*Sing-Songy voice*

X Men X Men X Men, X Men X Men X Men, X Men X Men X Men, X Mem X Men X Men!!!!!

Ok, ok, I'm sorry. I'm just sorta obsessed with X Men right now. AND THIS IS TOTALLY AWESOMEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Thank you so much, everyone, for all the nice words. It really makes me feel good that so many people are supporting me and this book I've written. CB is such a wonderul place. Just for it, here's an extra-long part. 

There was a rustle from above an Angelica snapped her head up. A copper red head streaked with gold was looking down at her with wide blue eyes. “Whoa,” said David Michael. “You’re good.” His tone had a somewhat reluctant streak of admiration. She frowned and shot a question back at him.

“How long have you been there?”

“Oh… a couple of minutes, maybe.” His cheeks colored. He thrust something metallic up against the glass. It was a…

“Lamp?” asked Angelica, her eyebrows lifting. It wasn’t a lamp like a family room one, tall, warm and covered with a lampshade. No, this one was small and probably used for surgery, as it had a bright white beam that cut through the darkness like a knife and a positionable post. It was about the size of her arm. It wasn’t much, but it would probably do.

“I’ll hit it against the glass top,” said David Michael. “OK?” Angelica nodded impatiently. She couldn’t wait to get out of the cramped white prison. “One… two… three…” he raised the lamp above his head and sent it hurtling down.

A piercing crash exploded inside the prison as glass rained down in deadly shards. Angelica pressed herself against a wall, covering her face, attempting to protect herself from the clear darts. Even so, the tiny daggers sliced her skin, drawing blood. She barely managed to suppress a groan. A few even flew up and struck David Michael, who grimaced, clenching his teeth.

All was still for a few seconds as the tinkling peals of glass hitting the floor faded away, then Angelica spoke. “You couldn’t have prevented me from becoming a chopping board, could you?” Sarcasm? Was that what she had just inflicted on him? Fortunately there was a snort from above. She relaxed, and suddenly she just wanted to fly. She spread her wings, vibrating them so they carried her up out of the jagged, but thankfully large enough hole. Guiltily she thought about what a grand entrance she was making, but the way of the theatre ran in her blood. As soon as she had exited the prison, she spread her wings out to their full extent, the moon’s glow illuminating them. She opened her eyes just a crack to see David Michael’s expression. He looked… a whole jumble of emotions. Incredulous, relieved, amused, even awed. Then, as she felt herself begin to fall, she let them come to life again.

She enjoyed the feeling of wind rushing through her cocoa hair as she zoomed around the lab, pulling it back to stream behind her in a brown wave. She had to admit, it had taken her the whole and many painful falls to learn to fly with these wings. Although, truthfully, her new eyesight had helped. Something had changed, but from the moment she woke up, it had been different. They were like tiny cameras, zooming in and focusing on everything, helping her perfectly maneuver around any object in her way.

Finally she swept around David Michael and landed neatly beside him. He whipped around, eyes wide. “Well!” he finally said. She grinned.

“I know, right? I’m still a little amazed I can do it myself…” she shuffled her feet on the rim of broken cage, mind chancing to land on the subject of how the heck two big dragonfly wings got stuck on her back. Also, how her eyes were much more advanced, and why David Michael was different too. Because she now noticed that other than the wings, he had somehow changed too.

There was a gold streak in his hair, his eyes were flecked with gold and his nose was sharper. I wonder why… wait, why do I care? His nose is his own problem! She frowned and opened her mouth to say something, but David Michael beat her to it.

“Yeah, well, it’s not every day you find a couple of flying mutant freaks.” As soon as the words exited his mouth, David Michael looked horrified, wanting to recall them back, but it was too late. Angelica felt anger surge through her like a tidal wave. That was what he thought? Even though she was different now, that she was nothing more than a mutation? An experiment gone wrong?

She bit her lip, trying not to let her emotions control her, but it was so hard. She finally let them wash over her. She shot into the air, hovering for a second, glaring at David Michael, who cowered beneath, words on the tip of his tongue, his mouth opening—

She flew away. So fast, she hardly knew what was happening. All she thought about now was getting away from the awful truth.

Her eyes were almost closed as she flew, so fast that she could hardly see. Tears streamed out of her half-closed eyes, dripping into the blackness below. All of a sudden she slammed into some large, thick object. She had been going so fast the impact nearly cracked her skull. Her wing flattered and she fell to the ground, landing hard on her side. The shiny white tile beneath felt hard and cold.

