Behind Blue Eyes

by Typographical Error

Chapter 4

The time I spent waiting in her room seemed to tick on forever. It was still the morning, early morning. We had to wait until the hospital was entirely empty, so that we could sneak out without being seen. Sometime throughout the waiting, I began pacing. Back and forth between the wall and her bed. Back and forth, back and forth. I was almost sure there was going to be a groove in the floor after I was done. After about ten minutes of me pacing, Pearl, who had been watching me this whole time, got up and started pacing along side me. She looked up at me as she walked next to me, her eyes seeming to ask, “Am I doing this right?”. I smiled down at her, gently stroking her mane and back. I watched the visible shiver run down her spine, and I knew I would never get tired of seeing that.

But the time waiting also seemed to pass in no time at all. After pacing for who knows how long, I sat back down on the bed. Pearl followed me over, sitting as close as she possibly could. I put my foreleg over her shoulders, and she placed her head on my shoulder. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw her eyes start to close. Every time they would shut, she would jerk them back open again, like a foal trying to stay awake on Hearth’s Warming Eve. But finally, I saw them shut, and she didn’t open them again. I watched her for a few minutes, smiling every time she smiled. Finally, I thought she was far enough asleep, and I took my arm from around her.

Gently, I laid her down on the bed, making sure she was comfortable. Then I grabbed the blankets off the floor and covered her with them, checking to make sure she was completely covered. I smiled down at her, remembering how many time I had done the exact thing to Rain. But I had never felt this way about Rain. No, this was something new. And I liked how it made me feel. I made me feel warm and cold at the same time. Happy and terrified. I wondered if this was how she felt about me. I quietly walked back to the doorway, the padding on the ground muffling my hooffalls. I was about the grab the door and shut it behind me. But, after a moments thought, I left it open. She didn’t need to be trapped anymore. If she wanted to walk free, she could.

I trotted over to the chair and sat down. My journal was pressing against my side, so I pulled it out of my pocket. I pulled the pencil out of the small rubber band and opened it up to the correct page.

Journal Day 5

I...I love her. There is no debate about this. I love her. And she loves me back. I don’t know, if I had been replaced with somepony else, that she would have loved him, or if she saw something special in me. I don’t know, and I don’t care. All that matters is she found me, and I found her. Something we both needed.

I’m getting her out of her, today. Tonight. And I think I know where I will be taking her. But that isn’t the problem. The problem is the fact that she won’t want to leave when this is over. She won’t want to back into her room. If that happens, I don’t know what I will have to do. I don’t want to break her heart.

We will see what happens when we come to that.

I put the journal down on the magazines, suddenly realizing how tired I was. I hadn’t slept much the last night, and it was catching up to me. I moved the pile of magazines in front of the chair and put my back legs up. I looked up at the ceiling and closed my eyes. I was asleep before I even knew it. My last thought was of Pearl, and how she would react.

She opened her eyes again, looking up at the white ceiling. For the first time in years, she could instantly remember where she was. And as soon as she remembered, panic flowed through her. Where was he? How could he have just left her? She threw the sheets of herself and jumped out of the bed. She looked around the room, seeing the door left open. Something was drawing her towards it. She took a few steps towards the open doorway, but she paused when she was just a few steps away.

She couldn’t even remember what the world beyond looked like. All she could remember was the white, and whatever she dreamed of. But dread started to flow through her. What if that was all her dreams were; Dreams? Just figments of her imagination, and the world didn’t even look like that? She shook her head, trying to stop thinking that thought. Now wasn’t the time to doubt herself. She took a deep breath, steeling herself for whatever waited past the door.

Her hoof touched the bare concrete for the first time, and she pulled it up almost immediately. She shook her head, she didn’t like it. It wasn’t soft like her room was. It was hard, much too hard. But she had to do it, so she took a deep breath and placed the hoof back down. Slowly, she moved all four hooves out onto the concrete, and looked around her new world for the first time.

Her eyes were wide as plates as she looked around the small hallway. But, even as the feeling of wonder shot through her, so did that feeling of dread. The world disturbed her, more so than the constant white. The few colors there were, colors she didn’t know the names of, seemed washed out compared to her dreams. The hallways seemed bleak, uninviting. For a brief moment, she wanted to go back into the room, where at least she could be with the familiar. But she knew she couldn’t. She had to continue. So, slowly, she stepped further down the hallway, heading towards the two doors at the end.

