The Winged Guardian - 19 The Meddler

There are three places in this world I would not want to visit again in this lifetime.

Nate had this weird idea of drawing something new when he saw my works which, according to him, were boring, because there were only trees, the sea, houses, more trees, more sea, and more houses. He said I needed to try new perspectives. So, I had to travel to some place…umm…I didn’t know how to explain.

First, Nate took me to a rock in the middle of the sea of nowhere, saying that there’s a cave underneath it. The rock was a good location with spectacular scenery to draw if the wind wasn’t too strong and I didn’t have to constantly avoid two meters high waves came crashing. So, going down the cave was out of the question. Dylan had to hold me tight all the time and I, unable to concentrate, shrank at his electric touches. Gooseflesh ran down my shoulders as the shock waves alerted me non-stop. I agreed to give Nate one more chance at the second place and regretted the decision, we went to drift creek and Nate put us on a canoe. How can one draw while canoeing?!

For the third one, Nate promised that he would take me to a more normal place and the view was absolutely breathtaking. I got soft-hearted and let him led the way. Dylan was always by my side so there shouldn’t be any problem. But I discovered later that the cat-eyed demon wanted me to draw aurora. After going through the freezing air, up into the sky, we came flying so high that it was becoming harder to breathe, yes…breath-taking…breath-taking away, why am I so stupid!  and my ears were about to explode!

At the end of the day, I was so exhausted!

“I am very sorry…” Nate said putting on a sad face. I didn’t believe one bit of it. “Let me make it up to you. Please.”

“No.” I declined him sturdily.

“Please, please. I’ve already booked this grand place–”

He booked it in advance!

“It’s worth a try Leigh.” Dylan said. “Nate is really sorry. Give him a chance.”

I did not believe a thing about this demon! But since Dylan said it… “Alright.”

Nate beamed and stretched out his wings. Dylan did likewise. We flew to a bigger city nearby and went up to a very grand restaurant with Victorian style decorations. So big and grand that I was like an ant in term of size for both body and heart. I observed what we were wearing. There was no way the guards would let us in.

“You cannot go in. Dress properly.” said a guard to me. Why only me? Aren’t the demons the same?

“She comes with us.” Dylan told him. The guard gave him a lecherous sweet eyes and smile. “Of course.” He said and I was in.

Hmm…that horny gay!

We were the center of attention. But I doubted if it was because of my- our dresses. People seemed to be looking rather exciting as if they had seen a movie star at Dylan. His face saved my day after all. I trod on with shaking legs and sat stiff on the wooden chair with high back. The waiter brought a menu that I couldn’t bear to look because of the price so Dylan was the one ordering foods.

The tables were lit with a candle light, perfumed with rosy kind of smell. Everyone came in couples. The atmosphere was too romantic with flowers in every possible corner. I looked at the two demons in front of me and suddenly felt melancholy. I should have come here with someone I like, or even mum! –not these two nuisances.

The appetizer came very soon. Nate sniffed, made a face, and said holding the whole plate up. “How do I eat this? Swallow it all with this white hard circle thing?”

Dylan touched the yellow eyes demon hand. “Look and do it after me.”

Nate observed Dylan eating. He picked up a fork after Dylan and looked at his cousin very closely what to do next. Shortly, he clanked his fork on the plate. “So bothersome! Why human’s eating so complicated!”

“Shush! It’s a grand restaurant Nate.” I said, eyes darting left and right. “Stop complaining. You’re the one bringing us here.” I had enough attention for today, oh…he-HELL!

Nate pouted. “I heard it’s a roman–”

I did not get the rest because my eyes met something I had rather die seeing. The evil aura was all over the two-table apart from us. I wanted to hide myself, but there was nowhere this sweaty T-shirt on me, that face of Dylan, and the noisy Nate could take me. The collagen and every bit of moisture in my body seemed to be replaced with cement. My neck cannot move. It’s stuck hard!

I manage to break the hardened blood and started my appetizer that failed to bring out any appetite while Dylan was still trying to teach Nate to eat. Dylan was on the verge of feeding his cousin…wait, he actually fed him!

Dylan pulled the fork out of Nate’s mouth. “Now, chew. Like this.” He said.

The funny scene could only console me for a moment and I was overwhelmed again by fear of those two big piercing blue eyes. It bore through my throat like a steel blade and blocked the gullet. The food felt like gravels, I had to drink a whole glass of water to wash them down.

Something sprayed on my face. Not the water I was drinking. I thought a piece of bacon got into my eyes. I wiped it with the napkin and saw the origin of the food rain. Nate.

“Thissssssssssuck!”

Yea, especially when a cabbage sticks on your face.

Nate made more fuss about the taste of food. How souls tasted much much much better. He said that there was only death in what we eat, but souls had so many emotions, many tastes.

Dylan ignored him too. “Leigh, you should go and wash.”

The thought of going to the toilet alone agitated me. I didn’t want to be alone now. No. But the foods and Nate’s saliva on my face were so disgusting. I could quickly go and return.

I got up and shot off. One of the lights was broken so the toilet looked even more vintage and scary. I washed once with water and twice with hand soap. I didn’t want any demon’s saliva left on my face. It felt like cursed water that could bring unlimited bad fortunes.

Reeeeally bad fortunes…

Bad fortune number 1, I, with a cleaned and smelled nice face, looked up and saw a person stood attached behind my back like a ghost. My neck pricked.

Bad fortune number 2, the person raised a hand up. I didn’t see what’s in there but now, it seriously looked like those in a serial killer movie.

Bad fortune number 3, there was nothing in the hand. Sigh. But the person clasped my arms. I cannot run away now.

Bad fortune number 4, finally it came.

“Why are you having such a romantic dinner here with Dylan?!”

And the bad fortune counting went on–