<span style="font-style: italic">The feeling of free-falling was slowly taking over her body. She was falling, and falling fast. The wind was cutting at her face, wiping her hair back and forth. She couldn't see anything. The cold air cutting at her face. She blinked, and could see the ground rising quickly to meet her...</span><br/><br/>Maria gasped shrewdly, her head smacking on the tile floor and the force of impact in her dream waking her from the slight coma she had been in. She blinked a few times, awaiting for her eye sight to re-focus and the blurs of shadows to become solid objects. She blinked again, making the muscles tense in her arms and hands. That was good, she could feel her fingers, her toes, her legs and body. There was no pain...at least no major pain that she could feel at first. Her head was pounding though.<br/><br/>Opening her eyes again, Maria took a deep breath and rolled onto her side. Her body protested the movement. Almost as if her body was still sleeping and refusing to wake up. Maria licked her lips before taking another deep breath and turning her head slightly. She couldn't see much. The place was dark. Where those bar stools?<br/><br/>Coughing a few times brought dust up from the floor, which then made Maria sneeze. Rubbing her nose, Maria managed to push herself up on her elbow, and then sat up entirely. The jacket that was loose on her shoulders slipped down, revealing the dusty yet vibrant green tank top she was wearing beneath it. The suede brushed against her shoulder, which was sore to the touch and Maria winced.<br/><br/>Looking down, Maria saw a bruise, though it didn't exactly surprise her. Though...how had she got it? Turning her gaze back to the run-down restaurant that she now found herself in, Maria was suddenly overwhelmed with confusion. How had she gotten here? Where was here anyway? The last thing she remembered...<br/><br/>"CARLOS!" Maria gasped, her body jolting and forcing her to stand. Her body protested the idea as an afterthought, and Maria had to grab hold of an old wooden chair that nearly crashed to sawdust under her weight. Her head was pounding now, and Maria realized half of the ache was coming from her hair being twisted into a tight bun at the back of her head. Pulling at the hair tie, Maria let the dark brown curls fall down to her back. She sighed with relief, running her fingers through her hair and scratching the back of her head.<br/><br/>"Ay mi cabeza...." Maria murmured softly, tilting her head curiously at the Spanish that spilled from her lips before she could think. Then she remember Carlos and the color nearly drained from her tanned face. Carlos was her older brother....she remembered being with him before....before...<br/>Maria held her head as she tried to think back. Everything was fuzzy...why couldn't she remember where they had been? Or how they got here? Was Carlos even here? Maria looked around quickly again. The place seemed a little run-down...but maybe she could get some cell reception...Maria reached into her pockets and frowned deeply.<br/><br/>The pockets of her dark jeans were completely empty! Maria reached into the pockets of her jacket and her fingers brushed up against a piece of paper. Pulling it out, Maria stepped over to a window for better lighting to read the words written there.<br/>"Beware the charmer...the Missing one is not lost?" Maria frowned deeply. What was that supposed to mean anyway?<br/><br/>Maria jumped at the sounds of a loud chime just outside the restaurant. He heart was racing as she tucked the slip of paper back into her pocket and dodged out the front door, her sneakers causing an echo as she went. A small feeling engulfed her as she twisted down the streets. Something was being said, and the voice echoed all around, but Maria could hardly pay attention. She felt light...weightless...almost as if she could fly.<br/><br/>The next thing she knew, Maria was in the air. The wind was swirling around her, gently, unlike the feeling in her dream. It encircled her, and Maria twirled. She was soaring, the wind pushing against her wings, ruffling her feathers, and nearly chilling her completely. Just as she felt like she was loosing that feeling, Maria headed towards a rooftop and landed. She blinked and she was back to her regular self. Laughing in disbelief, Maria stared at her hands and arms that were still clothed as before. She almost couldn't believe that a moment ago, her arms had been light brown wings covered in white and tan feathers.<br/><br/>For some reason, this didn't surprise her at all. It felt comfortable, being able to change into a bird and back again. Looking down, Maria found herself on top of a populated building. That was reassuring...maybe the whole city wasn't abandoned...maybe she could find Carlos here...or at least someone who might have seen him...maybe she could find out where she even was or how she got here. Shifting again, Maria dived down to a tree across the lane and from a branch, jumped down to the ground. She landed before shifting back to her usual self and, ruffling her hair, Maria tried not to look too confused and scared as she walked into the bar.