2:46 am. Dull street lights, a slight cool breeze, and silence. The city is loud at night, but here, you don't hear any of the loud bustling sounds from the people there.
Footsteps. A lone person walking down the sidewalk.
"Couldn't sleep?"
She looks up from the trained stare at her feet.
No one.
Turning around, focusing her eyes on the dark silhouettes behind her. One steps into the faint yellow glow.
"Don't worry," a female voice. It seemed sickly sweet, but she could hear the malice laced into her words.
"This won't take too long." Taking a hesitant step back as the figure started to advance, she couldn't help regret her decision for coming out at night.
Well, it's not like she expected to gain any attraction. At night, you won't get stares from strangers, but then again, you're an easier target at night.
Not that anyone would care if she died, right? She was one of the unnatural monsters. The menaces to society. One of the winged.
'Stupid, stupid, stupid,' She thought, gaining a grasp on the situation. 'If something bad happens it's all on me and my bad decisions.'
"You know what we want." One of the shadowed people said, taking another step forward.
"Please, I don't want any trouble." Her voice cracked. It was an attempt but even she knew pleading wouldn't work. Another step forward. And another.
"And neither do we, so you'll stay quiet for us then?"
Her eyes widened, and knew there was only one option.
Run.
Taking another step back and pivoting, she started to make her desperate escape, but to no avail.
They must've thought i'd do this. A man standing in her path. He cut her off, and reached his bulky hands at her wrists. As she felt calloused hands tightly grip around her, she felt panic and adrenaline rush through her.
Pushing her wings up and out, she launched herself into the air, trying to break free of his grip.
Though he was significantly stronger than her, she felt his hands slip a bit from the sudden jolt.
'I'm so close, just a few more pulls.'
Instead of freedom however, she felt a harsh tug at the bottom of her wings. Craning her neck to see what was grabbing her, a hand in which was gripping the bottom of her wing, let go and suddenly reached up to the top.
It latched on, and with a sickening snapping sound, her wing was pulled downwards in an unnatural position. She was pulled down with it, and fell on her side, on her broken wing.
She let out a loud cry of pain, and started attempting to catch her breath that seemed like it was forced out of her.
Her attempts were short lived as a hand forced her jaw open, and a large wad of cloth was stuffed into her mouth.
The lady from before stood above her, looming over.
"Hm. I thought you were going to cooperate with me here. What a shame." She took her heeled boot and brought it down against her already crippled wing. Another agonized yell, muffed by the fabric.
"Well. you're doing exactly what I asked you not to do. Do you know what i'm going to have to do now?" She raised an eyebrow, as her devilish smile grew wider.
Tears started forming and running down the sides of her face. She knew what was happening.
This was why she never went out.
This is the exact reason none of them could
never live a normal life.
This is why.
"Tragic honestly, you had quite a pretty face. If only you weren't one of those wretched beasts. It's unnatural. It's not right." She turned her disgusted gaze upon the last shadow that had yet to step in.
It slowly made its way towards her. In the dim lighting, you could see his eyes. They were cold and held no emotion, only a deep threatening darkness that seemed to bore into your soul and make it turn inside out.
An uncomfortable shiver held itself at her spine, her face streaked with dried tears, new ones still making their way down her cheeks, dotting the ground as she lay there, a broken wing, and a broken mind.
She was taught to stay inside to avoid the stares. She should've listened.
'I should've listened.'
The man handed something sharp and silver over to the woman. She took hold of its grip, and examined it like she had all the time in the world to do so.
And cutting through the silence of the night, through the calm atmosphere where most families would be fast asleep, where she should've been fast asleep, a scream.
Then silence.
The woman smiled, yet her eyes held no joy.
"Monster."
