Dissension by R.J. Wolf Page A

sympathetically.  “Catch you late Anthony.”
    Anthony made it home and snuck upstairs to his room.  He fell into his bed and covered his face with a pillow.  He felt scared and exhausted.
    “Stupid, stupid, stupid.”  He yelled, punching his pillow over and over.  “Ugh!”
    Huffing loudly, he buried his face into the mattress. He closed his eyes, resisting the urge to cry.  Before he knew it, he was asleep.
    His room melted away and suddenly there was a fire was burning in the distance.  Anthony could hear the screams of people, trapped by the raging inferno.  Hesitantly he approached the smoldering city.  Smoke billowed into the air.  It left a thick, sulfuric taste on his tongue.
    Something grabbed his leg and he looked down.  It was a man or at least the torso of a man, the rest looked more like a bear.
    “You will die.”  It gasped in a raspy voice.
    Anthony suddenly woke up covered in sweat.  He looked around his room, his eyes trying to adjust to the darkness.  His clock read 1:23 AM.
    Rubbing his eyes Anthony rolled out of bed.  “It was all a dream.”  He smiled.
    Yawning, he stumbled to the bathroom and splashed water on his face.  He grinned at his reflection then turned around and looked at his back.
    “No!”  He screamed.
    The scaly slits were still there on his shoulder blades, although they’d faded a bit.  Anthony sighed and crawled into the shower in defeat.

 
     
     
     
    VI
    LUCKY FOURTEEN
     
    Anthony cringed as he traipsed down the walkway towards school.  His friends stood near the entrance waiting for him with blank expressions.
    “So, umm what’s up?”  Anthony tried to sound nonchalant.
    “Dude…what’s up with you?”  Mikey giggled.
    “Yeah man everything, you know okay?”  Mit had a look of concern on his face.
    “Yeah, yeah I’m alive.”
    Steve fiddled with his fingers and looked away.
    “What’s up with him?”  Anthony asked.
    Steve turned and faced him.  He bit his lip contemplating how to approach the subject everyone was thinking about.  “You…you’ve got wings man.  Wings growing out of your back.”
    “Why don’t you tell the whole school?”  Anthony scowled at him.
    “Sorry, it’s just…am I really the only one that thinks this is a little weird?  I mean you need to tell someone or see somebody.”
    “Dude, enough of that.  He told us.  That’s enough.  Now either get over it or find some new friends.”
    Steve looked at them all for a moment.  His face fell and he sighed.  “Sorry man.  Mikey’s right.”
    “Don’t worry about it.”  Anthony waved him off.  “It is weird.”
    “So can you fly?”  Steve asked. 
    Anthony squinted and bit his lip.  He hadn’t even considered flying.  He was still wondering if they’d pop out again.
    “I don’t think so.  They haven’t even come out again.”
    The warning bell suddenly rang and a rush of kids headed into the building.
    “Let’s pick this up after school.”  Mit demanded.
    With that they all headed off to class.  The remainder of school went by in a haze.  After a few hours he’d somehow forgotten all about his wings and was back on the prowl for Nickie.  Much to his disappointment, the entire day went by without him catching a glimpse of her.
    When school ended they all met up outside and headed off towards their neighborhood.  Steve skipped down the sidewalk humming as Mikey shot spit wads at him.  Anthony followed behind them, contorting his body trying to scratch his back.
    “Man, are you ok?  You don’t look so good.”  Mit asked as he turned around.
    “Yeah…I’m good.”  Anthony smiled at him trying to hide the bulging feeling in his back.
    They rounded the corner that led into their neighborhood and Anthony started walking faster.  He was getting the same feeling he had in the restroom.
    “Is your mom home?”  He turned to Mikey and asked.
    “Nope she won’t be home until six.”
    “Good I’m coming