I haven't said this yet, but I'm gonna make this book 40/45 chapters long and not 30 (but maybe with a little break to finish another book when I reach 30)

So much of Tuesday is spent missing deadlines due to sleeping and promising that I'm going to make the next one that when I wake up on Wednesday morning, I'm starving and quickly realize I haven't eaten since Monday evening.

So I guess I'm going to have to do that get up and act like a normal person thing.

Scar's still asleep, and I let him continue doing that as I fall out of bed, crawl to my feet, ignore the vast amount of feathers absolutely everywhere, and shuffle into the kitchen area to grab some food.

'Hiya Grian!' BigB, ever enthusiastic as he prepares a breakfast more elegant than mine's going to be 'You're awake!'

'Barely.' I croak back, snatching up the bag of bread and consuming 3 slices plain before finding some water, swallowing it down, and returning to my bedroom to find some cleaner, less feathery clothes. 

'Grian?' It seems that Scar's awake too now, sitting up at the sight of me. 'You... alright?'

'I guess. What lesson do we have this morning?'

'Elytra?'

I groan loudly, all my thoughts of actually going to class instantly gone.

'Please tell me you're joking...'

'I'm sorry, G. Is there anything I can do to make it easier for you?'

'Aside from cutting off my wings, no.' Is the most cheerfully I can make myself reply with, removing my stinking sweater, throwing it into a corner, and replacing it with one basically the same. I look over at Scar. 'Can you leave so I can change?'

'Yeah, sure.' He replies, climbing out of bed, gathering some clothes, and leaving. It doesn't take long to change, but a lot longer to bring myself to leave the bedroom, 'ready' for class. While finishing his food, Scar throws his clothes back into the bedroom and we head off, accompanied by an exhausted Bdubs. It's a complete miracle that we arrive on time, let alone early. Martyn's waiting, as is False. I smile at the blonde.

'Hey Grian. Where were you yesterday?'

'In bed. The whole time. '

'That's a lot of time sleeping.' Comments Martyn. 'Almost rivals how long I spend moping after Ren.'

Impulse chooses this moment to dampen the whole atmosphere by arriving, joined by Tango and Skizz. The former waves at me. 

'Grian, you alright?'

'Yeah... probably.' 

More students arrive, until everyone here, just Xisuma arrives with his usual attitude

'Hello, class.' He begins with a smile 'Come in, grab elytras. We're just doing a bit of casual flying today, since I know a lot of you will be tired after some recent events.' It appears he has enough tact not to mention it any further as he lets the class in. Everyone's here it seems, and Scar runs over to join Cub, leaving me to struggle with my elytra-wings combination alone.

Whatever I do, they don't want to stay on comfortably. I've grown used to hiding it from Xisuma, deciding to just sort it out later on. Impulse is watching me, frowning. I ignore him as much as I can. 

'Line up, the first person can climb up the flying supports. Show off as much as you want, as long as you don't end up hurt.'

'Need help with your elytra?' I jump at the sound of Impulse's voice, though the request sounds genuine. I decline politely.

'It's fine. But thanks for asking.'

'Of course...'

No more thought is spent on it, distracted by watching Cub manage a spectacular flight through the smallest of the sky-hoops, turning sharply and landing unscathed to let Scar take off, fly in a straight line, turn too hard and barely manage to stop himself from completely crashing. I snort with laughter. Classic Scar. A few more classmates attempt their own flights, some being successful and others being Mumbo and Jimmy. Martyn... False... Doc... Tango... I watch them all, impressed, with a mix of entertainment and growing dread about my own turn coming soon. 

'Nervous?' Scott ask, watching me with a sympathetic smile. I nod back, watching as he climbs up the ladder to the platform. It's a long way, the ladder reaching right into the sky, and my nerves grow even more as he reaches the top and jumps, flying easily. 

And then it's my turn. 

I take a step up the ladder. Then another, and another until I'm at the top. My elytra hangs awkwardly down my back, still not on properly, and I try to adjust it with shaking fingers. 

Until I see Impulse begin to climb the ladder behind me. 

Instant panic. Fingers fumble with the straps, my wings want to burst out and be free, my heart hammers at triple the speed as I fail to make progress, cursing myself. 

'You alright?' Another genuine question from Impulse as he reaches the top, looking over. He climbs onto it, looking up at me as I step away. 

'I'm fine. Just... struggling to get this to work.'

'You want help?' 

'N... no. I'm fine.' I flex my wings, unable to keep them in their screaming agony any longer. 

A feather lands on the platform, and Impulse's eyes flick between it to mine, a look of surprise filling his face, and then terrifying understanding.

'You. It was you that dropped a feather a while back?'

'W...what?' I back away, down the platform, away from the ladder. Sweat breaks out over my skin. 

'You have magic too.'

'Impulse, please. Don't tell on me.'

'What do I do then?' 

'Keep it a secret! Stop being a f***ing coward! Now stay back and let me do this.' I turn, facing the edge of the platform, toes just over the end as I stare down, still trying to fix my elytra.

Impulse speaks again.

'I'm sorry.' 

A sudden force. 

My balance fails. 

I fall. 

A scream escapes my throat as I plummet, desperately trying to get my elytra to work, stop my wings from instinctively opening, tugging and tightening and failing to find the strings to open my f***ing fake wings. I think I hear Scar howl my name in the background. My stomach lurches, ground coming closer and closer and closer. 

I give up on trying, hands spread in front of me in some kind of useless defense as I accept my fate.

Impulse just killed me.

It's my last thought as I hit the ground.

:)