A sharp sound made her gasp, jumping back a few steps. It took her a few moments to realize what it was. That pony was sitting there, fast asleep. She felt like a weight had been lifted off her as she saw him, and she quickly trotted over. As she did, her eyes landed on the pile of magazines his legs were propped up on. An explosion of color filled her eyes as she looked at them. Colors she had only ever seen in her dreams. Pictures of landscapes like she had painted that one time. A smile spread onto her lips as she looked. So there was color in this world.

She was glad he was laying down next to the magazines, because she didn’t know what she wanted to be closer too. She curled up under his legs, one hoof touching the paper of the magazines. Her eyes closed almost instantly. But this time, she didn’t dream.

When I finally woke, a couple hours later, I realized how much of a mistake that was. Pearl could have just taken my keys and got out. A moment of panic flashed through me, but it faded just as fast as it had come. She wouldn’t do that. I knew she wouldn’t. Stretching and yawning, I took my hooves off the magazines and placed them on the floor. Something warm, soft, and furry rubbed up against my lower thigh. Startled, I looked down to see what it was. I almost laughed when I saw it.

A white and pink blob was laying right under where my legs had been. I smiled down at it, reaching and stroking behind the one ear that was standing up. The other was tucked in next to her head. She raised her head and looked up at me, those blue eyes taking me in. I bent down and kissed her lips, feeling her respond to my touch. After a couple second we broke apart. I looked up at the clock, and a thrill of excitement ran through me. It was almost time to quit. I looked down at Pearl, who seemed to know the same thing. I bent down so I could be on the same level as her.

“OK, Pearl. I have to make it look like I am leaving, so nopony thinks I did anything.” I said, looking into her eyes. “I am just going to drop off my uniform and journal, then I am coming right back. Understand?” Instead of blinking or nodding, she leaned forward and planted a kiss on my lips. After a couple seconds, she backed away, grinning broadly.

“I’ll take that as a yes.” I said, standing up. I grabbed my journal and headed towards the elevator. The last thing I saw before the doors closed were her wide, blue eyes staring at me. I don’t know what was running through her mind, but I just hoped she wasn’t thinking I was leaving her.

The doors opened on the ground floor, and I trotted out, trying to act like I wasn’t planning anything. It’s good that there was nopony around, or they would have seen right through my act. I walked down the hallway, my hooves clicking on the tiles. One thought was running through my mind. Please don’t let him be here. Please don’t let-

“Hey Newbie!”

-Silver be here, I finished. Taking a deep breath, I turned around. Silver was walking out of one of the doors in the hallway. He trotted to catch up with me, walking alongside.

“How’s it going with ya?” he asked, not looking at me. “You doing alright here?”

I really wasn’t sure how to respond. “Alright, I guess.” I said. “It’s not agreeing with me quite yet, but I am sure it will in a week or two.”

“That’s the spirit!” he said, clapping me on the back. “It took me a good month before I was comfortable here. Just give it time.” I nodded, hoping he would go away, but he stayed with me. We reached the locker room, and I pushed the door open, heading straight for my locker. Silver followed me in, trotting over to his. I couldn’t tell what he was so happy about.

“Got any plans for this weekend?” he asked, taking off his uniform and hanging it in the locker. I hadn’t realized it, but today was Thursday. I shook my head, but then remembered he wasn’t looking at me.

“No, not really.” I said, taking my uniform off as well. “Just relaxing at home.” I pulled my journal out of the pocket and placed it on the shelf in the locker. I turned around and found him looking at me, eyeing the journal. But he just shook his head and smiled again.

“I haven’t had a weekend like that in a while. I might take next week off and go to Los Pegasus. Hit the beaches.” I nodded in agreement.

“That’s a good idea.” I said. “I might have to do that sometime.” But I wasn’t thinking for me. I was thinking of taking Pearl to the beach one day. She would probably enjoy it. Silver nodded, trotting towards the door.

“You should. Last time I did it I had a blast. Anyway, see you tomorrow.” he said, walking out the door.

“Bye.” I called weakly. I hung my uniform on the hook in my locker, then grabbed the keys out of the pocket. I knew if I went back up to the room, I wouldn’t be able to leave for another hour or so. But I didn’t care. I had to do it. I trotted out of the locker room, looking both ways before I galloped back to the elevator. I quickly shoved the key into the lock and open the doors. The doors opened and I hopped it, mashing the button for the top floor. The last thing I needed was for anypony to see me heading back up after I was supposed to leave.

