I hadn’t contacted my angel since that first night, but I could feel her there, all the time. As the days had passed, her restless shifting had intensified into what seemed like a longing to break free. I became so self-conscious, trying to get through my days without letting on this was happening; without really letting on to myself, even. But it felt like everyone knew anyway – because sometimes the nape of my neck would start prickling, as if they were all staring. Occasionally someone would be there when I checked; more often I’d find myself looking at an empty space. And meanwhile I could sense my angel, straining against me. What frightened me most was that it was starting to take an effort to hold her back, like struggling to hang on to a tugging kite.

My old life in Pawntucket was like something that had happened on another planet: Willow Fields, who, okay, was maybe sort of strange because of fixing cars and being psychic, but who had a pretty boring, ordinary life, actually. And who definitely didn’t feel like a stranger inside her own body. I could hardly believe now that such a time had really existed, when I’d just felt...normal.

Human.

Chapter Nine

THE PARADE TOOK SEB by surprise.

It had been just over two weeks now since he’d hitch-hiked down to el DF, and he’d spent every moment of daylight looking for the girl in the photo; he only vaguely knew what day of the week it was any more. But now, as he walked back to his hostel near the centro, he saw that it must be Revolution Day. A mariachi band was playing, with its warbling singers and the jaunty sound of guitars and horns, and there was a parade passing by, full of schoolchildren dressed as soldiers: the boys in sombreros and bullet belts, sporting eyebrow-pencil moustaches; the girls in long, bright skirts and snowy-white blouses, their hair in braids. Behind them came a group of older girls in green T-shirts, dancing and waving Mexican flags.

With his knapsack over his shoulder – there was no way he’d leave it in the hostel during the day – Seb edged through the crowd lining the sidewalk. A few angel wings brushed him as he passed. Everywhere he went now, there were people wearing them. The mood of the crowd was exuberant, their auras practically bouncing against him; even those that were stunted with angel damage shimmered with excitement.