Broken Wings [Completed!]

Chapter 12

Adeline didn't remember how she'd got there. The robot was fast, a streak of red against the wind, slamming a fist to Adeline's chest so that she fell backwards, hands struggling to find a grip on the bannisters. Dropping to the floor, she gritted her teeth, and rolled sideways like how Jasper had taught her to.

The robot reached the top railings and stared down at her from above. Classical music streamed in through Adeline's earpiece, now loud and fast and exhilirating. She desperately searched for any escape route, but seeing as this was a restricted section, the only way out was up.

Which was a problem.

Sometimes, when she didn't know what to do, she pretended she was someone else. Inhaling deeply, she closed her eyes, seeing the world as Evira. Someone fearless, someone who was up to the challenge.

She waited as the robot landed beside her, legs breaking in the process and skin ripping like a slice of meat at the butler's. Faking a jab at the side, Adeline curved sideways, slashing her knife at the joints--the points where they were most weakest.

But the robot was too fast, catching the knife mid-swing. Its pupils dilated at the sight of her fingers, and Adeline surrendered the knife as she pulled back her hand quickly.

"Humans are so slow," the robot sighed, metal grinding again as more flesh ripped out from its body, changing into guns. "Seems like I'll have to glue it back again,"it announced, staring at Adeline as if it were a normal topic. "Did you know, blood is sticky?"

She was too focused on getting back the knife. "Too bad," the robot said as it waved her knife aimlessly. "Time to have your fingers, darling."

Beams of light shot bullets of steel towards Adeline. She dodged, tried to block it by hiding, but there was nowhere to hide.

Where are you Adeline?

Notherenotherenothere--

Stinging pain rose up her arm. She felt it again, this time on her stomach, hating herself for not being able to do anything.

Notherenotlikethis--

The books reminded her of an audience, pitifully looking at her performance. They were splattered with flesh and blood, but they didn't seem to mind.

"You won't," Adeline said, head held high. "I still have my last concert to play."

She dashed from her coverings of books, soaring through the air and wrapping her legs around the robot's neck, twisting it around so that its beams of lights flickered. Furrowing her brow, she nicked her knife off of its grasp, only to be pushed off with a strangled cry.

"Fingers, fingers, fingers," it mumbled. "Want, want, want."

The shootings started again. Adeline had never seen so much blood. One bullet deflected off her knife, but now there were too many to hold off, too many landing in her skin.

And then she had an urge. Hazy, she sucked the blood off her arm, and smiled.

"Who are you?" The robot said as Adeline changed.

It was freeing at first, like taking your first breath out of the water. Light-headed, but full of purpose, her wounds starting clotting up again, taking back all the blood.

"I am Adeline," she said, spinning the knife in her hands. "I like my fingers very much."

None of the bullets could harm her now. With a twirl, she stroke at the robot's heart, feeling the sudden stillness under her bones, the sudden silence save for the music.

Bloody and sticky, Adeline finally fell onto her knees, classical music still playing in her ears.

***

Pain flared under her skin as soon as Adeline woke up, and she noticed it was already getting dark. Her fingers itched to play her violin, and she sat up, instantly regretting the blood rushing through her body, reminding her of her near-death. Of what came after that.

Dante was curled up on her stomach, but as soon as he felt her wake up, he snuggled up under her neck. Rubbing his head, Adeline drank some water from next to her bed--although it tasted of nothing but ash--and took out her violin from her case, missing the familiar bow under her fingers. Strings strummed as she pulled it up, Dante's ears perking up at the noise.

"Wanna go for a stroll?" Adeline said, already halfway out of the door. Dante followed suit, tail tickling her bare feet as she stepped outside of the institute.

She came across the rocky beach and waves of blood, and she stood there, watching as the tide itch to steal Adeline away, close but never touching. The moonlight was bleak, giving hardly any light to the dilapidated buildings that littered Hell, and bombed out streets that nobody bothered to repair.

Taking out her violin and tightening the bow, she inhaled, absorbing the sensation of hard rocks under her feet and the wood under her chin and Dante's fur stroking her legs. As she played the first note, string vibrating underneath her and bow striding along them, smooth and without humps, all her feelings poured out, soulful and brilliant. The tide rose up behind her, trying to catch a glimpse of the front of her face, but it calmed her nonetheless; the sound of no words, no expectations.

Moonlight streamed on her nightdress--someone must've changed her when she'd returned--and it cut through the dark streets, making a stage of light she was standing on.

Running her fingers up and down the violin, she savoured each and every note, watching it flow into the air, only seen by her. Her own magic.

But then she stopped, noticing the unstilling quiet except from her violin, note unfinished. Another song was playing, creating a dissonance with her own.

Two small children emerged, singing what she thought was a nursery rhyme. Dante's fur prickled, his canines showing as he registered the pale faces and red-blood lips.

"A cat!" One said excitedly, and Adeline sighed at her relief. They were only children. She stroked Dante's fur, telling him that they were safe to play with.

When the child pulled out her hands, they was blood under their nails. Slowly, their eyes met Adeline's, and they began to sing.

"Hush, darling,

Monsters hiding,

They'll come for you,

Just hush, hush..."

Adeline shivered at the eeriness of their voices, but then it eased and it sounded peaceful, like a prayer. She began to join in the singing, somehow knowing the words, absently holding out her hands as if to hold their own.

"Just hush, hush..."

"Adeline, what are you doing out here alone?" Adeline swirled to see her brother.

"I'm not alone," she said. "I've made friends," she pointed beside her to where the two children should have been.

Her grip on her violin tightened. She tried to recall the strange melody and the lyrics, but it was replaced by white noise.

Jasper sighed, "Let's go home."

Even though they both knew there was no home for them. Not really.