Three Word Wednesday : weary, shard, pulse

Just a little bit of back story…

Night Wings – Arkin

His heart pumped and his pulse raced as he ran up and down shadowed alleys and through echoes of hallways of abandoned buildings.  The barking was distant now but he heard it.  It was too close.  Two days ago, he woke up with no idea of who or where he was.  When he stepped out onto the street, the faces terrified him.  He tried to act like he didn’t see.  Instinct told him that these people weren’t seeing what he was seeing.  They looked  calm, though mildly interested in him as he passed by.  Was his fear showing on his face?  He knew the truth about them.  He could see inside.

Thank God, it was getting dark.  He turned down another alley and heard the dogs sounding closer this time.  He ducked into a building and ran through it but when he reached the other side there was nothing but windows.  He could see that the ground was farther down on this side but still not too far to jump.  He couldn’t open the windows and there was nothing to use to break one.  The dogs in the building now so he backed up and took a running start, leaping at the window.  It was old and the frame was loose so it broke easily and he landed about six feet down.  He stood up and started running again, glass raining all around him.  An arm reached out of the shadows and jerked him into a doorway.  The face that belonged to the arm was kind and he knew he was one of the special ones. There was no anger in him – just a need to help.

The guy held his finger to his lips and opened the door, pulling him through.  He shut the door and locked it, motioning for him to follow.  They went down some stairs and then he pulled open a trap door.  A little afraid to follow but more scared of the men with dogs, he followed him down the ladder.  The trap door clicked shut and he shot a metal bar through some iron hooks.

“Come on, we’ll be safe.  Let’s just get away from this door.”

He followed him deeper inside and finally they came to another door.  He opened it  and when they stepped in, he lit a lamp.  “We’ll be safe here.  They’ll get tired of looking and leave and tomorrow we can move on.  My name is Ryall.  I have some water and some bread here.  It isn’t much, but you are welcome to share.”

He nodded his thanks and reached for the cup and winced.

“Wow, man.  You must have cut yourself when you went through the window.  That was something else, by the way!  Let me look at your arm.”

He set the cup down.

“Come closer to the light so I can see. What’s your name?”

He helped take the jacket sleeve off, and in the light, he could see a shard of glass sticking up out of his arm.

“I don’t know.”  Ryall looked up at him, startled.

“Hang on, let me get some cloth to tie this up before I pull the glass out.” He tore a piece of his shirt and after he pulled the glass out of his arm, tied the piece of cloth around it.  “We’ll need to clean that up better tomorrow, but that’s the best I can do tonight.  So, where are you from?”

I don’t know that either…and thanks.”  He flexed his arm a bit and whistled.

“Well, why were they chasing you?”

“Because I ran.”

“Why did you run?”

“Because they have no gifts and they fear that.”

“Gifts?”

“Like yours.  You can fly.”

Ryall paled. “What are you talking about?”

“I see…things in people.  Some are just empty, blank.  Like there’s nothing there and they are just moving through their days.  Some have anger and hate written all over them.  Fear too.  They hate anything different than they are. I think it comes from the fear.”

“That doesn’t explain your statement about me flying.”  Ryall wondered if helping this guy was turning out to be a huge mistake.

“Some people have special gifts.  I can see that too.  I can see your wings.” He touched the makeshift bandage on his arm.

Ryall stared at him. “Who are you, really?”

“I don’t know, I told you.  I don’t remember anything before two days ago.”

Ryall looked thoughtful.  “Well, I have to call you something. He looked around.  There was a stack of crates in one corner labeled “ Arkin Industires”  in black stenciled letters. “Arkin.  How about Arkin?”

He said the name to himself. He thought about Noah’s Ark and how Noah gathered the animals together to save them from the flood.  “Guess it’s better than nothing.”

“Well Arkin, what do we do now?  Do you have a place to stay?”

“No.”

“If I leave you on the street, the Mekaneks are going to find you, eventually. What do you want to do?” Ryall knew Arkin had a gift the Mekaneks would use if they caught him.

Arkin didn’t hesitate. “I want to go with you.”

Ryall ran his fingers through his hair.  “Look, I know this place isn’t much, but let’s try to get some rest.  We’ll check it out in the morning and if it’s clear, I’ll take you to a place.”

It had been a confusing and frightening couple of days for Arkin.  His arm hurt. He was weary and hopeful at the same time.  Maybe he would have a chance to find out who he was.  He curled up in a corner and for the first time since he woke up in that empty room, he slept.

Ryall sat down, back leaning against the wall, knees up.  This was something new.  He had never heard of anyone who could see the special ones and what they could do.  Was this a good thing?  Time would tell.

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