“OWWW!” she pressed a hand to her nose. She was certain it had broken and was now bleeding. Trying to stifle the flow and control the pain, she breathed in and out slowly and deeply. After a few minutes she could raise her head and look at the object in which she had crashed into. It was ominous and tall, a wall of… white.

That must mean that this was…

Another prison.

“Whose?” she murmured. “Whose is it?” There was only one way to find out. She tremblingly raised her wings, then dropped them back down. What if?

What if the person was someone she loved?

Or someone she hated?

Or a complete stranger?

I. MUST. KNOW. GIVE. MEH. MORE.

What would happen? Could they become friends? How would they deal? What if this person didn’t have wings? If they were some other creature's blend? What if they were on the brink of death? All these questions washed over her, briefly numbing the dull throb in her bloody nose. She gently pressed a hand to it and fluttered up to the rim. She closed her eyes, hovering at the rim. This was a moment she would never be able to take back, or forget. She took a deep breath and opened her eyes.

Nothing was in the prison.

Momentarily she was vastly disappointed. Then a flapping sound behind her distracted her from her heavy feelings. David Michael landed clumsily on the floor behind her, tripping over his own feet. He pushed himself up with his arms until he could look her in the eyes. Before she could say a word he launched into an apology.

“Look, I’m so sorry I said that. It was just because I was so—eurgh, I don’t really KNOW why I said that but I’m really, really sorry Angelica so please, please, please forgive me!” He looked pleadingly into her eyes. His sudden apology caught her so off guard not a word would come to mouth. In truth, she had completely forgotten what David Michael had said. Only now did it come back to her, bringing along the wave of anger with it. She struggled with the anger, finally managing to suppress it and ask a question.

“Oh… that’s alright. I forgive you. All I want to know is, why did you say it?” David Michael looked like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. He answered her question immediately.

“It’s because of something I read, a report a scientist wrote up.” He told her what he had read in the report. She listened with rapt attention, her expression growing more horrified by the second. When he finished, all fell silent. He bit his lip, worried. Angelica didn’t look good to him. And to herself, Angelica did not feel good.

“Why did this happen? Did these jerks just kidnap us and cut—splice, whatever—our genes up for no apparent reason are we supposed to save the world or something, like it is in all those books? I am going to—once I find those scientists, ooohh—“ she let out a cry and cupped her hand to her nose as it throbbed in pain from her sudden outburst. David Michael snapped to attention.

“Are you alright? What happened to your nose?” he reached out a hand to touch it, and she flinched away. “Oh, sorry,” he said, pulling his hand away. “We should at least try to find something before you bleed to death.” She rolled her eyes.

“I’m not exactly sure if you can bleed to death on a broken nose, Dr. Brilliant” she snorted. He puffed out his lip.

“Well, I’m trying,” he said, staring at her peevishly. He stood there for a few more moments, looking at Angelica. Silence fell like a blanket. She raised her eyebrows.

“Yes?” she asked. “Do you need something?”

“I’m waiting for your permission to go fix up your nose,” he said, sarcasm dripping from his tone. She smiled and nodded. He unfurled his wings and jumped into the air, beating them hard to get a powerful start. They lifted him into the air, working hard. Angelica looked up at him. Her wings seemed small by comparison. She laughed under her breath. Don’t judge a wing by its size. I can outfly him any day. David Michael called her attention back from her thoughts. He had managed a good height and was beginning to fly away in search of medical equipment. She sat down, sighing. If her nose wasn’t broken, she would be the one flying. She was faster, and better at maneuvering. Then again, if her nose wasn’t broken then this wouldn’t need to happen.

She lifted head up to watch David Michael. He was rapidly flying away, his wings beating up and down. For a second there, she was sure she saw a flash of brilliant gold sparkle in his direction; then it was gone and he was gone, disappearing into the darkness.

I NEEED MORE PLEASE POST MORE SO GOO BOOK

David Michael returned half an hour later, Angelica ready to go look for him. She had just spread her wings, ready to fly away when ruffled mass of red and black came hurtling out of the darkness and crashed a few feet away from her. Then the mass groaned, and she realized it was David Michael. She hurried over, hefting him onto his feet.

“What happened to you? You’re a mess! You need the medical supplies more than I do!” He pushed her hand away and groaned again.

