After school, Adam headed to detention. The usual suspects already populated the room. Randy sat by the back wall. Your typical jock, probably there for having roughed up someone who he perceived to be on a lower rung of his twisted version of the darwinian ladder. To the right was Tom. Not your typical jock. This guy was a certified psychopath. No empathy. No remorse. Caused pain for kicks. Finally to the left sat Annie, a tough bag of nails of a girl who took crap from no one, even if that no one was school staff.

He made his way to one of the sits and pulled out his physics book. The other three immediately burst into laughter. 

“You're actually going to study in detention. What a dork,” said Randy.

The other two made no remarks, retreating back into their indifference, that is until something clicked in Tom’s mind.

“Hey, wait, aren’t you the kid who sees ghosts?”

“Hum... no.”

Adam said as he slightly turned to face Tom. And just as he did, he froze in place.

“What? What are you looking at?” Tom asked.

Adam was stunned by the sight of a black shadowy figure looming over Tom. Ice cold. That is how Adam felt as he stared at it.

“Hey you freak, I said what are you looking at?” Tom demanded to know as he tensed his brown and closed his fists.

“Nothing, nothing,” Adam said.

“Yeah, you better be looking at nothing. Now turn around and don’t you dare look at me again.”

Adam did as instructed. The strange thing was, a different tone permeated Tom’s voice as he uttered that last sentence. Adam felt as if the shadowy figure had just spoken to him directly.

A few minutes went by and Adam was making quick work of his physics homework. That is until someone else stepped up to the door. Fabian. Once again Adam’s arm hairs reached for the ceiling. He braced himself for whatever erratic behavior was sure to come his way at any second. Yet none came. Fabian calmly walked through the room and sat on one of the chairs in the back. Maybe whatever he was on earlier had already worn off, or so Adam hoped. He took a quick pick in Fabian's direction, only to find a laser-like stare pointed at him.

Crap!

After an hour or so, the teacher in charge of detention announced, "everyone is excused. You too Adam, get out of here."

"But I haven’t finished my homework."

"Tell it to someone who cares. I want to go home, so you go home."

Adam packed up his books and got up only to feel a brick of a hand landing on his left shoulder and pushing him back down to his seat. Knowing exactly who it was, Adam looked for the teacher, but he had already rushed out.

"Hey Fabian, listen, I don’t know what your problem is with me, but I am sure whatever it is we can work it out."

"I have been looking for you. We have been looking for you."

Not this again, Adam thought.

"You said that before, but you are not making any sense. What does that even mean?"

"It means you are coming with me."

"Wait, what?! Where?"

"You will see."

Fabian got up and headed out the door.

"Hurry up, Adam, you are going to want to see this. Aren't you at least curious to learn more about your near death experience?" Fabian said as he made his way out the door. As he did, Adam caught a glimpse of a pair of wings on his back. Adam sat for a moment, at first contemplating his getaway plan, but soon he found his curiosity swelling like a balloon. He wasn’t quite sure why, but he decided to go on that balloon ride.

Adam caught up with Fabian at the the school's parking lot where he stood in front of a Harley Davidson.

"Nice bike. Where are we going?" Adam asked.

"You will see. Hop on." Fabian said as he handed him a helmet.

And with the roaring sound of his motorcycle, they were on their way.