THESE HIDDEN WINGS

[2.1] ALIVE

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"There was never a fight your mother couldn't win."

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DEATH WAS THE emptiest feeling on earth. Floating around aimlessly in limbo, where there was nothing but utter darkness, trying to be something but just not being able to exist. Hope was real, that much I knew, it just didn't seem to exist here, at least that's what I thought till I spotted just a whisper of light.

It was enough to make me fight for it, trying to open whatever it was that was shielding me from the light. It was then I realized I was blinking. I was blinking but my eyelids were so heavy I couldn't quite open them, darkness consuming me after each failed attempt to open them fully.

"She's waking up, " a distant voice gasped, "Gravis!"

I fought harder against the feeling of sinking into the darkness, trying to keep up with the light. It became brighter and I found myself squinting at the brightest light I had ever seen.

Staring at it, I took in as much air as I could contain, to help ease my thundering heart rate.

Slowly, I turned my head to the side, spotting the blurry figures of three people by the door, unable to see what it was they were doing until the larger one moved toward me.

Feeling gentle fingers massage my scalp, I breathed out harsher turning my head to the side, whilst trying to clear my vision but feeling myself slip away with every lingering second

"You need more rest princess, don't fight it," someone breathed right above my ear.

I tried in vain to make out who it was above me but the last thing I felt was a sharp sting right below my shoulder, the lonely hands of darkness welcoming me into its hollow embrace.

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Shooting out of bed I gasped for air, eyes as wide as saucers. I was dead, well I had been dead! I think...I think I was dead. There was no other logical explanation as to how else I could have survived a fall like that! My hands automatically traveled all around my body and my face in an attempt to check for injuries.

Images of a metal rod hurtling toward me sprouted in my mind, feeling for any insanely large bumps on my head.

When I came to the strange conclusion, I was okay and that I was in the 1 percent that had survived a plane crash with none of my body parts seriously hurt, damaged, or worse... missing, I slipped into livid memories replaying everything that happened.

My book as I slammed it shut, eyes focused ahead, to my mother's soft smile. The plane suddenly tilted, pushing us back.

Gravis!

My heart suddenly sank, a dark cold shiver darting across my spine, as I came to the realization.

Mom.

I stared straight ahead of me, everything replaying before me like an unwanted dream, the masked figures, the blast, the fall, my head spinning with all these thoughts and images.

Tears crept behind my eyes, my whole frame shook in pure shock and disbelief, it couldn't have been real, none of it was possible. I couldn't have lost her.

Breaking down into my shaking arms, I let the tears fall, hugging my knees as I silently cried my eyes out.

"Queen Nalima isn't dead."

My head immediately jutted toward the strangely familiar voice, my heart racing rapidly, finally spotting the giant man who was leaning against the wall, dressed in casual jeans and a tight-fitting shirt.