The momentum of my swinging bag carries me into a roundhouse kick to knock the wind out of goon number three. I continue whistling. It causes chaos and focuses their attention on me. A nice bonus is alerting Oakley it’s time to go. I leap a chair and sprint away. Lee’s training should…
I look back over my shoulder towards the beach and realize Oakley hadn’t been distracting the wannabe gangsters. The sight of wings outlined in blazing green fills my vision. Wings of all shapes and sizes coordinated in an unnatural avian flock. My stunned eyes note the disparate birds those wings carry are growing larger as I watch. Holos. Lots and lots of Holos swarm the beach. I desperately search for Oakley.
“Keep running!” The fat guy is carrying my brother over his shoulder in a fireman’s carry as he runs towards me. My feet obey even if my brain is stuck trying to peel my eyes away from the insanity capturing me like a fish fighting a hook. I just can’t believe what I’m seeing.
It sounds like the end of the world approaches with each feathery wingbeat striking the air. Like the snapping of sails on a fleet headed to war.
Sand scatters beneath my feet. The crunch of shells, the smell of the sea, and the sound of frightened boys crying out as they are lifted into the air keep pace with me.
This is impossible! Holos. Don’t. Attack. Kids! The sand in front of me darkens. A shadow quickly defines itself beneath me. It’s not mine. I notice another old table further ahead. It’s tipped over on its side with a broken portion providing a poor wall, but I’m hoping it will be enough protection as I dive towards its shelter.
The cry of an angry seagull screeches above me as the Holo smashes into the table. The cry is carried by other birds. A loud, piercing cacophony. It threatens to disorient me. It’s almost as bad as the Singh siblings’ first concert! No seagull should be big enough to make such a racket!
For all its size, the Holo seagull barely rocks the table. Solid Holograms don’t have much weight. They do have a lot of power to make up for it. The outlined seagull quickly adapts to my position and tries to hook its glowing webbed feet under the table as it flaps mightily. As it’s lifting the table, I fight back by knocking its feet out of position. We continue to play this game of life and death. It tries to hook the table from a new position, I counter.
It feels like an eternity of life and death patty-cake before I hear a small voice cry out, “Gēgē!” My blood turns to ice. Then fire. Nobody messes with my brother! Nobody.
I let the Holo lift the table and roll underneath it. I reach a kneeling position and see the rotund thug holding onto my brother with all his strength as multiple birds latch onto his clothes.
I run towards Lee. My peripheral vision catches more seagulls, a few finches, and an albatross racing toward the struggle. My breath feels hot and scratchy in my throat as I urge myself to run faster. Fat guy’s losing the battle. I watch as his fingers slide down Lee’s legs down to his shoes. I’m about a step away when the shoes finally slip off to a frustrated cry.
I take the opportunity to leap up the guy’s back and deliver a flying kick to the small flock of bird brains that dare to take my brother. I feel a flash of triumph as the Holo releases Lee!
The feeling of feathers against my skin intercepts my victory. Next thing I know, I’m knocked to the ground. Hearing my brother screaming in the distance as my vision blackens and I hear a crack split the air.
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