Chapter 1

  Similar to the day before, the sun came up, the bird-like children flew with their cliques shooting themselves out of Earth’s atmosphere, though a family of four in particular seemed relatively upset amongst themselves. Although a big helping of pancakes, eggs and two well seasoned sausages sat in front of the four, neither side of the table, including their own children, weren't the least bit enticed by the waft of goods made especially with love. The chestnut haired husband and seemingly graying wife debated back and forth obsessively with one another, whilst their two toddlers were acting particularly fussy, likely from all the bickering.

  After a handful of side-eyes and concerned looks shot their way from neighbors with their own families, on their own balconies, the couple quickly picked up both children, leaving their breakfast behind.

  Retreating into their humble abode the house displayed a variety of memorable occasions and photographs of the family, the father, Avery and his accomplishments as head of a major mining project, and their mother who funnily enough, was also named Avery. The living room especially had been adorned with medals of acknowledgment and pictures of coworkers. All of which dawned lab coats and gloves. For their children Samuel and Jessica there sat pictures depicting them from their birth to now, pictures drawn of their parents and Kanoa, and their most favorite activity, playing with Kanoa.

  Although, behind each of these times of celebration and glee, there hung a picture of an older man and woman with Rey, their expressions, or rather lack of expression contrasting Rey’s cheeriness.

  “Look I’m not saying we shouldn’t take action. That’s all I’ve been saying, more action. But I do think this is something he needs to process on his own time.”

  “Wait what- But just yesterday, you-”

  “Forget yesterday, this is today…”

  “Ave- It’s been two weeks!”

  Replied Avery two while patting the back of his fussy son.

  “He should be flying through the sky having a blast up there- I know it sucks with what happens after that but hey- That’s life! That’s why we can’t coddle him- Or distract, or “mitigate” his feelings til he’s ready. He needs to face this head on…”

  “... All I know is that… when I was his age… Actually- No, nevermind. We were nothing alike…”

  She looked up at the ceiling, amused while recalling such strange and far off times. Rey raised an eyebrow.

  “Wait, no? Remember, you were scared, like me!”

  Snapping herself from her far off memories, she cleared her through.

  “Right…I was scared to fly. I didn’t want to. I guess… Because I knew that one day that gift would be long gone, like it is today… I was so scared it was gonna hurt when–”

  “When your wings shed.”

  Rey replied with a more thoughtful look on his face.

  “I didn’t know what that’d feel like either… Havin’ something- No, a part of me totally leaves forever… That would hurt anybody, no one says a thing about it, but everybody here has felt that, and the rest of them will. But that’s why-”

  “He needs to appreciate his gift while he has it.”

  She answered brusquely.

  “What are we? Readin’ each other now?”

  “I guess so… “

  She smiled, comforted by the thought that they still remained the same all these years later.

  “We’ll take him to Ms. Friend. She’ll help him.”

  Rey paused, not at all expecting the mention of her.

  “I mean… She is a doctor, but with how old he is, and how darn doctor can be, I think just givin’ Noa a bit of a push would-”

  “I understand why you’re so adamant about forcing him out of his comfort zone Rey- I really get it, heck, I may have even agreed with you had yesterday- let alone last week never…”

  She paused, quickly covering her mouth! As she did both the daughter she was holding, and the husband she had been trying to convince gazed on her nervous visage, trying to dissect her slip up.

  “Last week? What happened last-?”

  Though before Rey could investigate any farther, a pair of nimble footsteps came toppling down the stairs in a playfully childlike manner.

  “First you fill a pot with some milk! Then ya warm it up~!”

  A bright friendly voice graced the rising tension in the room so much so, that even both little Samuel and Jessica’s moans of attention faltered.

  “Line a fine mesh with paper towels or cheesecloth! Refrigerate and then… Ricotta!!!”

  The boy with strawberry hair showed himself once more, though this time, wearing an array of mismatching clothes appeared with an equally soft and pleasant face to match his voice.

  “Kanoa! About time you got up, ya lil lug!”

