Hidden in Plain Sight (Working title)

Avery walled back to the willow trees. They'd just had an extremely quiet lunch and Daisy and Mike said that the creatures and angels could go outside soon. Sadly, Willow had said that they were stuck in a roofed courtyard that looked like a cage. But, at least it was outside.

Avery unfolded her bright white wings and flew up into the air. She flew between willow branches and dove under hanging lights. The light glistened on her wings. Her brown curly hair was pushed behind her head from the wind she created as she flew. She landed gently beside a willow tree after flying a while. She thought about the other angels and creatures.

Matt didn't seem trustworthy but at the same time he seemed like one to joke around a lot. Which was probably how he'd gotten here three years ago. Then again, Avery barely knew him. Midnight seemed sort of shy. But she also seemed extremely bored all the time. Hence why she would talk to random people. Riley was extremely bubbly and Willow wasn't much better. Both of them had automatically trusted Avery to not run away or hurt them. Which, like she could.

Kat - or, uh, Audrie - was different. She was like Avery in so many ways. She closed off from others and didn't seem to trust just anyone. She didn't seem to trust Avery either. Avery looked at where her scratch had been before she healed it. That was why she didn't trust anyone. No one could be trusted if they knew what she was. Not humans or creatures. Not even angels. Her parents had given her away when they were around humans once. They gave away the fact that she was an angel. It was horrible. She'd had to hide ever since.

Then there was the day she got caught.

"I know she's here," a human said. Avery held her breath. She was hiding beneath her willow tree. She peeked out through the trees roots. There were two humans standing in front of her willow. They looked in her direction but didn't seem to see her.

"Well I don't see anyone. Let's head back." Another human shone their flashlight in Avery's direction. It glistened on her white wings. Avery yelped and hid back beneath the roots of the tree.

"Did you see that?" the first human whispered.

"Yes. Now be quiet!" the second one snapped. He began to walk torwards the tree. Avery wimpered as the humans came closer to where she was hiding. They were going to kill her. She knew it.

Shit, she thought.

The humans stopped in front of her tree. Avery felt her heart race. The first human sat down in front of the tree.

"It's ok," he said. "We won't hurt you."

Thankfully, the humans couldn't fit through the small hole in the roots.

"It's ok," the first human repeated. "We're going to take you to the sanctuary. You'll be safe there."

Avery couldn't believe she'd gone willingly. But she had. And now she was here.

Avery stretched her wings and then leaned against the tree. Her wings were folded behind her as she looked up at the leaves of the willow.

Then she thought about the time her parents gave away her secret.

Avery walked alongside her parents. It was three years before being taken to the sanctuary. She'd only been thirteen years old. Avery wondered what was going on. Her parents were giving her odd looks.

They stopped in front of a human. "Here she is," Avery's dad said.

The human looked at Avery. "You're sure she's an angel?"

Avery looked up at her parents in fear.

"Avery, go into your angel form," her mom whispered.

"No!" Avery whispered back. "He'll kill me!"

"Do it."

Why had Avery trusted them? She turned into her angel form.

Then her parents held her down while the human came forward. Avery squirmed beneath them. She felt a pain in her wing as the human pulled out three of her main feathers.

She could still fly, obviously. She looked at her wing. More specifically, the three feathers still missing. They were beginning to grow back but not fast. Avery wished they'd just grow already.

Then the humans came in, Daisy and Mike, and called the creatures and angels for dinner.