Landed Wings

chapter 33: PLAN



OBSIDIAN

“Today’s not going to be easy, Ive.”

“I know.”

“We have to work hard not to…slip up.”

“I understand Ob, I’m not three.”

We’re standing outside the doors of the school. We got here early to go over our plan.

“This thing is at seven, and we don’t have much time after we get out of school to get ready.”

“So what’s the plan?”

“Forge a note saying you have to leave at about two from your mother.”

She winces.

“We have to do it Ivory. It’s necessary.”

“I realize that, but it doesn’t make it go down any easier. If we get through this, I’m going to have a lot to explain, and I’m going to have to lie about that too.”

“I know and I’m sorry Ivory. I’m just going to skip my last

period so that we can leave together. At about six, we should meet up at the park again. This event is in Skyview and it’s a long flight. We can talk over everything one last time, then leave at six thirty.”

“That’s the plan?”

“It’s the only one I’ve got.”

“I feel like you just figured it out right now.”

“I did.”

“Ob - You saw the news this morning?”

“Yeah.”

“What are you going to tell them?”

She gestures toward the building.

“I’ll have to say that I don’t know where she is, but that she was upset about Ash and might have tried to find her.”

“Who do you think leaked her disappearance?’

“Pepper. It’s her own petty revenge for me pushing her off of my porch yesterday.”

“You pushed her off your porch? She must have been pissed. I wished I could’ve seen her face.”

I grin.

“It was priceless. So I’m guessing none of you liked her?”

“Bramble did. Persimmon didn’t mind her, but that’s only

because she’s Persimmon – you could cut off both of her wings and she would still think you were her friend.”

I laugh. It’s mean, but true.

“I wonder why Sangria goes out with her.”

Ivory shrugs.

“Every bread has its cheese.”

“Eloquent words of wisdom.”

“Not really, my grandfather used to say that to my mom and she was always saying it to me. I just I just figured out what it means.”

“So, what’s your cheese?”

“I thought it was Ash…but right now I don’t know. Yours?”

“Definitely dangerous.”

She doesn’t look at me, but we both know that I’m the only one in our group whose been described as dangerous. We don’t say anything for a while. I break the silence.

“We have to go in.”

“Yup.”

“Right now.”

“Ok. Let’s go.”

Still we hesitate. The doors to Volar High seem more

imposing than usual. This time, it’s Ivory who speaks first.

“I feel like kicking down the door commando style. You know, kick it with my fists up.”

“You should do it.”

“Nah, they’d kick me out for property damage.”

I look at Ivory’s feet. She’s wearing combat boots today.

“Yeah, with those shoes, definitely.”

With that, I open the door and expect to see everyone stop in the hall and stare. But everything looks the same. I don’t even know if I should be here, what’s the protocol for going to school when your twin sister is missing? If I stayed home, they would have sent Sky Patrol to my house and they would have wanted to speak to my parents. If they found out my parents aren’t here, they would have taken me in. I couldn’t let that happen so her I am walking down the halls of Volar High. As we walk down the hall, people do start staring. I know they’re staring because they probably all heard the news. I act casual and try not to seem upset. If I don’t seem worried, maybe they’ll think that the news exaggerated. I reach my homeroom without incident, and Ivory goes to hers. My teacher asks me in a really loud voice if I’m ok and if I know where Raven is. I smile and tell her that the news got it wrong. Raven is not missing, she’s just taking some time to herself. It sounds so fake, I’m sure the teacher will see through the flimsy explanation. But she sounds reassured and tells me that I have to tell the police. Then she smiles and gestures for me to sit down. I sit down through a boring hour of stuff I won’t remember in twenty minutes. All I can think about right now is tonight and if it will go as planned. I don’t want to hurt Ash, but I have to save Raven. The only way I can do that is to convince Ash to come with me. Ash has a good heart. Once she hears Raven is in trouble, she probably wouldn’t need much convincing. It’s almost over. They’ll let Raven go tonight. I’m sure of it.