"What?" I turned to look at her, my face contorted in pain. "You did this to me?"

    She raised her hand in defense. "When I first met you, I had no idea it was you till you showed me your wings. I regret what I did Will!"

    "But I trusted you! All this research you did, it wasn't for me was it? You were probably just reporting to this guy!" I shrieked.

    "This is very dramatic," James pushed in. "But I need to take William with me now."

    The other two guys approached with their arms ready to grab me. I tensed, and glanced around for an exit. The only one I could see were the huge floor to ceiling windows, the ones I had always liked. I bit my lip, this was going to hurt.

    I rough hand on my shoulder sprung to my senses, I jumped back wards, knocking over a chair. Now at a safe distance, I quickly shrugged off the sweat shirt, tying it in a quick knot around my waist. One of the thugs lunged for me and I surprised him by whipping out my wings, all fifteen feet of them.

    For a moment, the room was still, I could see the surprised and shocked faces of the Lab people. James took off his glasses, folded them neatly, and tucked them back into his shirt.

    "Well I'll be," He marveled. "The stories are true."

    He turned to Lucy. "You didn't exaggerate."

    Thug numero uno tried to grab my arm but I whacked his face with my right wing, then tumbled, springing back up again only to jump over number two. Lucy screamed my name as my shoulder slammed into the thin glass. It shattered, well, like glass. And I hung in the air for a moment before dropping like a genetic experiment who had forgotten how to fly.

    I had flown before, a couple times, and only at night. All I had to was spread my wings and let the air catch me. I left James and his goon gaping in awe. It's not every day you see a boy with wings free fall from a twenty eight story building. And I had cut it close too, nearly hitting a car as it swerved out of the way. I only had to glance at the frightened faces inside to know I had to get higher.

    As I ascended, my heart fell when people scrambled to unleash their smart phones. And after a few minutes, a news van trailed under me. I groaned miserly, what was I going to do? The internet had me and I couldn't just go home, my parents would find out, and they would want an explanation. Then I would have to tell them about Lucy.

    My fist clenched, I had been so stupid to trust a scientist with this information. Of course they would want to expiriment on me, or worse, turn me into a super soldier. An easily disposable weapon.

    I wanted to go crawl up in a hole and disappear. And I needed a new shirt, the one I was wearing was ripped to shreds, not really built for a half bird half human hybrid.

    I would have to go home.

*

*

*

    Maria Gilligan has always supported her son, whether he wanted it or not. She had always made sure he tried his hardest at everything he did, never got behind in his studies, or missed basketball practice. However, when the three o'clock news came on as she was drying the dishes (she had insisted her maid take the day off, it was her birthday after all) Maria could definitely say it wasn't her proudest moment.

    She was just about to place a freshly dried plate when she happened to glance up at the TV. For a moment, her mouth just opened and closed like a fish, then the plate dropped, and shattered across the floor. Her son was on the news, only, there was no way that could be her William. But as she stared at the amateur cameraman's fuzzy image, there was still no doubt that creature's face was her son's. That was when she screamed.

    I pushed the door open slowly and quietly. Half expecting authorities and news reporters to flood me at any moment. Hearing nothing, I attempted to cross the floor to my room upstairs, the longer I avoided my parents the better. There was no doubt they had seen the footage that had been all over the news for the past hour it had taken me to get home, there was no doubt they would recognize me, along with half the world.

    I managed to get all the way up, lock the door, and snatch a new shirt. That's when I heard the light knocking on the door, made by my mother's soft knuckles. I froze, not knowing what to do. A cool breeze drifted past my face and I spotted a half open window, I could made a break for it. A small nagging voice in the back of my head told me I would have to face my parents eventually, and the whole world.

    The thought made me sick, things were so much more simpler when I just had to keep a secret. I hated being famous. Everyone knew my face, there was no where I could go where I wouldn't be named freak. I knew in my heart, there was only one thing I could do right now. I took a piece of paper and scribbled down a hasty note, slipped the paper under the door and said:

    "Sorry Mom."

    Then in one quick move, I flipped up the window. Climbing out onto the roof, the rough shingles scratching my skin. I ran, gaining speed.

    Then jumped.

    For a moment, I let myself enjoy the feeling of the air rushing past my skin. How my wings carved the air beneath me. Then I had to plan my next move. I would have to jump cities, maybe change my looks, since there was no doubt any self respecting avian-kid hunter would be on the loose. And I needed to modify the shirt I had grabbed.

    I touched down on what looked like an abandoned field. I took out my pocketknife, and proceeded to cut large holes in the back of my new shirt. I took the old one off, but kept it, wishing I had a backpack or something.

    It would have been a really good idea in hindsight. But I'll see what I find. I pulled on the sweatshirt, making sure all trace of feather were hidden, then yanked up the hood. What I had flown today was the most I had ever gone without a break. And now I was starving.

    I'm not sure how far I flew out. But I gauged this distance from my house to here had taken about two hours. Maybe I would stumble upon one of those small farm houses that had no TV. And before you ask, I wasn't flying because my wings ached from overuse. I had been going almost three hours straight. How would you like it if someone asked you to run for three hours. And I was still hungry.

    Maybe there was food at this farm house.