Wings

Chapter 5: The Necklace

Boom- A guard had shot the man in white. Brooke could hear people scream and look away. The pale man with blonde hair on the stage, who was being held by the guard, looked up "Nooooo!" he screamed and went down to his knees putting his head in his tied hands and started to cry. The guard picked him back up and started walking him over to the necklace of rope. The woman screamed into the microphone one last time before she left the stage "We will not tolerate monsters!"

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Brooke was now standing watching the man in white get whipped, She looked over at blake who was standing on his chair screaming and routing for the guard to win, and hit him harder. She looked over to her mom standing nodding her head once again, and everyone around her screaming just like Blake, some cry but never looked away. Brooke's heart was pumping as fast as a cheetah running for it's life, and her stomach was in tight knots.  Brooke felt her face hotten and her feet start to move, they jumped up and started walking towards the man lying on the bright green newly cut grass that now had blood stains that were dripping off the man. But then she felt a hand grasp her arm, she could not start to run anymore. She turned around to see who it was. It was Blake who was holding her back from going any further. He had come down from his chair and was now holding her arm not letting her move. Blake took her back towards her seat and held her there and sat with her in silence until-Boom. 

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The last thing Brooke remembered hearing was; "We will not tolerate monsters!" After that Brooke had blocked out all the crying, all the screaming, all the routing. Brooke could just see the pale man being put onto the rope in between her tears. She saw the man struggle and try to run but the guard was too strong he tied the rope around his neck, and untied the man's hands pushing the stool out from underneath his bare feet. Brooke couldn't feel herself breath anymore, her breath was gone her heart hit her stomach, and through the tears she saw the pale man struggle to rip the rope off, his big hands scratching at his neck, trying to tear any piece of rope he could off of his neck. Kicking trying to feel the stage floor on his feet once more. Then he's wings started to flutter and let him fly so he was no longer choking. Slash! A guard hit the man back down so he was choking once again. "AHHHHHH!" said the pale man through his choking as a guard came up and started to cut off the pale man's wings little by little. The blood started to drip from his crippling, struggling body. Brooke could see a river of blood start to appear on the stage flooring, dripping into the gray wooden cracks of the stage. The pale, blonde haired man died not to long after that from the choking of the burning ropes, and the lost of to much blood that was splattered all over the floor, still dripping from the man's half gone wings, that were no longer off-white but a dark shade of blood red. 
The woman came back onto the stage around the puddle of blood that was now streaming through the gray cracks, click click click..bring with her the microphone in her hands; "My friends! It is sad that we had to depose of two very hard working, honorable men, but it was for the good of our community. The safety of our people, and our government. People like this must be demolished! And let this be a sign to everyone, no one goes outside those gates!.......Thank you all for coming, the rest of the day is yours." said the woman as she stood there signaling the iron guards that they may release their 'flock' now. The guards took their hands off their whips and opened the gates to let us out.

People may have been shouting and routing before, but after the horrific thing that just occurred it was like the whole world went silent. 

Brook got up from her seat, and turned to look at Blake. She nodded her head to give thanks for saving her earlier not to run in defense for the man in white, today he saved her life. He gave her a swift nod back, when Brooke's' mother turned and waved Brooke to follow her out the gate. "You can come along too Blake." said Melody 

"Oh thanks Misses Smith." said Blake 

"My pleasure, I will make sure your parents know where you are, we will wait outside the gate for them." 

"they'd probably like that thanks." 

Melody nodded and walked out the gates that once held them prisoner. Brooke, her mother, and Blake all scanned the opening of the gate doors to locate Blake's parents. Finally they saw them in the middle of a crowded "Oh thanks Melody, we have been looking everywhere for this one. Blake Andrew Johnson where have you been." 

"I just wanted to sit with Brooke." 

"Alright well at least we have you now, le'st go home. Thanks again Melody."

"Of course." 

"Bye Brooke" called Blake as he and his parents took off towards the clouds 

"Bye" Brooke called back. She felt relief when he left, and when all the people were almost out and they finally found dad at the back of the line, she felt relief to leave this dreadful place of imprisonment and torcher. 
The wind rushed through Brooke's wings like a tornado and danced on the tips of all her feathers as they flew home in the always perfect 80° weather. 

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After a while of soaring just below the fake clouds visioned on the originally gray barrier Brooke, and her parents made it home. Her father left for work like always, and her mother left an hour or two later. Soon the house turned deadly silent. 

Brooke's heart was beating out of control, her hands felt weak and her thoughts kept going to the man in white and his brother. How could a person do that to another person? Brooke remembered reading something about a government called a dictatorship and she thought to herself that this is what it must be like to be in one. Her government must be a dictatorship. 

Books were not an uncommon thing, but it was the books that held the things of the past that were. Books written and printed by the government were allowed and common, that is the school books and workbooks of the ages. But a book from the past was rare. A book containing the weather, animals, plants that was all ancient. Brooke got a few stolen books from a guy she knew, who shows it to many other curious people. But it was one of her favorite things to read about. 

It wasn't like learning history in school were they talk about how the elders founded our society. The information in these books were real, they were real ancient history of a world beyond their own. Though, if she was ever caught with one she would be the one getting hung. But she knew the risks and it was better than never knowing. 

Ding Dong. The doorbell rang. The door opened to Tristan standing in the door frame, "Hey gorgeous."

"Hey, I didn't know you were coming by" 

"Do I need an invitation?" 

"No, I mean. My parents are not home yet" Brooke said not expecting company. She was a mess the hanging had just happened that same day and she was not ready to have someone over right now, let alone Tristan. "Good how long do we have?" Tristan smirked. 

Brooke sighed, they have never gone all the way and honestly she really didn't want to yet. They have only been dating for a few years now and though she wanted to a few times, she wanted her first time to be special, and the same day of a hanging was not it. "Tristan, not now please" 

"Baby come on you say that every time" 

"Let's just do this?" Tristan said getting anxious and grabbing onto Brooke's waist. "Tristan, please" she said again. He pulled away leaving her alone to sit on the couch. "Right, well i'm actually just going to leave"  

"Are you serious? Because I won't do it with you right now?!" 

"No, it's because you don't want to do it with me ever" Tristan said starting to head out the door, "I got some homework that I need to finish actually but ill text you later. Love you." 

He left and Brooke let out a sign of relief. The stairs creaked as she went up them one by one going into her room. She found a seat by her desk and opened her jewelry box taking out the feather she found earlier. Painted black like the governments "pets" she thought, but why are they looking in my window?

Day fell to night and Brooke's parents came home for dinner and goodnight kisses. The clock struck 9:00 sharp and everyone was in bed. Brooke had a hard time going to sleep that night every time she shut her eyes she could see the faces of the ones that has died at the hanging. She scared herself up multiple times, but the last time she swear she could see the outline of a person by her bay window.