An Owl's Rise

"Huff, huff."

Breathing heavily, but with a smile on her face Evelyn looked back and saw the others behind her just finishing the hundred-meter dash.

'He, I won again.' Evelyn thought.

When she had first heard some of the girls that were friends talking about how she was the star of the track team despite only being a first year she could not recall even being on the team, but now it all seemed natural.

Among her peers she was the fastest and in practice she had beaten everyone again. The coach came over and lavished her with praise and the other girls all congratulated her even though they lost. Saying things like "Its only natural you won." And "I am just glad our team has someone as fast as you."

Evelyn felt quite happy to be on the receiving end of such praise and was enjoying being the center of attention.

She had not been expecting school to have been this much fun, but the day had been absolutely great.

However, it was after the school day came to an end that Evelyn was hit with another feeling that something was slightly off.

On reflex she had started walking towards the nearest library where she was certain she spent most of her time after school, but her friends stopped her and said that she had promised to go out with them after school.

"You already have the best grades in the class Evelyn. What would you need to go to library for and study." One of the girls said.

Evelyn was taken aback by this, she was certain that she always went to the library, and that while her grades were good, they were never the best.

'No, I must be mistaken again. I normally go out with my friends or head home with Mason.' Evelyn thought.

Putting on a bright smile, Evelyn went with the girls that were her friends and one of her seniors who had a car drove them around.

Yet, as much as Evelyn had fun going to the mall to hang out, it all felt foreign to her. As if this was the first time she had done something like this.

'I feel like I would enjoy being at the library more.' Evelyn thought, wanting to enjoy shopping with friends, but not finding that she did.

A few moments later Evelyn felt like she lost track of things and suddenly found herself in the library she had been imagining. With all her friends there studying or playing games on the computer.

"What the hell!?" Evelyn said, looking around and having no idea how she ended up in the library.

"Is something wrong Evelyn? Weren't you going to play with us."

Looking towards the girl that had addressed her, Evelyn saw her playing one of the games she would use to pass the time when she had finished studying but still did not want to go home.

'But why did I not want to go home? And I always played this game alone?' Evelyn thought, feeling a splitting headache coming on.

Nevertheless, she could not figure out the inconsistency and sat down to play, but after expecting so many unusual events, Evelyn could no longer deny that something was off.

She was having a great deal of fun, and everything was perfect, but she felt that it was almost too good to be true.

Still, she could not figure out what was wrong, not yet at least.

When it was around five thirty, Mason showed up to pick her up and take her home. Something Evelyn could not remember at first, believing that she always walked.

Yet, vague memories surfaced in her mind as she tried to remember Mason taking her home from the library, as if to fill in a void.

Rubbing her face, Evelyn felt a cold sweat running down her back, but honestly could not say why. Then for a second her hand was gone and replaced by a wing. When she blinked the wing was gone and her hand was back, but it was something he felt she knew well. As if the hand before her was less a part of her body than that wing that had appeared for a single moment.

"Evie, I have some of your favorite candy if you want some?" Mason said, while Evelyn was stuck in thought about what was going on.

He opened up the glove box and showed it to her, and Evelyn nearly reached in and took some but stopped herself.

"No, it is fine. I do not want to ruin my appetite." Evelyn said, making some excuse.

Mason frowned at her refusal, but quickly a bright smile reappeared on his face.

"No problem. I am sure that dinner will be exactly what you want anyway. You can have some after." Masons said.

Once they returned home, Evelyn got another one of her feelings and slowly and carefully entered the house as if on the lookout for someone of something.

She was not sure why she was behaving this way, but she was certain it was deeply engraved in her, and while giving into these reflexes she did not understand hurt her head, she could not stop herself. Hoping that doing so would help her get to the bottom of what was wrong.

'It smells good. Dad really did make my favorite food again. But why? He has not cooked like this for years." Evelyn thought, remembering the slight flash of the horrible man she had seen in her father's place this morning.

However, as she was fighting with a fierce headache and was close to finding the answer she wanted, the door to the house opened and someone else walked in.

"Evelyn, what are you doing standing there in the front entrance. It smells like diner is almost ready you should go and wash up."

Hearing the voice behind her, Evelyn forgot about the pain in her head and the misgivings she was having and turned around to face the person that had just come in.

"Mom!?"