  Said Rey, transitioning seamlessly from suspicious husband to loving father, though a clear disturbance spread across Ave’s entire demeanor as her eyes laid on Kanoa.

  “My bad! I just couldn’t decide what I wanted to wear today… This is what I ended up with, whaddya think?!”

  He spun around showing himself off. While his sibling laughed at Kanoa’s playfulness, his parents shook their heads, cringing a bit inside at how terribly he’d dress himself.

  From his socks to his shirt, practically nothing matched. White cargo shorts, a green shirt, one white sock on the right foot, a striped blue sock on his left, an orange scarf around his neck- the sight was enough to make Ave vomit and Rey lung himself at his son for no reason but pure anguish, and needing to take it out on someone.

  “W-well… At least the white brings the whole thing together-Kinda not really…”

  He said, balling his fists to tame his discomfort.

  “Kanoa.... You know how to dress yourself. We’ve seen you do it. You’re not inept. So please? Stop trying to play these games with us. For the love of my- OUR sanity.”

  “Seriously It’s just disgustin’-! Take yourself upstairs now! Then get ready for your physical.”

  Although phrased like a punishment Kanoa’s eyes lit up, excitement surged every facet of his being.

  “Really!? Really!? I get to go again today too!?”

  “Y-yes. Now go!”

  “Eep!”

  Running up the stairs on all floors was enough to send his siblings into another fit of laughter.

  “Silly Noa…”

  “Hmph. Too silly if you ask me. Who, in their right mind living in between God’s Crust of the world would ever be happy with being stuck up with needles…”

  He shuddered at the thought of gloves holding him down to penetrate his skin!

  “Thought it’d encourage him to stop the fakin’ with his wings, but… I guess not…? Somethin’s not right…”

  Letting go of their rambunctious children now wanting to spend quality time with their big brother, Ave and Ree let go, and like Kanoa, both went flying upstairs.

  “Well. He’s always been like this. He’s our dear boy… Cheery when he shouldn’t be, silly when he shouldn’t be.”

  “Right but this time it’s just-”

  “Right, but this time, it’s different. It’s a phase Rey, He’s just scared of loving his gift, then losing it. It’s a normal phase of growing up. ”

  “... Yeah, that sounds about right… Ah….”

  Plopping himself on the floor and feeling the rug between his fingers Rey recalled voices, the sun on his skin, laughter, beckoning him to join them in their flying. Though for some estranged reason, he just…

  All thoughts ended as Ave laid against him, her skin a quiet familiar presence.

  “It’ll be alright…”

  She then planted a kiss on his cheek.

  “Yeah, I know… Justa phase…”

  —----

  The family of five walked down a trail, through a park of their section of MurrowBrow. Older men and women alike could be found jogging to keep their fragile bodies in shape, others sharing picnics, romanticizing the past, while an array of trees sitting above them offering shade. Kanoa greeted each of them by first name, indulging in small talk and giving small affirmations they’d seemed accustomed to.

  Upon exiting the park, Kanoa skipped ahead as the entrance of the Hospital was just a minute away. He waved to some animals whom he addressed by first name as well. A crowd of sky hermits briefly crowded the families way to give Kanoa a sea of nuzzles, their small bulky frames, though their soft inviting fur soothed any nerves Rey or the children had about going to their doctor, though Ave seemed slightly annoyed.

  Noticing this Rey remarked.

  “At least he gets out enough, am I right!?” he said, finding the interactions endearing, Ave replied with a curt nod.

  At first glance, it looked typical of any hospital, a tall building with multiple floors,neutral colors, etcetera, though a grand outlier was of course the patients.

  A man walking from the entrance hacked and groaned ceasely as a myriad of large cone shaped gemstones protruded from his body. Taken aback Rey and Ave called for Kanoa, though he even stopped in his tracks upon his eyes meeting with the man's sickly figure.

  “Sir, are… you alright?”

  He continued to hack away getting closer to Kanoa

  “I don’t need your pity- Now stop s-starin’ at me like a slacked jawed idiot and move out the way!”

