Frozen Embers by D. S. Novis (books to improve english .txt) 📕

Gabriel screamed in agony. Had he been stabbed? Something hard had been jammed into both his shoulders. No, that wasn’t right, two things were stabbing out of his shoulders. Gabriel threw off his bag and reach around his left shoulder blade. He could feel something growing from him. It was as though extra limbs were bursting from his back. He threw aside his blazer but there was not time for his shirt. It was ripped off him from the seems, buttons popped and fabric teared until he lay bare-chested, writhing in pain.

After what felt like an hour, but most probably was mere seconds, the pain subsided. Gabriel lay on the ground, topless and panting. He rolled over onto his knees and went to reach over his shoulders again but stopped as he caught sight of two large white things that were hanging over him, around his arms and across his chest as though cradling him. Gabriel whipped away the water from his eyes and refocused them. He saw... feathers?

"Michael!" the masked man squealed with terror as he ran back to the helicopter.

"Don't use my real name you idiot!" Michael yelled back.

"Michael you gotta see this man! This kid just grew fricking wings!"

"What the hell you talking about-" but Michael's deep voice cut off as he looked out across the rooftop.

Wings? Gabriel thought weakly. He pushed himself shakily to his feet and examined them. He could hear the wind rustling his feathers. More importantly than that though, he could feel it. The sensation coming in as strong as someone rubbing his arm. The feathers, the wings, were a were a part of him.

Gabriel found he could tense the muscles on them. He willed them to stretch apart. They did. He relaxed them and again they enveloped him. He could see them clearly now. They were wings. Wings that spread at least three meters in diameter. They stemmed from his shoulder blades. They were beautiful. Dove like. Angel like.

Gabriel looked up to the men who were all standing open mouthed and staring at Gabriel. All accept the two men in suits.

 “Michael!” Gabriel yelled again as he began to walk firmly towards them.

Michael and the men stepped backwards. Panic stricken, they started to clumsily walk climb backwards into the helicopter, rushing to get the money in.

The two business men stayed where they stood however, blocking Gabriel's way.

“Ah, Philatanus look. One of our little pigeon friends has come to gate crashed our party.” said one of the men to the other in a light tone.

“Yes Ornias, I can see that.” said Philatanus shortly.

“Why the sour tone?” snapped back Ornias.

“Well to be frank, I’m a little offended. This is due to be the biggest bank robbery to hit London for decades and all they send is this teenager.” replied Philatanus.

Gabriel had been listening to these two men only because they blocked his way to the helicopter. Philatanus and Ornias. Surely they weren't their real names. Also Gabriel was in complete bewilderment about what they were talking about. They seemed to not be at all shocked at the sudden appearance of a bird-boy... a boy-bird... a winged thing in front of them.

“Listen, all I want is my sister back. You can keep the money for all I care.” Gabriel said in as calm a voice as he could muster.

The men stood staring at Gabriel for a moment, looking the most confused they had yet.

“He acts as though he does not know of us.” said Ornias in a slightly puzzled tone to Philatanus.

The one named Philatanus regarded Gabriel speculatively for a moment.

“What is your name, angel?” Philatanus asked Gabriel.

“Angel?" Gabriel was flabbergasted he had no idea how to respond. "Move aside so I can get to my sister.” Gabriel repeated firmly. He glanced over their shoulders to the helicopter. The masked men were almost done with the bags. 

“The girl?” asked Philatanus. “What concern is she of yours?”

“She’s my sister.” Gabriel answered annoyed, his temper rising.

“See, we have a predicament there.” said Philatanus with a laugh.

Gabriel just stared in silence so Philatanus went on.

“The girl is what I’m getting out of this you see. I have no concern about the money. She’s my reward,” He gave a stomach turning wink. “If you know what I mean.”

Gabriel reacted without thinking. Adrenaline coursing threw his veins like molten lava. He lunged at Philatanus. Perhaps it was the stupidity of his act that caught Philatanus off guard but Gabriel landed a punch square in his face. The punch was harder than he had ever thrown before. His fist radiated power as it made contact with his face. Philatanus flew feet into the air and landed on his back in the snow.

The man called Ornias reacted moments later with the most surreal thing Gabriel had seen that day. Ornias swung his arms as though about to throw a ball. As he thrust his hand in Gabriels direction, however, a ball of fire materialised in his hand and flew straight towards Gabriel.

Instinctively Gabriel dived sideways. The ball missed him by inches. He ran and crouched behind an air vent as several more falmig balls flew past him. Gabriel poked his head around the vent and saw Philatanus getting to his feet. He had a split lip that was oozing blood.

