Bird's Eye View

Chapter Six

I sit on the roof with a sigh, worried about Crow yet at the same time not overly concerned. I know he can handle himself, though there's this nagging feeling that something is going to go wrong. Especially since he's actively bleeding from a gunshot wound in his leg. Will he be okay? Do I really care if he's okay?

A cold wind blows through my hair, causing me to shiver. Fall must be coming, the air brittle and fresh without that sweet scent the summer carries. It's quite unfortunate because I still have far to travel before I reach the sanctuary and I'd rather not freeze to death before I even arrive .

I feel like I should be doing something currently, spending my time productively and not just wasting it. I hum to myself a song my mother used to sing to me, though the lyrics are no longer clear. It's a soft melody, its origins unknown to me.

"Put your hands in the air," a male voice from behind me speaks.

I jump up, startled, whipping around with wide eyes. I didn't even hear him climb up to the roof. Before me stands a tall man holding a gun aimed directly at my head. A gun? This must be the guy who shot Crow. I immediately stick my arms up, tips of my fingers pointing towards the sky.

"Who are you?" The man asks, "are you alone?"

Would it be smarter to answer truthfully or should I lie?

"I'm Aspen and no, I'm not alone," my decision had to be made quickly.

"Aspen, huh? Have you seen anyone else around here recently," he trails off, "Aspen?"

"I've seen a lot of people patrolling the city," I offer, deciding not to tell him about Crow as this man is likely a Watcher.

"Yeah, that's the Watchers. My group."

"Your group?"

"I'm Caden. The leader."

I watch as his eyes narrow threateningly, a malicious glint in his eyes.

"And you have seen someone else, haven't you? It isn't wise to lie to me, Aspen," he says my name in a sing-song voice.

This Caden guy sounds crazy, like a drug addict who's going through withdrawal.

"I've seen a lot of people, Caden."

He huffs with annoyance at my partial and untruthful compliance.

"A tall one, with red eyes. He's unmistakable."

Crow.

"Red eyes? Is that even possible?"

"Apparently it is," he shrugs, "so Aspen. Why don't you tell me where Crow is and I'll let you go peacefully."

First off, I can tell that this man has no intention of letting me walk and second, I can't tell him where Crow is. It'd endanger Raven.

"I don't know what you're talking about," I murmur, trying to seem confused and lost.

"Sure you don't. It's almost like my guys saw you with him yesterday, baby," he sneers.

I shiver at the way he calls me this pet name, disgusted to my core with the tone he used.

"Don't call me that," I mutter.

"Don't piss off the man with the gun, did Crow never teach you that?" He chuckles, a crazy look in his eye.

This man is much like Crow, though the latter uses silence to threaten people and not his tone of voice like Caden. Crow has an intimidating aura, able to frighten people with a simple glare and doesn't have to use a gun.

"Again, I have no clue who you're talking about," my eye twitches as I look him up and down, judging him.

Caden scowls and he looks like he's going to yell, but he shakes his head laughing instead.