“Let’s just say someone found a bad place to put a door instead of open space, and my jawbone got to be up close and personal with it.”

Angelica laughed. “Let’s just get us fixed up—“

“What was that?” David Michael jumped. Angelica turned to look at him.

“What was what?”

“It was, it was like, a creak. A door, maybe,” he said, frowning. “It sounded near. Brrr, this lab creeps me out.” Angelica had to admit that the dark, quiet lab was scary to her as well, but at least she wasn’t hearing creaky doors—

CREEEEEAAAK…

Or was she?

The sound came out of nowhere, uneasily near. Inside her nerves shot on end. David Michael almost hissed like a cat and spun around, expecting to see a monster looming out of the deep black. Nothing was there.

“So…” said loudly, dragging David Michael’s attention back to her. “David. Do you think we should try to see what’s in this prison right up here?” He looked at her as if she had just suggested he clean himself in horse manure.

“What if there’s something bad in there? Or a failed experiment? Or a—“

“Enough of the ‘what ifs’! We have to see! I personally know that I will spend the rest of my life wondering if I do not see what is inside of those white walls.” She ended this speech with a piercing dagger glare. He winced, the sighed.

“Alright, fine.” She grinned.

“C’mon. Up, ginger.” He opened his mouth in protest, but then followed her up to the rim, folding in his wings when he landed beside her. She was already looking in. A dark shape stirred, turning it head from the corner where it lay. Angelica’s heart began pounding faster as she saw large, dark shapes protruding from the figure’s back. It stood still for a moment, the crouched down and jumped in the air. The figure flew rather clumsily up to the glass and clenched its fingers to the glass, wings beating behind it. A cocky grin lit his face. Angelica’s eyes traveled up and down the face, her eyes narrowing.

“You,” she growled.

“Hey, Angie,” said Alex, flipping back his blonde hair.

End of Chapter 3 

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!

Sorry, that was unecessary, but your story is sooo good!

Chapter 4

Angelica  

Hatred washed over her in black waves. Alex! Of all the people to be given something, to be given anything, it had to be the biggest jerk to ever live! His cocky, self-sure grin only made everything worse. She hissed through her teeth. David Michael turned his head and looked her quizzically. Blank shock still showed in his eyes, but as he looked at Alex, who was still grinning, some of it faded away.

“Well, Alex,” said Angelica, spitting the words. “Didn’t expect to see you here.” Alex snorted.

“Neither did I,” he said, smiling. “Now, are you keeping me in here forever?”

“Preferably, yes,” spat Angelica, turning away. She was preparing to fly away when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned to see David Michael’s worried face.

“Unkind or not, we still have to get him out. No one deserves to be left in there. You remember what it was like.” She shuddered slightly. Did she ever. The white walls, the fear, the unknown terror of what might be coming. She sighed. Oh, how she wished David Michael weren’t so… right.

“All right, we go back for him,” she said, and banked sharply to the right, using her lower wings to control her angle. David Michael couldn’t control his wings so well in such close quarters, though, and had to spin in midair so his feet hit a wall and he was able to twist his body around and use the wall as a launchpad. He was fast, though, and caught up to her soon. “So, savior, how are we going to free the jackanapes?”  She used the Shakespeare term with pride. David Michael frowned.

“Jacka-what, now?”

“Jackanapes. It’s Shakespearean talk for jerk, basically,” she explained. He nodded, snorting. They spotted Alex down below. He had dropped to the bottom of the prison and was swathed in darkness. When they rather ungracefully landed on the glass surface, he spread his wings and flew up. Now that she looked at him, she noticed what his wings looked like. For the most part they were dark brown, the color of spruce tree bark, but with lighter tan near the shoulders.

“Hey,” he said. “Are you getting me out or something?” He had an air of coolness about him that made Angelica’s blood boil. She hissed.

“Maybe not! Maybe we’ll just leave you in there and let you rot forever!” She thought she saw fear flash across his face, but then he smirked.

“Yeah, right. You wouldn’t have come back if you wouldn’t.” Then he turned away. She balled her fists. Oooh, he was so infuriating! She wished she COULD just leave him in there!

But she couldn’t. Even with all the loathing she had for Alex, he was still human—minus the wings. She couldn’t leave anyone, regardless of their looks, behind. She sighed and motioned for David Michael to fly over. When he did, she pulled him up to the ceiling.

“What are you—“ asked Alex, but Angelica interrupted him with a smile.

“Duck,” she said.