Birdie and the Monster

Part 3

Guards and doctors flood the room and remove Nyah from Monster's arms and onto a stretcher. They wheel her out of the room. Monster gets up and wipes his tears in horror to find Nyah's blood covering his hands, and now face. He attempts to remove it, to no avail, by wiping it on his clothes and rubbing it off, until a doctor sedates him. He collapses into a guard who carries him out of the room.

Later, Nyah groggily comes to consciousness as she hears Monster talking with a doctor outside the hospital room.

"I do not know," The doctor informs Monster.

"What do you mean, you do not know what is wrong with her?"

"Your Excellency, this girl bit her wrists open. There is something wrong mentally with this girl, but I am a physician. Until the psychologist comes, I cannot do anything."

"No."

"No?"

"She is not crazy, do not call the psychologist."

"But, sir-"

"Do not call him, doctor. I will take care of it," Monster insists.

"Okay," The doctor sighs and walks away.

Monster walks into the room and stands over Nyah adjusting her Poetic Justice braids over her shoulder.

"Birdie, how do you feel?" He strokes her face and Nyah flinches.

"Fine, I guess." Monster leans down close to her ear and whispers, "I told you death was too good for you," Nyah shivers.

"I cannot do this, Monster," she chokes out.

"You have to Birdie, I love you." He backs up and Nyah looks up at him curiously.

"Still? After everything?" she asks. He nods, "Of course, Birdie."

He turned around and starts to walk out before turning back at the door and reminding her, "We have unfinished business at home, Birdie."

"Home?" She inquires.

"You need to rest," He tells her. Nyah nods.

"I still love you, Monster," she confesses before drifting back to sleep

The next time Nyah wakes up she is in a sea of billowy, silky sheets and plush, fluffy pillows. The clock next to the bed reads 10:17, and she sits up in confusion. Monster enters the door with a tray containing different types of muffins and fresh fruit which he sets up on the bed.

He sits at her side.

"You need to eat, Birdie." Nyah nods and allows Monster to feed her a strawberry piece on a fork. She chews slowly and he watches her. After a second he kisses her over the tray, holding it still with one hand and cupping her face with the other.

"I love strawberries," he tells her chuckling. Nyah smiles and Monster finds himself locked in her gaze. Nyah notices to bandages on her arms and frowns as they begin to itch. She starts to pick at the tape.

"Nope, nuh-uh," Monster grabs her wrist and kisses each of them tenderly, "They have to heal, Birdie."

Nyah looks up at Monster watching her wrists.

"Do you really love me," she asks in a rough voice.

"Of course," He assures her, "but you were a bad girl, and my partners insist on punishing you." Nyah drops her head and tears roll down her cheeks. Monster cups her face in his hands.

"Do not cry, Birdie."

"I want to go home, Monster."

"No, you do not, you love me. I do not want to do this any more than you," Nyah looks into his eyes, hers cold and hard.

"I cannot love you, you are a Monster."

"I am your monster, Birdie," he pleads as his eyes gloss over.

"No. No, I do not belong here. Not with you," She grows angry, her voice louder.

"Yes, you do," his voice, getting lost.

"No, I-I have a boyfriend, Elli. Yes, you tricked me, and I thought I was still in love with you, but Monster, that is over...and it is never coming back."

Monster wipes his face and gets off the bed, lifting the tray up. His face grows stern as he addresses Nyah.

"You can leave tomorrow, if you survive until then. I will send someone to collect you when I am ready." Monster walks out and Nyah drops her head back on the pillow thinking, What have I done?

The next day, Nyah lays bound with rope and tape on a tarp on the ground. Monster hovers over her nude body with tools lined up next to her. Nyah whimpers as Monster picks up a scalpel and moves it near her thighs.

"Shhh," He lowers the scalpel to hush her. He raises it again, but this time, when the cool metal of the blade tickles her leg she is waiting in anticipation for the blood to rush, but it never does.

Monster lowers the blade and sighs, "Get up, I cannot do this"

Nyah does as told and Monster cuts the ropes and tape from her limbs. He gets up and leaves the room coming back with fresh clothes for her.

"Get dressed." She does as told while Monster watches in silence.

"I am so sorry, Birdie. You can go, bu-but just know, I love you, okay? And I am so sorry." Nyah nods, and Monster calls for guards. One has an eye patch.

"Put her back," He commands. The guards nod and usher Nyah out of the room.

"Wait!" Nyah stops them, "Monster? I'm ashamed to say I loved you."

Monster looks up hurt, and as soon as Nyah and the guards are out of sight Monster starts to break down, letting out an animalistic cry.