End of Chpater 16
I moved slowly from my hiding place, making sure that no one could see me before I crawled out. I knew that the best thing I could do would be to run from this town and never come back, I was what they hunted..I wasn't safe. I turned and looked at the house, knowing I should run but wanting to leave something...anything for my father that let him know I was here. I looked around the area and spotted a small rock that sat beside the house, it was such a small and tiny rock that I had probably passed it a million times before..but now that I could see I noticed that the rock was split. It had been broken over time and now it resembled a pair of wings, almost angel wings. A few feet away from the rock I found a pure white feather that must have been from an owl, it's color as pure white as winter snow. I picked it up quickly and placed it next to the front door, setting the rock on top of it gently hoping that my father would figure out the meaning of this strange gift. I thought about looking in on him but realized that would be a horrible idea, I forced my legs to turn..running into the woods without looking back at the house and my father that I was leaving behind..the life I was leaving behind.
Chapter 17
I knew that I couldn't linger on the edge of town anymore, that I had to get away but..but this was all I knew. I had never been out of this area and I wasn't sure what the rest of the world was like. I realized that this curse wasn't really the end of the world..it could be a blessing, a chance to get out and see the world.
I turned and jogged off into the woods, my legs feeling..more..strong then they had days before. I had always been in shape from farming, but never had enjoyed doing activities that the other kids had done like play games or run. Today, however, I felt each of the muscles in my legs ache..as if they hadn't been stretched in a long time. As I started to jog the tense feeling in my legs started to lessen a little bit, but was still burning through each of my muscles. I pushed myself a little bit faster, worried that I would tire quickly but realized that I was more energized as I ran, pushing my self faster and faster until the trees I was running through were but a blur. I'm not sure how long or far I ran, but I realized as I ran I felt alive. I would imagine that this is what flying would feel like, I felt free.
I slowed myself down as I came across a large group of birch trees, the smell unlike anything I had ever smelt before. It was a sweet almost nutty smell that was coming out for the bark that hugged the tree protectively. While I was staring at the bark I noticed that I could see each and every vein that ran through the leaves, it was almost like I could see the water being pushed through the leaves from the center of the tree.
I reached one finger out to touch the leaf, but as my finger touched it I heard a sound I will never forget..a woman screaming.
I turned on the spot and took off running in the direction that the scream had come from, I wasn't sure what I would be able to do to help her..but I hoped I would make it on time. It only took me about two minutes to get to the clearing where the scream had come from. I slowed myself down to a slow walk, doing my best to keep hidden until I knew what was happening.
I snuck through the tall grass until I was about 30 feet away, doing my best not to make any noise. When I was a little bit closer I could see two men and a woman, the woman was on the ground curled up into a ball crying as one of the men stalked towards her. She screamed as loud as she could as he reached down and grabbed her by the head, laughing as he took a small knife out of is pocket and pressed it against her throat.
"Thomas." The other man said as Thomas pushed the knife against her throat, not hard enough to break the skin but hard enough to leave a red line. "Thomas she is still...of use to us."
Thomas released the pressure on the knife, but not the woman's hair. He leaned down and sniffed the woman, a huge smile painted on his face as he released her hair, throwing it towards the ground.
Thomas went back to where the other man was waiting and quickly the two of them began arguing about who would be first to have their way with her. The woman whimpered and did her best to crawl away but as she moved Thomas lunged at her again, pinning her to the ground.
I knew I couldn't stay here, hidden in the grass while two men hurt a woman. I wasn't sure how this was going to work, but I hoped that I could get the woman out before the men hurt her..or me.
I moved slowly from my hiding place, making sure that no one could see me before I crawled out. I knew that the best thing I could do would be to run from this town and never come back, I was what they hunted..I wasn't safe. I turned and looked at the house, knowing I should run but wanting to leave something...anything for my father that let him know I was here. I looked around the area and spotted a small rock that sat beside the house, it was such a small and tiny rock that I had probably passed it a million times before..but now that I could see I noticed that the rock was split. It had been broken over time and now it resembled a pair of wings, almost angel wings. A few feet away from the rock I found a pure white feather that must have been from an owl, it's color as pure white as winter snow. I picked it up quickly and placed it next to the front door, setting the rock on top of it gently hoping that my father would figure out the meaning of this strange gift. I thought about looking in on him but realized that would be a horrible idea, I forced my legs to turn..running into the woods without looking back at the house and my father that I was leaving behind..the life I was leaving behind.
Chapter 17
I knew that I couldn't linger on the edge of town anymore, that I had to get away but..but this was all I knew. I had never been out of this area and I wasn't sure what the rest of the world was like. I realized that this curse wasn't really the end of the world..it could be a blessing, a chance to get out and see the world.
I turned and jogged off into the woods, my legs feeling..more..strong then they had days before. I had always been in shape from farming, but never had enjoyed doing activities that the other kids had done like play games or run. Today, however, I felt each of the muscles in my legs ache..as if they hadn't been stretched in a long time. As I started to jog the tense feeling in my legs started to lessen a little bit, but was still burning through each of my muscles. I pushed myself a little bit faster, worried that I would tire quickly but realized that I was more energized as I ran, pushing my self faster and faster until the trees I was running through were but a blur. I'm not sure how long or far I ran, but I realized as I ran I felt alive. I would imagine that this is what flying would feel like, I felt free.
I slowed myself down as I came across a large group of birch trees, the smell unlike anything I had ever smelt before. It was a sweet almost nutty smell that was coming out for the bark that hugged the tree protectively. While I was staring at the bark I noticed that I could see each and every vein that ran through the leaves, it was almost like I could see the water being pushed through the leaves from the center of the tree.
I reached one finger out to touch the leaf, but as my finger touched it I heard a sound I will never forget..a woman screaming.
I turned on the spot and took off running in the direction that the scream had come from, I wasn't sure what I would be able to do to help her..but I hoped I would make it on time. It only took me about two minutes to get to the clearing where the scream had come from. I slowed myself down to a slow walk, doing my best to keep hidden until I knew what was happening.
I snuck through the tall grass until I was about 30 feet away, doing my best not to make any noise. When I was a little bit closer I could see two men and a woman, the woman was on the ground curled up into a ball crying as one of the men stalked towards her. She screamed as loud as she could as he reached down and grabbed her by the head, laughing as he took a small knife out of is pocket and pressed it against her throat.
"Thomas." The other man said as Thomas pushed the knife against her throat, not hard enough to break the skin but hard enough to leave a red line. "Thomas she is still...of use to us."
Thomas released the pressure on the knife, but not the woman's hair. He leaned down and sniffed the woman, a huge smile painted on his face as he released her hair, throwing it towards the ground.
Thomas went back to where the other man was waiting and quickly the two of them began arguing about who would be first to have their way with her. The woman whimpered and did her best to crawl away but as she moved Thomas lunged at her again, pinning her to the ground.
I knew I couldn't stay here, hidden in the grass while two men hurt a woman. I wasn't sure how this was going to work, but I hoped that I could get the woman out before the men hurt her..or me.