ＩＮ ＡＷＥ ＯＦ ＷＨＡＴ'Ｓ ＩＮ ＦＲＯＮＴ ＯＦ ＭＥ

[lemm]

ＤＩＲＥＣＴＯＲＹ
☼ are you bored yet ?
☼ amora valentine hernandez
☼ a reason to stay
☼young, dumb, broke

[lemm]

drip. drip. drip..
The sound of leaky pipes plagued Amora's sleep schedule, the seemingly simple noise drowning out even her own thoughts on many occasions. Tossing and turning around the small wooden-posted bed created even more noise, the eerie creaking of the floor beneath her disturbing the entire family. Amora could only hope, however, the noise was loud enough; enough to startle the neighbors, enough to come to discover the child that's been growing right under everyone's noses the past 17 years, enough to give her the chance of life. The broken water system was the least of her problems.
Palm trees and sand dunes lay outside the half-shattered glass door, the sights almost pulling her out of the plastic bubble-wrapped life she strived to leave. Watching white-capped waves crash onto the white beaches was no breathtaking view when confined to the 4-room home of 6. During the weekdays, however, she was able to enjoy the comfort of a quiet and calm home as everyone else was busy at work or school. She'd had her work completed by Wednesday nearly every week, the rest of the time spent in a daze watching as crabs scurried along the concrete floor in her home or flipping through static channels on the family T.V . Occasionally, a ship would faintly appear through the window facing the open seas, and spark Amora's imagination; the fantasy of living the ship life consumed her thoughts during her years of isolation. To be a girl with not a care in the world, sailing across the sea and experiencing culture and beautiful new scenery every day. This fantasy, however, came abruptly to a stop as a tropical storm began brewing upon the seas, and the traveling of ships came to a halt. Lying on her back on the creaky bed, Amora began to hope the powerful winds outside could blow down any dreams she had left of leaving the home, though her wings longed to take flight. [324]

[lemm]

- very obsessive when meeting new people
- little social skills
- no sense of table manners or good etiquette
- extreme highs and lows
- often grumpy when around large groups
- humorless
- stress-eater
- no experience with nature outside of the back porch
- unknowing of the value of her wings
- born into poverty
- doesn’t understand sarcasm or jokes
- unaware of the dangers of pirates and thieves
- no trade or talent
- spontaneous decision maker
- thinks wings are normal, doesn’t acknowledge them
- talkative

+ skilled with cooking
+ hopeless romantic
+ helpful in daily chores
+ independent due to isolation over the years
+ curious of outside world
+ matured at a young age
+ quick learner
+ respected by others
+ rarely sick
+ quick on her feet
+ good at hiding
+ enjoys the cultural aspects of her home island
+ very close to father, not as close to siblings/ mother
☼ playlist

[lemm]

disclaimer; pirates and characters Rohan and Roman do not belong to me, they are kalon of this readopt’s host and i do not in any way claim rights to them throughout the story. please enjoy !

[lemm]

The setting sun was a pristine stained glass painting, the vibrant caribbean colors illuminating the waves in shades of orange and red. Amora’s family gathered around the small wooden table adjacent to the window, the room becoming darker as the warm ball fell into the sea. A plump, poorly-frosted cake sat in front of the winged girl, reused candles from the last family birthday being lit upon it. With the singing of an out-of-tune birthday song, Amora was free from the tight grip held on her by her family. And into the world she went, her cloak brushing through trees and bushes as she made a break towards the town.
This excursion to freedom was rehearsed weeks before, the flower-printed tote slung between the meeting of her two wings. The same luggage had been stored under her bed, packed and ready, for the past 3 weeks in anticipation of the coming day. She did, however, lack a plan now. No place to stay or eat, and no chance of going back home now. At the age of 18, she had become an adult; she was free to spread her own wings, figuratively and literally. While walking down the poorly-paved roads, she began taking in the sights of her island fully for the first time. Tourist traps lined the sides, inflatable tubes and reef-safe sunscreen filling the outdated concrete buildings with bright, tropical decoration. Behind these building lay the homes of the locals, the working class population of the island that Amora belonged to. The sidewalk drew to an end before a large, wooden shack with smells of seafood drifting out of its cracks. She turned her head to meet a mother and child sporting sunglasses and flowy cover-ups over bright bathing suits, a look of distress on their face, staring towards her. She brushed it off and took a left towards the tourist shops promising the best prices on the small island and signs directing visitors to beach access and hotel check-ins. Looking past the largely built-up attractions, however, would reveal a marina composed of rentable charters, the upper class yachts, and the least to Amora’s surprise, pirates in search of a quick coin from the islanders.

