She responds and smiles creeps up our lips,

"Islana" I whisper her name holding the silky soft feather close to my heart.

I open my eyes to a white ceiling and my skin to an air-conditioned room. I sit up and remove the Bi-pap mask, I take in a deep breath to confirm that my lungs were still working,

"Islana" I whisper and smile, I look around my bed and then check under my pillow, "there it is" I grab the black feather she gifted me, "so she's real"

Then it hit me. I just saw an angel. They're real.

My train of thoughts is broken when a ray of light hits my face, I shield my eyes with my arm and reach for the blinds,

"Damn light trying to get me blind" I hiss and draw the blinds and that's when a nurse comes in,

"You're up?" She moves closer to me, "how are you feeling?" She sits next to me on my bed,

"I'm way better now" I smile at her, she grabs my arms and removes the bandages that I hadn't noticed, she gasps,

"Your burns are gone?! But how??!!" It was unbelievable to her, my eyes shift,

"That's the way I am really" I laughed sheepishly. I couldn't explain it either but the only scar that's on my body is the one on my back from birth; the others just disappear after a couple of hours or days.

Strange right?

She removes the bandages on my legs and discovers the same ordeal, she quickly gets up a bit scared, "your parents are waiting for you outside, should I let them in?" Her voice a bit shaky, I nod and she heads for the door taking her exit with Mom and dad making their entrance,

"Mom, dad, are you Okay? I mean, you're not hurt right??" The love for my parents has refused to die and my words are dipped in concern,

"We're fine Eris but we have a problem." My dad starts,

"What's the problem??! Is Cody okay???!!" Fear slowly grips me,

"Stop acting like you care. We know you started the fire" my mom's words cut through me like knives,

"Excuse me?" Confusion and anger lace my words, "I started the fire??" Pointing to my chest I seek clarification,

"Eris, look, there's no need to pretend. You've committed a crime, Arson is a crime and you're going to have to—"

"Why would you say such?" My voice trembles and the tears sting my eyes, "Am I a maniac that I will set our house on fire??!!'

"Who knows what's in your head? You and your boyfriend snuck out after your little plan to save yourselves" my mom nonchalantly spits lies,

"If I did so then why did I come back? Look I know I snuck out to see my friend but I would never do something like that...why are you both talking like this?" My hands shake as I try to reach out to them but they pull away,

"Eris we don't have time to argue this" my dad's aura changes, "just admit and face the consequences. It's not that hard"

This is hard for me to process and my head begins to pound. I never thought it was this bad. A tear falls from my left eye and lands at the center of my open palm. I am enraged but the best I can do is cry.

"Eris I'll give it to you straight. We're tired of you. Ever since you came into our lives we've been facing problems, you're like a bad omen" the woman I've addressed as mother for my life shatters me, I say nothing as the tears flow freely,

"Your mother is right. You look nothing like either of us, we don't know how you came about really! It's still a mystery to us. I'm okay with Cody, Tiffany and Tyler, I don't need another kid. This was all just a big mistake and we can't do this anymore!" He takes in a deep breath, "I believe you understand us?"

Not a word comes from my mouth but my tears speak volumes. So unfortunate.

"We'll bring whatever you have left from the house and give you some money to take care of yourself for a little while before you get a job and all" it's like a big weight off her shoulders,

"If you're worried about Cody we'll make him understand someway. It is a small world so if you ever come across anyone of us just pretend you don't know us and never will" Dad reaches for my hand but I pull away, he retracts back,

"Are you done?" My gaze on the wall and I get no response from either of them, "I knew this would happen one day, just didn't know it would be today" a small smile creeps up my lips, "Thank you" I mutter almost out of breath.

"You'll probably be discharged today, your mother and I will pay the bill and you can sort the rest. Goodbye Eris" my dad leaves my room and my mother follows suit.

My parents. Were my parents.

I pull out the black feather from underneath my hospital gown and give it a gentle kiss, I wipe my tears and lay my head to rest on the pillow. I knew this would be hard for me and Cody. My thoughts drift to him and an image of him laughing is stuck in my mind. More tears flow before I eventually fall asleep.