Page 6 (1/2)

I arched up and out

I hovered briefly in mid-air at the apex of the arch,above my shoulders in a state of suspended animation

From here, as I briefly hovered, I could see Lake Mathews sparkling under the nearly full moon I could also see the barb wire fence, too Only in southern California do they surround a lake with barb wire Beyond, the cities of Corona and Riverside sparkled like so many jewels Flawed jewels

And then I was falling, head first, like an inverted cross The bleak canyon walls sped past rass swept past me, too Lizards scuttled for cover, no doubt confused as hell Dry desert air blasted me, thundered overup fast

I closed ardedits head to one side

Faster, I sped My outstretched arht the wind

The creature in the flame, the creature intoward it - or it was rushing toward asped, contorted, expanded

And now ht the air, used the air,as angling away fro just over the rocky protrusion In fact, razed the rock Lizards, soaking up what little heat they could from the rock, scurried wildly, and I didn&039;t blame theling down, speeding so fast that by all rights I should be out of control Wings or no wings, I should have tu into a forest of beavertail cactus so thick thatat them

But I didn&039;t crash

Instead, I was in total control of thisinnately how to fly, how to co h to soar just above the beavertail, as I did now, their spiky paddles justmy flat underside

Yes, coer feht only For great distances, and great strength, too

Now, as the far side of the canyon wall appeared before s - and shot up the corrugated wall, following its contours easily, avoiding boulders and roots and anything that s or dise hard And with each doard thrust,out of the canyon like a winged missile

In the open air, I was ih the hills, but her still I leveled off and the thick hide that cos snapped taut like twin sails