Philatanus looked extremely angry. He threw his jacket off. Gabriel expected Philatanus to come running towards him. Instead he just stood there. He closed his eyes for a moment, balled his fists and tensed with concentration. Wings sprouted from the man’s shoulders and small spiky horns erupted from his forehead. His wings weren't white like Gabriel's but the darkest shade of black. With one swift movement of his wings Philatanus took flight. He let out a deranged laugh as he circled above Gabriel like a vulture. Gabriel couldn’t believe his eyes.

“Come out Duckling!” He yelled down from above.

Gabriel stayed where he sat. With morbid irony he felt like a sitting duck. Fire started to rain down on him. Philatanus was aiming around him. Scare tactics. He was toying with Gabriel.

“Come out coward!”

Gabriel’s mind was racing. What was going on? This can’t be real. He could see no way of getting around this demonic mad man to Molly. There was nothing for it. He’d have to fight. So Gabriel stood up firmly and held his hands out in useless fists. Philatanus hovered meters above Gabriel’s head. Philatanus' attention was not on Gabriel any longer but to the left of them both.

He looked horror struck. Gabriel turned his head to see what he was looking at. From the swirling mist of white came a man. With wings that matched the white of Gabriel’s, he fly fast towards the roof. He had grabbed Philatanus across the middle with such force that they were both sent flying to the roof floor. An revolting, bone breaking crunch hit Gabriel's ears.

Gabriel stared in amazement wondering what he could do to help. Ornias burst into the air, with wings and horns matching that of his fallen comrade and flew off the roof of the bank, without even a glance back.

The angel man was tall, muscley and had blonde hair that was braided into dreadlocks. He wore a white top with holes that allowed room for his wings on either shoulder blade and blue denim trousers.

But what hit Gabriel most was this man’s resemblance to Gabriel. He could have been his older brother. The man pulled from a harness on his belt, a gleaming gold sword. Philatanus flailed his mighty wings and squirmed his entire body but it was no good. The man held him firmly down by the throat as he plunged the golden sword straight into Philatanus’ heart.

As the life drained out of Philatanus the white winged man looked up to Gabriel. His faced changed from aggression to shock. He gazed wide eyed at Gabriel.

Gabriel, however, didn’t have time to stare. He whipped his head towards the helicopter. It had taken off. Gabriel’s heart dropped. He had failed. Michael was going to take his sister.

“No.” Gabriel said determinately and started to run powerfully towards the edge of the building. He ran as though he’d always known it would come to this. Gabriel dived from the side of the building, arms spread, and willed his wings to keep him airborne. They did and with one swipe he was soaring towards the helicopter with superb speed. Gabriel flew like a wrecking ball straight into the helicopter’s side, smashing through the wall. He landed on a masked man who was struck unconscious.

The inside of the helicopter turned to anarchy. One man began firing his gun in all directions, hitting another man in the chest. Blood sprayed outwards from the man's open cavity.

All the men were yelling in fright as the helicopter began to swing around uncontrollably. Wind and snow filled the small. Gabriel however was bent over in pain again. His wings appeared to be going back inside him. After seconds they were completely gone. He looked up. On the other side of the helicopter, clutched in the mighty arms of Michael, was a struggling Molly.

“Gabriel!” Molly screamed in terror.

“Let her go Michael!” Gabriel yelled in fury.

Michael looked horrified. Gabriel started towards him. Due to fear Michael threw Molly aside like a bomb that were about to explode. Molly fell sideways and stumbled out of the hole Gabriel had made. Without thinking, Gabriel dived out of the helicopter. Arms stretched out he caught her hand and pulled her close. They fell with increasing speed towards the concrete streets below.

He tensed his whole body, willing the wings to appear again. They were their only hope.

"Come on! Come on!" He yelled desperately.

They had to come! But they did not. So Gabriel did the only thing he could do. He cradled his little sister with his own body, hoping to use himself as shield from the inevitable collision. He took a final look down at his best friend. She was as beautiful as ever. 

3

Flesh and Paper

   Sarah woke up feeling disorientated. She felt like she’d been hit over the head with something hard and heavy. She tried to recall the memories of the previous night. She remembered being at a party, an office party, celebrating the big deal that her firm had just secured. Yes, that’s right, she thought. The last thing she could remember was the champagne they’d all drunk. How much had I had? She thought.

Slowly she seemed to be regaining the feeling in her body and this made her realise how uncomfortable she was. She was lying on a cold concrete floor. Confusion forced her eyes open. This didn’t clarified nothing as it was close to pitch black. A cold chill ran down her spine. It was freezing where ever she was. She climbed shakily to her feet.

“Hello?” she called out into the darkness. “Is there anyone there?”

The echo that returned to her gave her the impression that they were in a big hall.

Sarah was worried now. She was debating whether or not to search blindly for a door when lights burst sporadically to life high above her. Sarah covered her eyes.