[lemm]

pt 2 meet pirates
A rough voice over her shoulder caused Amora to jump, the sandpaper-like paw grinding across her neck as the smelly pirate began to speak. “What’s a pretty young gal like you doin’ out here? What, on yer way to the open seas, eh?” She began to feel her cloak being picked up by wind, and in fear of being found out, quickly placed her luggage on the overgrown grass to re-tie the black material. Swiftly picking it back up, her eyes turned to meet the large sea-goer in front of her. “I’m Roman, but my crew calls me captain. What ye got goin on under there?” He asked, leaning down in an attempt to get a look under the cloak. Amora’s fear only rose more as another large male approached, this time, however, making a beeline to the man already surveying her from the side. Feeling a bead of sweat begin to form, the dim street lamps gave off only enough light to make out the fragile features of the second kalon. He lacked the upset eyes or intimidating height, captain even towering over Amora and the legs her siblings claimed were those of a giraffe, despite never visiting the zoo during their childhood. “Leave her alone, Roman..” he spoke in a more gentle, quiet tone. The kalon put a hand over her mouth before she could say a word, and as her world turned darker, she made out the fins of a dolphin in the distant bay. The area spinning around her, Amora felt her back hit the ground with a thud and her eyes flutter shut.

[lemm]

”Y’know, i really wish it didn’t have to be like that.”
Amora’s eyes fluttered at the first break of conciseness in hours. Adjusting to the surroundings, they met with those of the well-shaved kalon standing in front of her. “I know, i know. Sorry ‘bout the smell, when you’re mixing so many chemicals.. you get the point, ain’t it?”
Still confused and in a daze, she made an attempt to wipe the sweat forming on her forehead off when it became clear her arms were in restraints. Looking up again with anger building in her eyes, the man took a step closer and went to his knees. “I’m Rohan. And you are?”
Amora began collecting her saliva as he talked, and spit in the kalon’s face as it approached her. Taken aback, Rohan wiped his now damp fur and made a face of disgust. “Where am i?” She spoke, her eyes now able to make out planks lining the sides of the small room. “Where are you?” Rohan let out a chuckle. “The Caribbean Sea, princess. Welcome to the emerald stallion, finest ship i’d say we’ve had.”
The dread began to set as she began to feel the motion, the rocking of the boat upon the menacing seas. The place she longed to be for years had just become a unknowledgeable kalon’s prison, with not stone walls and metal bars, but thin white sails and and fishing poles lining the deck of a wooden boat.

[lemm]

”For the last time, i do not want to play a game with you.” Amora demanded. “Whoa, Whoa, princess. Calm down. If you could be anyone with wings, who would it be and why.” Rohan began laughing at the thought of it. “I’d be you, of course. you’ve got it made up here, a free passage to Europe! Don’t you know how much this would’ve costed ya?” Another tear began to fall from her puffed up eyes, the symptoms of dehydration yet to kick in even through the multiple days now spent resisting friendship with her only companion, the put together pirate Rohan. Today, however, would be a different case; not having seen the light of day for the start of the voyage, the bright beams of the sun caused Amora to begin rubbing as she was ushered up the stairs, tucking her thickly-feathered wings into her arms as she made the ascent. Reaching the top deck, she was immersed into the ruckus happening above deck, crew members viciously arguing and drunk lay laughing about. “I- uh, cover up, Princess.” Rohan offered an empty sack towards Amora, ushering towards the other pirates and her wings. Still confused in the midst of the commotion and disorientation of seasickness, she hurriedly tried to wrap herself into the sack, with no success but a good enough makeshift coat to face the open seas. Overlooking the side of the rocking ship, blue waves crashed over the sides of the wood where she once sat and the pure white sands of her home were now replaced by the dark seas of the Atlantic ocean. Rohan pulled in an usher to continue towards the captain’s quarters, but she had become consumed by the water, and what lay beneath the bubbly white-capped surface. Snapping out of her trance, she followed the large kalon up the deck and through the doors to a room smelling faintly of cigarette smoke and cologne. Turning in his chair was the large, unkept kalon first approaching Amora, and taken aback as to how she had ended up on his ship, she began to feel the effects of the dehydration and sickness coming above her. The next words spoke to her were now incoherent as she watched the world spin, reminiscing of the blue waters and salty breeze she’d felt on the deck. Her answers became slurred and the world began to darken, the sight darker than the vast seas. The image of a younger self on the white beach paced through her mind as she felt her captor lifting her and returning to the cot below deck, a simpler time in which she’d wish to return now.

[lemm]

Water began to weigh down the feathered wings upon Amora’s back as she thrashed through the cold, dark waves. Voices shouted from above the deck, the commotion in the water a pure sight and the world began to move in slow motion, the shallow breaths and large splash as Rohan dove into the water after the now flightless Kalon, though never taking flight when able. “What are you doing, Amora?” He shouted over the sound of wind and waves clashing together. She clung to the side of the ship, just slightly out of reach of the life boat as she began shouting what sounded to be meaningless speech. “I’ve seen, It’s, There, Up There, LAND.” Still reaching for the smaller preserver, She shivered and began sawing at the attached rope with her claws to no prevail. “Just hold on for a minute, i’m going to lift you back up!” The rains began falling upon the two,