  The man bumped into Kanoa rudely.

  “Why You-!”

  Rey instinctively pulled Ave and the kids away.

  “Don’t. I’ve seen that kinda thing everyday back in Willbasin. He must be from a mining session that didn’t go too well- Probably got stranded, ate something he shouldn’t have… That’s probably life for him now. Let’s not go and get ourselves infected like him, huh?”

  Ave nodded, though still glaring at the man unsympathetically. After walking up to Kanoa and scolding him to contain his excitement, they enter the hospital quietly.

  —-

  “Okaaaay then…”

  A female doctor with messy blonde hair, green eyes, and a sweater vest with lint sticking about the place observed several papers in hand. She stood in front of the now family of four while Kanoa sat behind her on an exam table. This was their Doctor, Mrs Friend.

  Although having a rundown of a patient's general health was the least stressful part when coming to the doctors office, at least for their children, Rey didn’t share the same feelings, for today. A psychological evaluation on Kanoa, and potentially both of their children would need to be evaluated, as is the standardized procedure, though for them this could be the determining factor to whether or not they were effective parents, both known to themselves and potentially the world!

  Thoughts of Kanoa having a rare psychological disorder attributed to why he won’t fly- his face everywhere on the paper! The very thought especially shook Rey to his core, though Ave was more lax.

  Though in Kanoa’s case…

  “Everything is fine with your children. They're perfect, just perfect. They’re getting enough nourishment to grow healthy… think healthy…. grow strong bones…. strong minds… etceteraaa….. etceteraaaa... Mom, Dad, give yourselves a pat on the back, and I’m proud… of you all.”

  She said, tugging her cheeks to give a slight smile. To anyone else in her monotonous, strict voice Mrs Friend would seem very ingenuine, though from the family's past with her, they’ve grown to know better.

  “Aha… Well y’know we try~~!”

  Rey said cheerfully while smugly stroking his mustache.

  Opening up a drawer in her desk Mrs Friend retrieved two lollipops for each toddler both squealed with pure dopamine filling the corners of their brains.

  “As you know… Your children’s psychological state will determine- Uh, the giving category they'll join when they come of age.”

  “Actyally… I never really got that. We sweat- But how does that work again… Does it like… Get passed down to them?”

  “After a certain age, the shedding of their wings', which as you should know, was biologically made to protect them, will be traded off with either intensive sweat, an increase in bone marrow and keratin, a quickly developed frontal lobe, or an increase in dopamine, will give them something else to rely on how they’re grown… Also a good job if you raise them right…Gnarly, right?”

  “Oh, right…”

  Rey’s cheery mood had slightly been dampened upon hearing an “if”. He knew Ms Friend meant nothing by it, although the thought of them in the positions he and Ave found themselves in; the fact the world anticipated it, it just- Just!

  He clenched his fist fearing the worst.

  “Besides that, I’ll need you to wait outside with the children, please.”

  This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  Ave nodded, complacent.

  “Anythin’ you can say in front of Kanoa you can say in front of us. Last I checked we’re at least allowed to stick around for the testin’, aren’t we?”

  Rey asserted himself, peering his eyes into Ms. Friend's cold gaze.

  “For the last tests, yes…. Though the circumstances have changed. All I want is a short discussion, that’s all. That shouldn’t be a problem for the now twelve year old future Star gazer, should it?”

  With her usual stern, and professional demeanor the phrasing of her words made Rey especially nervous to leave the room. Though not Ave.

  “It’ll be fine. Kanoa, Pretend we’re here with you. That I’m here with you.”

  “Y-yeah… Same for me too…

  Briefly the two glanced at one another, recalling their discussion just an hour ago. Had they really believed Kanoa’s current issues were only a phase, they should have no problem giving him privacy, surely he wouldn’t say the wrong thing to hurt their credibility as his caretakers. Surely.

  “Right, I will. It’ll be fine guys! I promise!”

  He said with a smile, though this time it was less so with blinding positivity, but out of sincerity.

