Les Oiseaux de Mauvaise Augure

I stood up slowly. My breath and my body were shaky.

The footsteps stopped at the front room. They were slow and deliberate.

I turned off the lights in the room. I peered out the door, making sure the coast was clear. I walked quietly down the hall towards the kitchen. As soon as I entered the kitchen, the footsteps left the front room and started down the same hall. My heart sped up faster. I felt like it was going to explode. It beat inside my chest so rapidly I was sure anyone could hear it.

I found the back door and tried the door handle. It was locked. I tried the button on the door, but the footsteps were getting closer and my hands were getting shakier. I abandoned the idea and rushed to the wall, creeping quickly away from the kitchen down another hall connected to the kitchen.

The next room was close and dark. I went inside, ignoring the part of my brain that didn't want to. The sound of the footsteps changed as they hit the linoleum tiles. There were two pairs. My heart beat even faster. I felt my way around in the dark, panicking when I walked into a couple objects. I tried to squint my eyes in the dark, looking for a place to hide. I felt along the wall, eventually coming up on a closet. The footsteps continued on down the same hall I had taken. My shaky hands looked for the handle. They finally rested on the door knob. It groaned as I opened it. I paused. Now I was wheezing, my lungs were heavy.

I closed the door again, turning back to the wall, and feeling around again. I wandered past the closet and came up on a set of drapes. They were thick and long. They were placed behind what felt like a couch. I got on my knees and crawled behind the couch and underneath the curtains. And, suddenly the light was flicked on. I put a hand over my mouth, trying to stop my wheezing.

Cheating. Cheating. The lights are on. They're cheating. They'll find me. No where to hide.

It's manhunt.

My heart was beating too fast. I shut my eyes, pulling my head down into my chest.

A set of footsteps wandered over to the closet. The other started towards me, but halted suddenly as the other intruder started to turn the doorknob. He pulled the door open quickly, and I heard the rattling of the barrel of a gun. I shook my head to myself, shutting my eyes harder.

And then the footsteps started back towards the door.

And then the lights were turned off again.

The footsteps traveled down the hallway.

I needed to find Joey. I needed to get away. I needed to call the police. I needed a weapon.

If I could get back to the kitchen, I could find a knife. Where were the intruders? Which way had they walked? How long have I been sitting here? Have I been holding my breath this entire time?

I leaned around the side of the couch, peering around the room quickly. It was clear, so I started to move towards the door, breathing slowly. I listened to any movements, and when I knew the hall was clear, I peaked my head out, looking down the hall, in the direction of the front door. I looked both ways quickly, and then started down the hallway just as quickly. I didn't want to waste any time. I needed to get to Joey. To make sure he was okay. To get out as soon as possible and to contact the police.

"Charity... I think it's tonight."

What do you mean?

"You know what I mean..."

I pushed Jimmy's negativity away. Out of my mind. It was a hurricane. A terrible storm: raging and loud and powerful. My head was too clouded for so much negativity. I didn't have time or energy for that now.... Not now. Focus. I had to focus.

I heard rustling on the other side of the house. Another hallway or two over.

The front door came into sight, and so did Joey. Joey's body lay limp on the floor. My heartbeat quickened even more. I rushed over to him. I picked his head up and put it in my lap, checking for a pulse. It was barely there. I realized suddenly the sheen of red in his hair. I looked down at my hands, and they were tinted red with his blood. The scent suddenly hit my nose, and I gagged. I put my face into my the crook of my elbow, trying to stop myself from throwing up.

I held my breath as I stood up, stumbling a little bit. I struggled with Joey's body, trying to pick him up high enough so he wasn't dragging on the floor. I couldn't pick him up too high, but I did well enough. The lock on the door had been turned, but this one was easier to turn.

It clicked. Loudly.

And, a moment later the rustling stopped. The house was still once more.

More tears fell as I strained myself, hurrying to get out the door. I tripped on the door frame, but managed to catch myself in time. Footsteps were heading in my direction. I closed the door behind me quickly, limping with Joey's heavy body. I noticed a figure by a streetlamp out of the corner of my eye. He had his hood up with sunglasses on, smoking a cigarette. I couldn't make out his face, but I noticed his body straighten when he saw me.

"Help! Please!" I made it down the steps all the way and he started towards me. Suddenly the door behind me opened and my head started to spin. The blood rushed so loudly in my ears that I couldn't hear anything. The world went silent. The man came closer and closer and I stumbled more and more. And, then the moonlight caught his face. And, I stopped. My stomach turned and I felt sick. "No," I groaned. "No, no, no, no!"

I gripped tighter onto Joey's shirt and the tears I had been holding back fell freely. There was a sudden ringing in my ears. Synyster grinned. He said something but I couldn't hear him. I felt cold metal on the back of my head. A gun. I screamed and cried. Synyster's face grew annoyed. He punched me suddenly. I screamed again, stumbling and dropping Joey's body as I recoiled, nearly falling to the ground myself. Two arms wrapped around mine. He was wearing a black, leather jacket. It was cold. I struggled against him, still crying.

They were talking. Saying something to me. I couldn't hear anything but the ringing in my ears.

Synyster reached out to me, taking my chin in his hand. He forced me to look at him.

"Stop crying, kid. You knew this was coming." I shook my head, trying to get him off of me. I screamed again, loud and long. He punched me again, knocking my head back into the gun pressed into the back of my head. I gasped and the world went dark.

And I was trapped again.

Trapped.