The doors reopened on the small hallway. At first I didn’t see her, but then I looked back over to where the chairs and magazines were, and I saw her. I wanted to call to her, but then I saw what she was doing, and I decided to just wait and watch.

She was sitting down on the floor, hunched over the magazines. All around her she had spread them out, opening the pages, and in a few cases, ripping the pages out. As I looked over them, I noticed all of them were of landscapes and nature. She was arranging them in such a way that, even though some of them were a year apart, they fit together perfectly. As I watched, she ripped another picture out of the magazine she was hoofing through. She placed it next to her, adjusting it until she thought it was perfect. I stood a little straighter, trying to look over her shoulder without alerting her. I smiled as when I saw what she was making with all the photos. It was another landscape, just like the one she had painted in her room.

Quietly, I walked out of the elevator, trotting over to her. I tried to muffle my hoofsteps, but the tile on the floor had other ideas. One of her ears perked up, and she turned around. A broad smile spread onto her lips, and she rushed over to me. I was prepared for just a hug, but not to be tackled to the floor. I felt her lips on my own for just a moment before she let me up.

“What, you didn’t think I was coming back.” She shook her head. I knelt down in front of her, looking into those eyes I had fallen in love with. “I will always come back for you. Always. Now, are you ready to go?”

By the time I was sure there was nopony left in the building, the sun was already setting. But that’s fine. It would mean the park would be empty. I pressed my key into the lock on the elevator and held the doors open once they had opened. I motioned for Pearl to go in with my free hoof. She just looked back and forth from me to the elevator. I could see she didn’t want to go in.

“Don’t worry, this isn’t the outside. But it will get us there.” I reassured her. She took a deep breath and walked forward into the elevator. I let go of the doors and walked in with her, hitting the button for ground floor. The elevator shuddered a bit as it started dropping, and Pearl grabbed a hold of my side, her eyes wide.

“It’s fine, Pearl. It’s supposed to do that.” I said. But I was glad the ride was so short, I didn’t like the fear in her eyes. As soon as the doors opened, she rushed out, but then stopped immediately. A look of wonder and surprise appeared on her face as she looked around the new surroundings. She turned towards the wall, cocking her head as she looked at the windows. I stayed back, wanting to see what she was going to do.

She slowly walked over to the windows. Through them, I could see the setting sun and, forest, which looked as if it had been dipped in ink because of the setting sun. She was about a foot from the windows when she stopped, an expression of confusion on her face. She took a couple steps back, then walked forward again. But she still stopped about a foot from the window. She cocked her head slightly, taking a step to the left, then a step to the right. I just watched her, wondering what she was doing. Finally, she reached a hoof up and placed it on the window. As soon as she did, she pulled it back. But she placed it back a few seconds later. My curiosity got the better of me, and I trotted over to her.

I almost laughed when I saw what had been disturbing her so. With a smile, I stood next to her, casting my own reflection on the window next to Pearl’s. “That’s you, honey.” I said, pointing at the white and pink pony in the window. “That’s what you look like.” I watched as my sentence sunk in. She slowly lifted the hoof off the window, holding it in the air in front of her. The pony in the window did the same. She lifted her hoof to her mane, gently stroking it in the back. The pony in the window did the same. Slowly, it dawned on her, and a large smile appeared on her lips. I was glad she had grasped it so fast.

“We should probably get going.” I said, taking her hoof and directing her towards to door at the end of the hallway. She came along, but reluctantly. She didn’t want to leave the window, and I could see why. That was the first time she had ever seen herself. But after a few moments, she fell into step with me. We reached the end of the hall and I pushed the door open, looking at the receptionist desk before I walked through. No, she wasn’t there. I breathed a sigh of relief as I walked through the door, Pearl right behind me. She was walking with me, but her head was turning every way possible, looking at her new surroundings. As I watched her, I couldn’t think of another time where I had seen somepony so happy and so full of wonder. The sparkles in her eyes were so luminous, they looked like the sky during a fireworks display.