  Both parents nodded, walking out with their children. Ms Friend quietly closed the door facing Kanoa.

  “So. Any back pain as of late?”

  “No… Not really. It kinda died down a couple nights ago. I think it’s gettin’ better!”

  “Really?”

  She asked with a raised eyebrow.

  “Yes ma’am.”

  “It’s a bit odd to me considering the last time we conducted this one on one exam you kept repeating how much it hurt. It was only two weeks ago.”

  “....”

  Papers still in hand she wrote diligently.

  “How’s your relationship with your friends? Or that friend? Has the situation gotten better?.”

  In an unexpectedly somber demeanor Kanoa shook his head.

  “Still on me for not flyin’.”

  “And why don’t you want to fly?”

  “D-didn’t I answer that one last time?”

  His eyes jetted over to the model of a human child’s skeleton, the wing bones still protruding outward.

  “You can answer again. After all, you answered with a lot of clarity and honesty. I just want to see if you can do that again here. Unless you’re bending the truth a little?”

  His eyes still glued to the child, the words begrudgingly slipped his lips.

  “I don’t want to see my wings. Ever.”

  He said in a hushed, almost ashamed voice, his eyes drifting away from her

  “Ah.”

  Slightly relieved, Ms Friend chuckled slightly.

  “I’m sorry for doubting you. I know you’re a straight laced, reputable kid. You don’t lie…. It’s just for a condition like this, it’s not atypical for a patient to conceal their true feelings.”

  Her writing sped up at a breaknecks pace going faster than the mouths coming out of her slow, snail like speech.

  “Then I could lose a patient. Then a mother or father could lose a child. Then the world would lose another star gazer. But more importantly in this case, I could lose something even more precious.”

  Finally finished, her eyes met with Kanoa’s slightly disturbed face.

  “Kanoa Jones you may have Body Integrity Dismorphia.”

  “… what?”

  “It’s a mental disorder in which you’re convinced a part of yourself isn’t meant to be there. Oftentimes it disgusts the afflicted, tormenting them until they either seek medical help, or take manners into their own hands.”

  “Wait, wait! Ms Friend that can’t be right- Aren't mental problems supposed to be inherited, or when a person went through something?!”

  A voice at the back of his head warned him of the potential drama this could stir. His parents had done nothing wrong! He repeated to himself over and over again.

  “I’m fine! So this has to be a mistake- or at least something genetic, believe me!”

  His eyes hardened as he noticed a hint of desperation in his own tone. Kanoa grit his teeth, readying for the next words to befall from Ms. Friend's mouth. Whatever happened, he needed to prove parents ' innocence.

  “You don’t have to get so worked up. I know it’s not anyone's fault. Any issues you have like you said are likely genetic. Something passed down from a relative on either your mom's or fathers side… The real trouble is getting you to spread your wings…”

  As soon as the word spread traveled through his ears, his defences began to weaken, as evident by his unsubtle twitching.

  “From last week it’s been obvious to me that you’ve been physically holding your wings back. If we were to forcibly get them the natural way at this point it’d cause a lot of pain both physically and psychologically. Which is why surgery would be-“

  “No! Wait! Not that- anything but that!”

  He squeaked once more though this time with much more nerve in his voice.

  She smirked.

  “Hm? What’s wrong?”

  “I-I don’t want my parents spendin’ anything on me- I don’t. This is my own fault- my genetics fault. If there’s another way… I’ll do it, so please!”

  “... If you blame your genetics, wouldn’t that be blaming them too?”

  As he thought over the words he started to feel bad- Though not because he’d indirectly insulted them, rather, he could sense a hint of truth in his words.

  “Well, whatever the case, You’ve only just turned twelve Kanoa-”

  “Ten- Actually…”

  “Riiiighhht…. Don’t put the weight of the world on your shoulders. But I see your point. You're only trying to be considerate and kind. And with your family it only makes sense you’d feel a little guilty, huh?”

  “Huh? What do you…?”

  She chuckled.

