Lost Bird

Chapter 1

Third Person

      (When Sang was nine and Axel was ten.)

        "Axel!," Sang yells after he pushed her into the pond. She really isn't mad at him. In her eyes, he can do no wrong.

       Axel laughs and jumps into the water with her. His time with Sang is really the only time he can be happy.

     Sang splashes with him water as soon as he emerges and shrieks when he returns the favor. She starts swimming away from him, but he grabs her foot to keep her from swimming away.

     "Get off of me," she kicks her foot out, trying to get herself free.

       "Not after you splashed me," he laughs.

        Sang kicks her foot out again, this time too hard and she ends up kicking him in the chest.

    Axel looks at her in surprise, "Ow."

       "I'm sorry," she says, frowning. She swims closer to him and that's when he pounces. He dunks her under the water. He quickly lets her go, not wanting to hurt her.

      She pops out out of the water and wipes the water out of her eyes. "You stink!"

        He sticks his tongue out at her, "Do not."

Sang tries to surprise dunk him too, but he's too quick for her. He swims out of the way and for a little bit, Sang chases Axel around. Unfortunately for her, Axel is a much better swimmer than she is. Finally she gives up and floats on her back, appreciating the view. It's so much more peaceful here than her house.

Axel decides to join her and floats next to her. Before he can say anything, Sang pounces again, and this time she's successful in shoving him underwater. She takes off again, this time he's chasing after her.

Sang's laughter fills the air and for right now, everything feels okay for the two.

         (When Sang was 13 and Axel was 14.)

          Sang walks slowly to their spot. She's late and she knows Axel's worried, but she can't force herself to walk any faster.

        When she gets to the lake, she sees Axel pacing underneath the willow tree.

"Hi," she forces out weakly.

His head snaps up and he runs to her. He can tell her bitch of a mother did something. Her knees are cut up, her cheek is red, her lip is cut, and he can tell she's been crying.

He pulls her into a hug, trying to be as gentle as possible, not knowing if she was hurt anywhere else. He lets go slightly so they can sit at the edge of the pond, their feet dangling in the water.

"What happened this time?," he asks.

She bites her lip and he knows she's trying her hardest not to cry. He doesn't understand why, she knows he would never judge her for it.

"I don't know," she says. Her voice is very hoarse and it sounds like she's straining to talk.

"Did she make you drink that stuff again?," he asks, even though he already knows the answer.