I trotted over to the door, holding it open for her. As soon as I did, a blast of warm air met me. The sun was setting, but it was still warm outside. I was happy for that. At least it wouldn’t be freezing tonight. I held the door open a little further, motioning Pearl towards it. She slowly trotted towards it, her nose held high in the air. I could smell it then too. The smell of flowers and dirt after a rain. The heavy musky, earthy smell. I couldn’t tell what she thought of it, but it seemed to be drawing her towards the door.

I wanted to see her eyes when she stepped outside for the first time, but I also wanted her to take the first steps by herself. She stopped at the door, looking back and forth at the open doorway and me. But this time I didn’t have to encourage here. She just took the first step by herself. She paused again, but then she took another couple of steps.. Finally, she was out the door. I followed her out, shutting the doors behind me.

A couple yards in front of the door, Pearl stood absolutely still. Her body was as tense as I have ever seen. Her face was angled towards the sky, but she wasn’t afraid. In fact, it was just the opposite. On her face was the wildest expression I had ever seen. The biggest smile I had ever seen was plastered on her face. The setting sun was casting an amber glow on her fur, causing her eyes to sparkle more than ever. And in her eyes was the oddest combinations of joy and fear I had ever seen. She seemed to be afraid of the world around her, but at the same time, she seemed to be the happiest I had ever seen her.

I backed off a bit, giving her some space in case she lost it. But she didn’t. Instead, she just shook her head, trotting in a slow, wide circle. As she walked she twirled, trying to look at everything at once. Her eyes themselves reflected everything they looked at. The trees, the sun, the clouds. Everything reflected perfectly in those brilliant blue eyes. Slowly, she stopped twirling, and she trotted back over to me. I could see more then the world reflected in her eyes now. There was love there.

“Do you like it?” I asked, already knowing she did. She nodded, straightening up and kissing me on my cheek. I stroked her mane, feeling it’s watery, silky weight fall over my hoof. I turned towards the path that led towards the gate, and she followed me, like it was the only thing she knew how to do. She seemed to be frightened of the pops and crunches from the gravel, but after a few moments, she didn’t seem to mind anymore. It was taking a child somewhere new for the first time. Everything was a new experience. Everything was new for her.

When we reached the gate I slid my card through the scanner and trotted out of the way of the gate as it swung open. Pearl let out a small gasp and backed away, hiding behind me.

“It’s fine, Pearl.” I said soothingly. “It’s not going to hurt you. Nothing is going to hurt you while I am here.” I took her hoof and led her through the gate and out into the forest. The expression of awe had not left her eyes. I looked at the horizon, watching the sun set. I gently pulled her to a stop, pointing at it. I wanted her to remember her first sunset. We sat on the ground, my foreleg over her shoulders. She laid her head on my shoulder as the sun fell behind the mountains in the distance. Looking over my shoulder I could see the sun turning her fur the exact colors of the clouds. Pinks and oranges and yellows all playing across her body. As the colors played across her eyes they turned deep purple, but the sparkles stayed the same, shining out of the violet background.

The sun slowly dipped below the horizon until it was just a sliver. And that too, finally, disappeared. Her fur was back to normal, only slightly darker than before. She looked up at me, an odd expression on her face. I couldn’t tell what she was thinking.

I stood up, looking around the forest. Pearl stood up as well, keeping as close to me as possible. I turned, just to make sure she was following, then continued down the forest path. I knew exactly where I wanted to take her. I didn’t know why I was taking her there. It just felt right. Above us, I could hear the animals settling in for the night. And every time a branch rustled or a leaf feel, Pearl would jump slightly. I could tell she was very unnerved, so I slowed down a bit, letting her get as close to me as she wanted to be. As soon as I did this, her body relaxed some. She pressed herself against my side, still looking around the forest with wide eyes.

I looked ahead of us and saw the path opening up. Between the trees I could see parts of the night sky, and the field that bordered the forest. And I knew Pearl had seen it too. Her pace had quickened, and soon, she was a few yards ahead of me. I trotted to keep up with her. In no time, we left the trees behind and emerged into the park. Pearl took a few cautious steps away from me, her eyes wide and wary. She started to twirl in a circle just as she had done earlier. As soon as she turned towards the playground, her stopped. She stared at it for a few moments, her head cocked to one side. I smiled and took her hoof in mine, gently leading her towards the playground.

“I think you will like it here.” I said quietly. Even a whisper sounded like a shout in the night air. “I used to have fun here when I was a child.”

“Fun?”