  “Kanoa. Did you know the world can’t always bend to our will? It’s the Phoenix. It flies foreverrrr in space. They say space used to have a limit. But the Phoenix has the ability to create more space for itself to fly. It can do anything.”

  Kanoa tilted his head, confused. “A-are you trying to say that there is no other way?” He whimpered, scared to face that fact.

  “No, no… There is an easier way. I just need you to believe in this path. Fly straight forward, like the Phoenix. No matter what the world tells you…”

  “And what is that path…?”

  “The fun path.”

  Retrieving a lengthy box from her lab coat, Ms Friend laid it flat on the palm of her hand, opening it, revealing several pills of varying colors within it.

  “If you take one it should suppress your problem. Take one once a month and your issue will completely be resolved.”

  “Well why didn’t you suggest that first!!!”

  He said while a big grin spread across his face. What an easy solution he thought. Instinctively reaching out for the pills with a bit more eccentricity and genuine hope in his eyes, Ms Friend closed the case shut though smiled with Kanoa, happy at his eccentric demeanor.

  “Now hold on now. Before you ingest anything, we need to be sure of something. For one, you must never let anyone ingest these; it would be life threatening. Only people struggling with your exact condition can ingest these- But obviously don’t share in either case.”

  He nodded, still pondering on what these vague “consequences” may be.

  “Secondly, this is a contract strictly between you and me. You're old enough now to make these legal decisions on your own. You’re basically an adult, so I’ll treat you as one. Therefore, my only conditions are for you to record your feelings after every pill you take. And if you stop taking them at least once a month, anything that happens outside of that is not my responsibility, understood?”

  He stared at her with a begrudgingness about him. Thoughts of his mother were the first to gnaw at the back of his head; her disappointment, the always accepting nature from his father, even when he didn't deserve it! Jessica and Samuel’s faces… With all of these people in mind, he knew he couldn’t disappoint them.

  “They’re here with me… She is…”

  “Sorry?”

  “I- I said… I understand.”

  Any betrayal couldn’t be worse than the mountain up debt surgery would rack up, he reaffirmed himself while staring at the floor with a tinge of sadness.

  A contract held by Ms Friend met his gaze.

  “You know. Your excitement reminds me a lot of myself… You like new shiny things to explore, don’t you?” Kanoa chuckled,” I guess when it comes to cooking and stuff, yeah!” She patted him on the head. “Me too. Me too. We’ll find it.” She added, while looking up for a few moments.

  “You’re a good boy Kanoa. And you’ll be flying… in no time. Sign here.”

  —-

  After the events of the hospital were all said and done, Kanoa and his family made their way out. Jessica and Samuel had cooperated well with Ms Friend, Although Rey still had his frustrations over not having any confirmation of whether they passed as “normal” or not. “Did Ms Friend say anything to you Kanoa?” He shook his head,”Only that… We can bend the world to our will, like the Phoenix.” Rey chuckled,”What a nice sayin’ I like it!”

  Both children walked besides their parents with strong brusque steps, Kanoa smiled, admiring how much longer their limbs had gotten.

  “I knew I did the right thing givin’ ‘em all my food!” He said, nodding along, proud of his logic.

  Playfully, Jessy and Sammy’s arms stretched out above them clasping the air, as if catching the orange odd looking clouds from above.

  “Funny how the clouds are always changin’ colors, but you never see the rivers and stuff get that way…” He said, stroking his chin insightfully. Though Kanoa couldn’t help but shift his attention, as the pill case he hid underneath his shirt was starting to slip, nearly smacking onto the floor and blowing his cover entirely! He crouched quickly to catch the case, his father raised an eyebrow, suspiciously.

  “Noa… Don’t tell me you’re challengin’ me to a squat-Off again, you know you always lose!” Cracking his knuckles, Ave turned to the two along with his siblings. Gritting his teeth and knowing full well of how suspicious he seemed. His eyes glanced briefly at a fish swimming around in a cloud, immediately he darted into that direction.

