Flying Without Wings
Chapter Sixteen

“They’re back, but it sounds like there is only a few of them.” Lydia whispered nervously staring up at the closed basement door. Timidly she made her way to the door, slipping and sliding on the fluffy cushions as she went. Lydia had spent the afternoon crying about Angus and getting angry over Johnny. Her tan face was puffy and red but her hair was now smooth and untangled. I had dressed her cuts and she was wearing one of my old jumpers and a pair of Harlem pants. One thing could be said for Lydia, she was passionate, both in her sadness for Angus and her intense lust then loathe for Johnny. It was nice to see someone who was trusting, even if it had cost her a lot. Lydia slowly unlocked the door and floated back down the little wooden ladder. We waited with baited breathe as the footsteps marched down the hallway towards the linen cupboard and to our base. Audrey and Humphrey had been gone for hours rounding up as many Angha Soldiers as they could find. I was nervous about meeting more AS members and curious about how many would even be around, and alive. There hadn’t been much of a movement since Audrey and Montgomery’s time, and they were not spring chickens. Humphrey was the youngest member I had met so far, besides Bastian of course, but like me, he was new.

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Humphrey jumped through the hole first bypassing the ladder. His long legs allowed him to land gracefully amongst the cushions, he was laughing and joking with a not so graceful man who toppled through after him, next came a cascade of sundry people that tumbled through and landed heavily on top of each other. Fits of giggles burst out from the tangle of arms as they tried to pick themselves up. The whole charade reminded me of those tiny cars at the circus where 20 clowns are squished into, the way they just kept falling down was truly remarkable and each person looked more ridiculous then the last. The first man to disentangle himself from the human snare was Harry, he was round, clumsy and almost as wide as he was tall. He gave a little bow and tipped his brown bowler hat to Lydia and I.

“Look at you young things! We might have a chance yet.” He laughed and thudded Humphrey on the back, “well done chap” he hooted, wiggled his orange mustache and gave a cheery wave. The rest of the group spoke so quickly and excitedly that I didn’t catch a single name, and lastly with grace of course, came Audrey. She glided down the rungs like a seraph and smiled at the soldiers she had brought. They were all as strange and bizarre as Harry and were just as happy. They each hugged Gomez and Monty before huddling around Marvillo they were visibly excited by the Angha puppy. Marvillo jumped around and flapped his leathery wings happily basking in the attention, I was relieved to see he immediately trusted everyone who had stumbled into our safe zone.

“Is this all you could manage to round up?” Gomez hissed to Audrey thwarted. “Not the toughest bunch dear.”

“No they are not the toughest bunch but they are all brave and willing to fight so put a sock in it.” Audrey said fuming at her husband. “And of course this is not all we rounded up, have you forgotten how persuasive I can be dear?” She smoldered at Gomez. She was taking every chance she got to make Gomez feel small and guilty, but I also noticed she pouted at him a lot and blinked her dark eyelashes even slower and more alluringly then she did before. They were like two little kids in the schoolyard, not sure how to handle their attraction for one another so opting for being pulling hair and kicking.

“Oh good.” Gomez started bashfully fidgeting with a pillow.

“This group are just the ones going to the Secret Garden Party, I invited them around for a drink and a chance to catch-up first. All this excitement is no reason for ignore formalities and hospitality. The tougher ones as you would put it are coming over in an hour or so, they are going to the caves with you, ah ah I don’t want to hear it.” Audrey put her hand to Gomez’ mouth and stopped him from interrupting, I saw his lips break into a smile at being touched by her. “And the remaining ten or so should be coming here at midnight in preparation for retribution. Honestly Gomez did you really think I was going to bring everyone here in one go?” She dropped her hand and turned to join her old friends, I could see her big red lips curl into a smirk of triumph. Gomez gazed at Audrey’s’ back, his mouth was opening and closing like a goldfish and muttered how wonderful she was.

Audrey picked up a wine glass (where did she keep getting them from?) and tapped on it with a red varnished nail. The tinkling stopped the excited chatter and she waited until there was complete silence until she spoke to the happy recluses. “I’m so pleased to see so many beautiful and loyal faces around me this afternoon. It saddens me greatly that we never took the time or had the audacity to get together before this moment.” She paused, her husky voice was creating the reaction she wanted and not a breath could be heard. “I know for some of you it was particularly hard to come back to this life and this world,” she cast her gaze on the less jovial soldiers, “and for others, you simply can’t wait to fight again,” she looked to Montgomery, Harry and Gomez.” But regardless of your fear or insecurities you are all here, you have rejected your troglodyte and withdrawn ways and I can feel the energy, sense of community and passion inside each of you individually, but more importantly feel the power of us together, I can feel it growing by the minute.” The group were all nodding, they were jubilant to be part of something again, I could see it in each of their cumbersome faces, even the more timid ones. “It is easy to see each other and think only of what we have lost and the pain we felt last time we were together. I know this is the reason we have not gotten together until now, it is the reason most of you have become introverted and withdrawn from the world around you, because most people wouldn’t understand anyway, they don’t know what it is to have and then lose an Angha.” I heard a few people sniff as she said the word. “We remind each other of what hardship we have each endured, but this is exactly why we should be together, we know each other, the sorrow, the pain and the anger, but also the beauty and strength of each other. The love and fight in each of us is what makes us unique and it is what will help us to succeed and vanquish the Zimrugh Saviors.” People were starting to nudge each other and even I could feel the excitement building in the room, Marvillo let out a little howl, I knew he could understand us. “So with my heart full of love and my belly full of fire I lift my glass to all of you, to your honesty, to your righteousness and to your unflinching loyalty. To the Angha Soldiers.” She raised her glass and the room exploded with applause, the chinking of wine glasses and calls of hear, hear. Audrey smiled to the soldiers around her and took a long sip or her own wine. “Now, Lydia, Monty and the rest of you soldiers, grab your hats and let’s go crash my delightful sisters party!”

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