I turned back to face her. Did she really not know that word? Did she not know what fun was? I suddenly felt a pang of pity for her. Of course she wouldn’t. She had been locked up for her entire life. She had never experienced anything fun. I pulled her close and continued walking towards the playground. “I am going to show you fun.” was all I said.

Soon we reached the sand border of the playground. The sand was about a foot deeper than the grass was, and I stepped down into the pit. Pearl seemed wary at first, but she quickly jumped down after I did. A look of curiosity worked its way onto her face as she looked down at the sand. She dug a hoof in slightly, feeling the coarse, scratchy grains against her skin for the first time. She just cocked her head a few times before looking back up at me. I smiled at her, then looked around the playground.

It hadn’t changed at all since those years as a foal where Rain and I had played. The swings were still there, their chains squeaking in the quiet night. The slides still stood, although they looked a bit battered from all the years of play. The tiny carousel still stood, but I didn’t think I would be taking Pearl on that. I looked back over at the swings, smiling. I was going to take her there first.

I gently pulled on her hoof, meeting no resistance from her. I led her over to the swings, making sure the squeaking from the metal chains didn’t scare her. But she didn’t seem at all phased. She just seemed curious. I dropped her hoof when we reached them. They swung in pairs, which was perfect for us. I turned to make sure she was watching me, and she was. I showed her how to get into one without falling out, just like you would a foal. All she did was blink after I was finished, so I pointed at the swing next to me.

“Your turn.” I urged. She walked over and got into her swing, even mimicking the way I twisted my back to make sure my wings didn’t get caught in the chains. I couldn’t stop myself from laughing when I saw this. It was just too cute. She looked over at me and cocked her head, and I just smiled. Next, I showed her how to swing her hind legs, and soon she was moving back and forth, a growing smile on her face. I watched as her mane and tail waved back and forth in the air as she swung. A quiet laugh escaped her lips as she swung higher and higher into the air.

“Fun!?” she asked, and I nodded. Her eyes were wide and happy, and it looked like she was practically glowing. “Fun!” she called again, laughing as she rose higher into the air. Not wanting her to have all the fun, I started swinging as well, trying to catch up to her. Finally, we were almost in sync, meeting each other halfway through the arc. By then I was as high as I could go, and I remembered something Rain and I used to do.

I swung one more time, until I reached the highest point. Then I let go. I flew out of the seat, spreading my wings as I did. I soared out of the swing, arcing over the playground and landing on the other side, without flapping my wings once. Not wanting to worry her, I quickly trotted back over to the swings. Pearl just looked at me when I returned, an odd expression on her face. She wasn’t thinking of--

The next time she reached the highest point, she let go of her swing. I watched her fly into the air, but since she didn’t have wings, she started to drop almost instantly. I ran as fast as I could, my forelegs extended. I reached her a moment before she would have hit the ground. I felt her land in my legs, pulling me off balance, and I landed on my back in the sand, my body wrapped around hers.

I uncurled myself, looking at her. What I saw I didn’t expect. She was smiling at me, her eyes alight. She didn’t look scared at all, or even hurt. She planted a kiss on my muzzle.

“Fun.” was all she said. I laughed, stroking her mane.

“Please, don’t do that again. At least for awhile.” She nodded, standing up She instantly rushed back to the swings, but I backed away a bit. I sat down on the edge of the slide. I just wanted to watch her. The moon, which was almost full, was making her fur glow. even the ground around her seemed brighter than the rest. I wasn’t religious, but I bet, if somepony had walked by right then, she would have looked like an angel.

I looked around the playground, my eyes settling on the small canopy above the slides. I fluttered my wings, looking back and forth between Pearl and the canopy. I took a deep breath and flapped my wings. For the first time since Rain had died, I felt my hooves leave the ground. The feeling of freedom associated with flying spread through my body. The dull ache I had been feeling in the base of my wings joints seemed to just float away as I rose into the air. I swooped down, floating in the air next to Pearl. She smiled up at me, trying to catch my wings in her hooves, but I just laughed and wrapped my hooves around her chest. I slowly lifted her into the air, making sure she wasn’t afraid, and also, that I could lift her. Her eyes grew wide as I lifted her up, but soon she was smiling and laughing as I pulled her through the air.