  “Eh? Noa! Where’re you goin’!?”Rey called out over the distance Kanoa had already put between the four.

  “The fish! I’m gonna see the fishies!”

  He said, in the same ecstatic vigor he always spoke of all while holding the case against his stomach. “Coward!!!” Rey yelled, shaking his fist with unserious anger. Rey looked at each fish swimming, disgusted. “Fish, ew…” whereas their children bounced with the mania only matched with kanoa.

  “Ma! Ma! Can we go, I wanna see ‘em do the tricks too!” Both of their voices overtook her hearing, her grimacing continued as her eyes peered deeply into the slimy, scaly body, imagining anything lovable about fish, but only to find nothing.

  “No kanoa. We’re going home!”

  Before her command could fully register in Kanoa’s brain, Rey cut in yelling back-

  “Forget that! Go on Noa! Have yourself some fun- Take Jess and Sammy, we’ll be here!”

  “Are you sure you don’t wanna see ‘em up close!?!”

  Rey shook his head violently, his shaggy hair bounding all over the place, becoming even messier than beforehand.

  “No, no! Just go on! That includes you two, get on! Have fun!”

  Giving his children a light push they ran towards Kanoa holding both of his thighs hostage, they all laughed as Kanoa held both of their hands, skipping to his usual fish gazing spot.

  Happy to see his own children so satisfied, Rey couldn’t help a goofy grin to spread across his face, almost looking like Kanoa, though to disrupt this, a more serious demeanor hit his peripheral, his wife, shaking her head.

  “You know I hate fish.”

  “Yeah I remember… But they’ll be back… It’s just fish at the end of the day y’know… Hospitals have these guys all the time for morale, there’s to get into reprimanding mom mode… Kay?”

  “I wanted to go home.But what should I expect… It’s as I said… our boy is always playing…”

  Ave’s somewhat critical tone surprised by her subtle frustrations. Though he let it go, his eyes shifted up towards a large white cloud now overshadowing them.”Well he’s right about one thing… It is weird…”

  From the wing of the hospital an obscured patient covered in a handful of bandages, adorned with sickly yellow eyes laid in bed watching as Kanoa, looked onto a sole downcast cloud. This cloud in contrast to every other condensed droplet above the surface, had been formed from the water vapor of MurrowBrow, and oftentimes had its own density that no ordinary cloud possessed. Sometimes used as decoration, the Hospital specifically planted a plethora of each to entertain each and every patient,

  Pressing his butt against the scorching grass, while allowing his siblings to sit on his lap for protection of their skin, Kanoa put himself especially close to the show about to start. He commented, pointing at the cloud,”Pay close attention you two! It’s super hard to catch fish in the South, blink and you might miss how freakin’ cool they are!”

  An older woman, along with many others faces either cast bound or sick altogether, pressed their noses against the glass along with the company of their families. With the grace of well… A fish out of water, the performers set the stage with their bodies flailing in opposition to the water. At first it looked as though they were fighting to re-enter the cloud, however, from their back, comedically large wings leapt from above their gills!

  Still fighting against the poisonous gas that is oxygen, the fish in front of the three leapt to the opposite side of the Hospital in search of water! Only to find- Of course, another cloud. On each of the four sides of the Hospital this continued. Fish jumping from large distances in search of water- Each cloud only let their gills soak, just for a moment before rejecting them, then forcing their search onwards.

  It was a merri-go-round of fish! Each with their own color, shape and size, as they glided through the air. Where some may have performed a more graceful twirl, or a dramatic dive, others preferred to glide straight, others were flung sloppily into each cloud, shaking violently at the air rushing into their gills. Though one thing stayed for certain, they each had been panicking internally, as well as powerless. Apathetic to the fish’s panic, patients and visitors alike were overcome with bouts of laughter.

  Behind each of the families, commenting on the elaborate performance, a large man sitting up in bed with his eyes closed, and his entire body cast in multiple layers of bandages sighed, much less captivated by such a performance, shaking his head ashamed of the sight he hadn’t even glimpsed at .

