"If I got rid of my
demons, I'd lose my
angels."

-Tennessee Williams

---------------------------

ℂ𝕙𝕒𝕡𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝟚𝟞

𝔽𝕣𝕖𝕖𝕕𝕠𝕞

I jerked awake, tightening my hold on Nora as I scanned the empty seat next to me.

I cringed when my hand pressed against her soiled diaper. Shifting her to my other arm, I pulled the end of the jacket to cover me better and jumped out of the metal device.

I shivered and tucked Nora into the jacket as a cool breeze rose goosebumps on my skin. The dark sky was filled with shimmering stars that twinkled right next to the crescent-shaped celestial next to it.

I winced involuntarily when Nora's hand shifted onto one of my now healed burn marks underneath the rough jacket.

My feet sunk into the sand, granulated particles flowing between my toes as I scanned the serene surroundings around me. The trees danced with the wind, leaves quivering as if it felt the chill of the air around it.

Nora cooed as she squirmed in my arms. Slowly, her eyes inched open, revealing bright sapphire blue eyes. With her chubby cheeks and the tip of her nose tinged red, she looked like an adorable sight.

"Mama." Nora's sleep filled drowsy eyes lit up as she smiled a one-toothed smile Her chubby cheeks lifted up as she reached her pudgy hands up to touch my face.

I laid a small kiss on her dark petal-soft hair and cuddled her closer to my warmth as my eyes observed the medium-sized fire made on a pile of rocks next to a palm tree. Occasionally, it spit out a piece of hot charred wood.

"Well, you've finally woken up."

I turned my head to see Reya with a clear bottle full of fresh water. She told a big gulp and held out the bottle to me questioningly.

Without any words, I grabbed the bottle and placed its mouth on Nora's lips, tilting it slightly so she could drink it better. After she was full, I lifted the bottle and took short controlled sips, relishing in the feeling of water soothing my dry throat.

With a satisfied burp, I held the empty bottle out to Reya. She grabbed it with a smirk and tossed it into the fire as she plopped down next to the warmth.

"You're lucky. On most days, it takes me weeks to find an oasis." she said, as she gazed into the fire.

I kept quiet, relieved to finally be reunited with Nora. She bounced in my lap with excitement, and clapped her hands at nothing in particular. Her eyes danced with mirth as she wiggled out of the warmth of my jacket.

Her wings laid flat against her back, protecting her body from the cold as she wobbled on short legs.

She clapped her hands once more, and let out a giggle, pointing at Reya with one finger as she turned to me. "Mama, s-stranger."

She shook that one finger from side to side and pouted her lips, trying to look stern. "Bad."

I nodded at her, smiling to affirm that it was indeed bad.

She jumped once, and then twice when she realized that she wouldn't fall.

I watched confused as she continued jumping, her face twisted into features of utter concentration.

Nora bent low, and jumped once more, using all of her power to go as high as she could.

But she didn't come down.

I gasped as she floated mid-air, with only her fragile wings supporting her just inches shy of the ground.

"Mama, look! I can fly!"

I jumped forward just in time to catch her as her wings quivered and gave away. Nora landed in my outstretched arms in a heap. With a push she was standing again. But this time, her legs gave away under her, and she fell to the ground roughly, scraping her knees.

There was a moment of silence before her face scrunched up and turned tomato red. Her mouth opened wide as she let out loud wails and fat tear droplets rolling swiftly down her round cheeks as she cried.

I pushed myself up with my arms and gathered her into my embrace, soothing her with tiny pepper kisses.

When that didn't work, I tried another technique.

"Nora, " I called. She didn't listen.

"Nora." I called out more firmly this time, finally gaining her attention. I refrained from giving in as her huge glazed eyes focused on mine. "Faeries don't cry. You do want to be just like mama, don't you?"

She blinked once, and another tear leaked out of her eye. "But you're not a faerie, mama. You don't have wings!"

I didn't want to tell her how I was referring to 'mama' as Daisy.

She didn't have to know yet.

I wiped her tears away with the pad of my thumb as I held her face in my hands. "I do have wings, Nora. But I keep them hidden. Only good girls get to see them." I lied.

Nora's face lit up, completely contradicting the remains of her earlier sorrow. "I'm a good girl, mama." She crossed her arms and straightened her back, as her wings shot straight upwards and stood rod straight too.