I floated over to the canopy, gently lowering her down to the top. The cloth sagged a bit under her weight, but it held her perfectly. I dropped down next to her, folding my wings in next to me. Pearl watched me as I flopped down onto the cloth and laid on my back. After a moment, she did the same, sliding down next to me. She laid her head against my shoulder, and I turned to look at her. In her eyes was an emotion I knew I would never forget. It was more than trust, or love. It was like I was the only thing in her world, and she would be lost without me.

She was visibly shivering from the cold night air. I drew her closer to me, wrapping my hooves around her. Gently, I pressed my lips against hers, feeling her do the same. I closed my eyes, trying not to think of anything else. Just being here with her was all I wanted. Slowly, her shivers began to stop as we shared our body heat. Her arms wrapped around my back, sliding underneath my wings. And for the first time, I felt myself shiver from her touch. I would have smiled at this, but my lips were otherwise engaged. By the time we broke apart, her shivers had long since stopped. Our foreheads were pressed together as we layed there. Pearl closed her mouth suddenly, a look of concentration running across her face.

“I....I love..you.” she managed, finally. She smiled at me, looking as proud as she had ever been. I pressed my lips against her forehead for a brief moment, then returned to her eyes.

“I love you too.” I said. “I love you, so much.” She pressed her lips against mine again, closing her eyes. I did the same, falling into both her and the kiss. Above us the stars glimmered and gleamed. And it seemed like they were shining just for us. At one point Pearl and I opened our eyes at the same moment, and I noticed how perfectly her eyes matched the sky. The soft blue glow of the sky over us, created by the lights from downtown Baltimare. The stars shining, even though the glare from the city. Her eyes were perfect. And so was she. As the night wore on, I extended my wings and wrapped us in a feathery cocoon, and I could feel myself flush from both the warmth and Pearl’s proximity. The moment seemed to go on for minutes, hours, I really wasn’t sure. But finally, I broke the kiss.

“Pearl..” I started, not really sure how I should ask the question. “Can...can you remember anything from before the room?” She gave me an odd look and cocked her head. Points for her, it was hard to cock your head while laying down. Her eyes flashed back and forth, but they finally settled back on me. She shook her head.

“I thought not.” I said, pulling her against me. “It’s probably for the best though.” She just looked at me and blinked, not understanding. “I’ll tell you one day. When you’re older.” She nodded, laying her head against my shoulder. I saw her eyes begin to close. She exhaled, and I could have sworn I heard a word on that breath. Fun. But I might have been imagining things. And within a few minutes, she was fast asleep. Her chest rose and fell with her steady breathing against my side. Her breath would create a cold draft over my chest. And I didn’t mind. I just wrapped my wings tighter around us, being careful not to wake her.

Looking up at the stars, I realized there was no other place I would rather be than right there, with Pearl next to me. I may not have liked working at the hospital, but something good had come out of it. And I wouldn’t have traded that for the world. As the night ticked on, I could feel my eyes begin to close, and before I knew it, I was asleep.

I woke, not because it was morning, but because somepony was moving around. Pearl was turning in circles on the cloth, a fearful expression on her face. It looked like she was trying to get a look at something, but couldn’t. I quickly stood up, walking over to her. I placed my hooves on her shoulders, making her stop turning.

“What is it, what’s the matter?” I asked, genuinely afraid now. She turned her flank towards me, and what I saw made me gasp. On her upper thigh was something I had never seen on her before. It looked like a green heart. But when I looked closer, I realized what it actually was. It was two leaves, curved together to look like a heart. I stared at it for a moment, finally realizing what it was.

“Pearl. You got your Cutie Mark!” I cheered, placing a kiss on her forehead. She just cocked her head at me, not understanding. I turned my flank towards her, showing her my mark. I could see the light blue lightning bolt and stars reflected in her eyes. She reached out a hoof and touched it, then she reached and touched her own. She still looked confused, but I could tell she was calmed down now. I embraced her, looking at the horizon as I did. A sliver of pink was showing just above the mountains. It would be dawn soon. I had to get her back.

But as I thought about it, I knew I couldn’t do it. She had gained her Cutie Mark from this experience. To deprive her of this would be torture. I couldn’t take her back to the hospital. I just couldn’t. I broke the embrace and looked around. The very top of the hospital was showing over the trees. And I knew Pearl saw it too.

“Go...back?” she finally managed. I looked back and forth between the hospital and the city. One was the right the to do, but one was the morally right thing to do. It wasn’t long before I made my decision.

“No. We aren’t going back.” I said, spreading my wings. “We are never going back.”