Free The Adonis of Weho by G.A. Hauser Page A

dinner.
    Reese noticed a sexy red Ferrari and admired it as he walked near it. Though he was an appreciator of fine things, he couldn’t quite afford all the luxuries yet. One day.
    He took off his shoes as he hit the sand and stopped to have a look around. Since it was a lot less crowded, he scanned the occupants quickly.
    His heart stopped in his chest.
    A man was standing on the wet sand near the tide, flowing brown hair blowing in the breeze, and white wings tucked against his back.
    “No. No way!” Fear began to paralyze Reese. He waited for someone to notice the man. No one did! A young woman and her child strolled by Reese.
    “Excuse me.” He got the woman’s attention. “Um, do you see a guy right there? Long dark hair and…”
    She held her hand up to her forehead to shield the glare. “A guy with long brown hair? Is he wearing a black shirt and white shorts?”
    “Yes!”
    “What about him?”
    Reese blinked. “What about him?”
    “What did he say, Mommy?” the little boy asked, reaching for his mother’s hand.
    “You…you see him? The guy out there by the water?”
    She began to look at Reese strangely, as if he were crazy. “I said I did.” She held her son’s hand. “Come on. Let’s go.” She walked away.
    “Does he have wings?” Reese shouted after her but was ignored. “I don’t believe this!” He ran his fingers through his hair in agony. “She sees him, but not his wings.” He began to feel ill. “I’m dead. I can see he has an angel’s wings but no one else can. Why me?”
    The winged man slowly spun around.
    Even from that distance, they connected gazes. The urge Reese had to panic and run was powerful.
    The man appeared just as freaked out as he was. They did nothing but stare at each other from quite far distance.
    ~
    “Oh gods. That’s him.” Adonis took his hair from his eyes as the wind blew it in. He looked upwards, “Dad? Is this a trick from Hera! Tell me!” He balled his fists and felt his heart race.
    “Tell me now!” he roared causing some strolling beach-combers to turn their heads his way.
    ~
    While Reese watched those enormous white wings spread out like the span of an eagle’s wings. “Icarus? I’m going nuts!”
    Reese felt his knees wobble at the fright. There was no way that six foot plus wingspan could be missed. Nope. He was the only one who could see this death angel. “I must be having a heart attack.” Reese felt his chest. His heart was pounding rapidly from his terror.
    He sat down on the sand, trying to fathom what on earth he was seeing.
    ~
    Adonis saw the man drop to his bottom and grab his chest. He took a few steps towards him and stopped. “Hera! I swear to you if this is a trick and he is Artemis in disguise I shall plague you!”
    The man was gaping at him, holding his heart.
    Adonis couldn’t hold back if the man was in need. He sprinted up the sand towards him.
    ~
    Seeing that enormous predatory bird-man coming his way, Reese cried out and tried to get to his feet, scrambling in the dry sand, his gaze glued to the fast approaching beast. The wings flapped like a hawk hunting a mouse. The terror of seeing his own death coming had Reese frozen.
    ~
    “Are you all right?” Adonis asked, panting to catch his breath.
    “Don’t kill me!”
    “Kill you?”
    “Oh, God, I don’t want to die!”
    “Are you dying?”
    “Aren’t you death?”
    “Death? Me?”
    “The Angel of Death?”
    “I don’t think so.”
    “Are you Icarus?”
    “No. Who are you? Do you know Icarus?” Adonis crouched down by this man, smelling fear and seeing his skin beaded with sweat.
    “The…the wings!” The man pointed, his arms shaking.
    “Why can you see them? Are you mortal or a god?”
    “What? Am I mortal? What the fuck are you? You’re not mortal?”
    Adonis looked up at the sky. “What are you doing to this poor man?”
    “Who are you talking to?” The man cowered. “Am I going to die? Are you an angel?”
    “An angel? No.”