Adri
As I sit atop Kellan's boat, the waves gently rocking and the softly shaded coral sky
bidding us goodbye, I become blissfully unaware of our differences and my reasons for
hiding. My heart is filled with joy knowing he has returned just to see me. Zion's head
rests on my lap, and the softness of his fur reminds me of the gentleness of Ma's touch.
Sitting down beside me, Kellan hands me a bubble beverage. Its sweetness tickles my
tongue and the bubbles knock my breath away.
"Wha-what is that?" I ask, coughing slightly.
"You've never had soda?" He questions. "So, like, what do you eat and drink?'
I explain that we mostly eat plants and drink only water. His eyebrows raise.
"That's it?"
What more does one need?
"Sure. All living things deserve to live until nature calls unto them; we don't eat living
things, nor do we consume anything that can hinder our physical aptitude."
"Okay, but are you saying that snacks like potato chips and a soda now and then will
affect your natural abilities?"
I don't know what those are, but Pa has never given me any of that to eat, so who knows?
"I don't know what any of those are, but as long as it's good enough for you, it's good
enough for me."
Pausing briefly, he breaks out in laughter and admits that these 'sweet and savory' items
are not really 'good' for anyone.
"Well, then they have no business being eaten, now do they?"
Shrugging playfully as he takes a big gulp of his soda, he leans back, and I decide to give
him a special treat.
"Where are you going?" he asks.
"You'll see."
Readying my wings, I dive into the water and propel myself rapidly, demonstrating my
impressive speed. After gliding through a large stretch of water, I take to the sky to show
off my soaring skills. I gracefully descend back onto the boat, but the impact of my landing
causes the vessel to tremble—a testament to the intensity of my unearthly weight.
Kellan's eyes widen in awe and I fight back a smile at his giddy reaction.
"That was spectacular," he says.
"Thank you. Just a little demonstration of what I can do," I jokingly say, folding my wings
back behind me.
"You still haven't told me how it is that you can do all this. Are you, like, from another
planet?"
Laughing hysterically, I shake my head. "Of course not! I look just like every other human
woman, don't I?"
"Not anyone I've ever seen," he says, winking.
"Seriously though, originally, we were born of the skies, hence the long slender arms,
legs, and body, but the changes to the earth's geography led our peak to drop to the
depths of the ocean. We landed in the realm of the Hydra, whose venom clouds the
waters that surround it. This was when our ability to adapt to life underwater began."
He hangs onto my every word like a child to their mother's bedtime tales.
"So, you guys were actually poisoned? Can every Zephyr do what you can do?"
"Ha ha, I guess you can say that. Although my people are very grateful for it because it
gave birth to superior Zephyrs, the Royals, and they each possess abilities unique to each
individual; beyond simply adapting to life on land and sea."
He caresses Zion, who lay beside him, and nods as he processes everything I've shared.
"So, are you a royal?"
Holding up my hand, I put an end to his sea of questions. "There's a lot that I cannot
share, but I can tell you that our seclusion is in the best interest of humankind."
Understanding my trepidation, he shifts the conversation, sharing details of his home in
Rio de Janeiro. He talks of a vibrant celebration at a festival known as Carnival. Watching
his eyes light up as he explains how the music, dancing, and dress-up create an
unforgettable experience for all inhabitants of the city and beyond, leaves me longing to
experience the human world.
Our eyes lock once again with an unwavering intensity when Zion's warm licks on my chin
break the atmosphere. Kellan jumps up, flustered, as he prepares a bowl of food for Zion.
"You must be starving, ay boy?" he says, laying the bowl down on the other end of the
boat.
He walks back with his head slightly titled, and a skittish smile appears on his face.
"You know, Carnival is not far away. I'd love to take you."
While his offer tugs at my heart, my apprehension leaves me unable to respond. A
powerful voice vibrates behind us, and Zion bolts to our side of the boat.
"Stay away from my daughter!"
Turning, the sight of Pa in his elevated state of rage knocks Kellan off his feet.
"What the f—"
Zion whimpers behind him, petrified by the sight of Pa's glowing silver eyes and massive
dreadlocks.
"W-why is his hair glowing?" Is all Kellan can get out.
"Pa, please. He's done nothing wrong," I say, stepping in front of Kellan.
My pleas fall on deaf ears as Pa circles the vessel in mid-air, creating a breath-stealing
vortex. "Return home with me, Adri. Now!"
Desperation surges within me as Zion and Kellan gasp for air. With a blaze of power,
blast him with a gush of water, sending him flying away from the boat. He zips back almost
instantly and hovers above us once more.
"I will not repeat myself."
I turn to Kellan, who, at last, has a minute to gather his breath and hug him tightly. "Meet
me at the nearby mountaintop at the next sunset," I whisper.
With that, it's time for me to head home before Pa causes irreparable damage to Kellan's
beloved boat. Pa still rages as he swims ahead and looks back, only to ensure I'm still
following.
As we return home, Pa's fury is indisputable.
"Does your safety mean nothing to you?!"
"I just—"
"Not a word! You know the rules; you know the risks of being discovered."
"I can't keep living my life in this hole, Pa!"
A look of anguish settles on his face. "Hole? As soon as the colony learns of your
whereabouts, you will have no life to live! Is that what you want?"
Tears well up in my eyes as I storm off to my room. Why did I have to be a bearer? I hate
my life!
The hours tick by and a soft knock comes from my door.
"Come in," I say, still nestled in my wings.
The look on Pa's face has morphed from anger to deep sorrow.
"I understand your misery, snowflake, but you have to understand the magnitude of this.
Ma gave her life so that you could be free from her own father's torment, and I vowed to
keep you from that horror. Befriending a human will only bring more threat to our lives."
"You still haven't told what the colony does to bearers. Why is it so terrifying? Maybe if
we just—"
"Enough. I will not let the vile acts of those savages be spoken in your presence, nor will
I allow you to believe in the possibility of civility for bearers. You are just going to have to
trust me."
His words pierce my heart, yet all I can do is nod. The memory of Kellan's kind eyes and
the promise of the human world linger in my mind—a beacon of hope in the darkness of
my existence.