I laughed and pushed her off my lap, into the soft sand.

Just as I was about to blow raspberries on her tummy, I noticed Reya starting at me with a heated gaze. I followed her line of sight to where it was stuck; it lead straight to the open gap between my jacket.

I gasped, outraged, as I straightened immediately and pulled the seams together. "Why, do you have no shame?" I questioned.

Reya smirked and ran her eyes down my body. "No reason to not appreciate a hot bod."

I glared at her, before my eyes widened and realization occurred to me. "Wait, a-are you a-a leprechaun?"

Confusion filled Reya's features as she tried deciphering what I had just said. That was moments before she burst out laughing. Her head tilted back as she slapped her hand on the sand, scaring away a scampering desert mouse.

Nora, seeing the apparent stranger laughing, started bouncing on the sand and laughing as well. I winced as she squished her dirty diaper each time she came back to the ground.

I have to get rid of that soon, before she gets a rash.

Reya was now laughing so hard that the only sounds that were coming out of her mouth was air.

I waited bemused, as she finally stopped and wiped a few tears away from her eyes. "It's lesbian!"

And she burst out laughing again.

Was it really true? I had only heard about those who liked people of the same gender from Elex, when he came back from training.

Reya settled down after a while. We both watched as Nora wobbled behind a dung beetle, who was occupied in pushing his dung ball.

"Where did you get the water from?" I asked, turning to Reya. But she had already fallen asleep.

I sighed and stood up, swooping Nora into my arms as she giggled excitedly.

I placed my finger on my lips, indicating her to keep quiet. She did so with another giggle as she too placed her small finger on her lips.

I walked a bit further than where we had sat before I saw the wide clear lake surrounded by a few trees. The moonlight cast an almost eerie glow to the scene as I approached the lake.

Placing Nora onto the ground, I removed her diaper with a pinched nose. I flung it to the other side of a tree, as I gently lowered Nora onto the water.

As soon as her feet touched the cool liquid, she started crying.

"Mama, no bath." She squirmed in my hold, as I desperately tried to keep my grip on her. I was balanced precariously on the bank of the lake. I know that if I fell into the water, there was no way I'd be able to warm myself up to stay alive.

With my stern stare, Nora slowly stopped, her lips wobbling occasionally as her body fully submerged in the water.

I used my hands to scrub out the grime in her hair, making sure to clean her armpits and private area too.

The clear water soon turned brown as all the dirt washed away. I wrung Nora's hair twice to rid it of any water before I placed her carefully back beside me.

"Nora, look at this, baby." Her glazed eyes focused on me before they focused on my outstretched hands.

Nothing happened for a moment. Then slowly, like a small firefly, a soft glow lit up underneath my skin. It grew brighter and brighter until finally, my whole palm glowed. I looked down at Nora from beneath my eyelashes to see her gazing at my palms with her eyes wide open. Her eyes glowed with the same light of my palms as I slowly placed them on her body.

She let out a little squeal at first before she calmed down and leaned into the comforting warmth that I knew my palms gave.

I made sure her body was clear of all water droplets before I scooped her up again and tucked her beneath my jacket.

She gave out a little sigh, before soon I felt the familiar tug that accompanied breastfeeding a child. I winced as she latched on a bit too hard, but kept walking.

Instead of settling next to Reya, I hopped into her metal contraption, adjusting myself so I was comfortable.

I placed my hands on the round smooth object in front of me, running my fingers over its seams, just as I'd seen Reya do.

There were just two rectangular pieces of metal propped up on the floor. Cautiously, I pressed one of them.

Nothing happened.

I pressed the other, and screamed as we went shooting forward. The device was rapidly approaching the glittering lake, as my heart thumped in my chest and my eyes opened wider.

Just moments before we hit the water, I turned the wheel in my hands, screaming once more as the device balanced dangerously on two wheels before it slammed down onto the other two wheels once more.

I careened past a sleepy half-awake Reya, grinning as I looked back at her outraged face.

This is fun!

I laughed as the wind blew back my hair, and rushed past my face, chilling it instantly.

Reya remained just a small dot far behind me, as I laughed a long deserved laugh.

Freedom felt good.

Nora let out a loud burp in response. But that was before I felt warm liquid flow down my thighs and gather on the seat.

Ugh. Fuck my life.

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