  An unassuming middle aged brunette nurse dressed in a white uniform and a navy blue hat with the acronym MHH approached him calmly, she asked curiously,” Now come on… The Hospital went as far as to get you the ones that fly and you can’t even look?”

  His eyes stayed shut, turning away entirely. The woman sighed hopelessly. “Well If you’re gonna act like a child…” she then pulled out a small yellow plastic cup of vanilla caramel pudding, the top sealed with a peel off label, quoting the phrase,”Children's hearts fly as high as the Phoenix!” all in bold, along with the illustration of a bald boy and girl with pigtails, both dawning white wings and halos, flying beyond Earth.

  As the nurse pulled off the label, retrieving a spoon from her other pocket, readying to feed him, the man's eyes opened subtly, revealing a besmirched yellow invading his sclera altogether. The whiff of vanilla and caramel persuaded his attention towards the murmuring, gitty patients still observing the show, but then, as he was ready to shut his eyes to enjoy one of his few comforts, the sight of the strawberry haired Kanoa made him freeze up. The nurse noticed his hesitation to face the spoonful of pudding, her forehead wrinkled already anticipating the worst.

  “What’s wrong?” She asked following his gaze, though not exactly where his attention lied. Quickly the patient's breath stifled, the yellow covering his eyes somehow deepened. Soon, the patient stopped breathing altogether, he yelled. “Impossible!” His guttural voice whipped through the room's cheery atmosphere in an instant. Concern flooded the room, soon doctors began to surround him, though his attention never wavered from Kanoa. His eyes dampened uncomfortably to even raise his stiff bandaged arm towards him, he growled with envy at Kanoa’s smooth skin and care-free smile, he attempted to rise though groaning. He reached for support as an incoming black haired male nurse whose eyes were narrowed. Instead, he blocked from the sight of Kanoa and his siblings altogether, his eyes slightly anxious, as if afraid.

  . “Whatever you’re looking for, it's not here. Relax old man.” He said, pushing him back down callously. Unable to stare into the well of youth Kanoa was, only then did rage fill the insides of his casts, giving way to his ruptured lungs as unidentifiable squeals filled the Hospital second floor hallway, diverting other patients outside the room from enjoying the show altogether.

  The black haired man standing above him flinched as the man's large body jerked violently while reaching his long frail arms up to him. Grabbing a hold of the man's white shirt, he attempted to wrestle with the man, though slowly entering a screaming match with him as his grip only intensified, on the verge of making him bleed. As this continued, the bed sheets, pillows and IV Fluids between the two jerked, eventually falling over. Quickly the older brunette nurse held him down along with the others, as well as the black haired man. She yelled out into the hallway, “Someone get Ms Friend in here, the man's losing it!”

  Unable to properly clench his hands into a fist he bit into the man's shoulder, he yelled out in agony, while the visitors and patients looked on in horror, though others laughed at the unexpected chaoticness. It wasn’t until this continued for minutes longer did his burst of strength overwhelm them, the man's shoulder entirely fitting in his mouth.

  “Let go! Let go for the love of the Phoenix, let go!” It wasn’t until the man’s screams piqued did his jaw start to loosen. The four of them glanced back at Ms. Friend's messy blonde hair obscuring her face as she stared down the man, her frail hand carrying a syringe which seemed much too big for her, yet was placed firmly into the arm of the man. She frowned, as she pressed the syringe’s orange liquids further into his bloodstream.

  “If only you were more… rational… Now it won’t be as interesting… For him.” His vision blurred, the name Kanoa echoing in his mind over and over.

  Still pressing his butt against the scorching grass, not at all protected from the heat of the sun, Kanoa still found himself smiling with his siblings, their joy being the real source of his happiness. Though, even with the bouncing bundles of joy they each were, as well as having the black case tucked safely under his armpit, he could feel a tight knot in the pit of his stomach twisting and turning, his eyes darted towards his parents who seemed to be enjoying some idle banter, and yet nothing but remorse crossed his mind, he bit his lip holding on tightly to his siblings.