Les Oiseaux de Mauvaise Augure

Synyster brought Charity's body in to Shadows' office, putting her into one of the chairs in front of his desk. He stared at Shadows who sat there expressionless, staring at Charity's motionless body.

"Want me to tie her down?" Shadows briefly looked up to him, nodding. He returned his stare to her. Synyster almost rolled his eyes. He left the room in search for a rope. Shadows stared hard at Charity's marred pale face. Blood dripped from her lips and her nose, and some was a crusted brown color drying on her face. Her cheek was a purplish brown color. Her hair was messy. He closed his eyes.

-*-

Matt, Brian, and Jimmy ran quickly, laughing as the store owner shook his fists at them.

"I called the cops, you little fuckers!" They laughed harder and the bottles they carried all clinked together as they ran. "Come around here again and I'll shoot you!" The man's voice faded away as the boys got further and further away.

They slowed their run to a walk, catching their breath, still laughing. This was a regular occurrence for them. Not unusual. They've stolen from the same shitty convenience store before, but the owner had only caught them maybe once before that.

"We're going to have to find another place to get the booze from," Jimmy said loudly over his huffing and puffing. He pulled out a cigarette and lighter and lit one up. The other two followed suite.

"Yeah, I know a place on the other side of town. We should be fine," Matt said, inhaling slowly from his cigarette.

The three kept walking down the side of the road. They were headed towards the park- where they would usually spend most of their time after school, or even during school.

As they passed by an apartment building, however, they heard a girl scream. The boys looked at each other. They stopped walking down the street, and wandered over to the ally way next to the building. It was dark, but they could just make out a man over a woman. He was beating her in her face and stomach. He tried to take off her shirt, but she struggled even harder.

"HELP!" she screamed and pleaded. She noticed their forms in the light. They were black shadows surrounded by the light of the sun. Matt took in the situation in a split second, and threw down his beers. The man heard the glass breaking and clinking, and he turned his attention to them.

"Get the fuck away-" The man didn't get to finish.

Matt kicked him hard in the face. The girl screamed, but managed to wriggle away as the man was forced backwards into the brick wall behind them. He was dazed for a moment. Matt kicked him again in the stomach and punched him a couple of times in the face, focusing on his eyes. His head was slammed back into the brick with every punch. Matt finally stopped when the man stopped moving and struggling. He groaned, but didn't move an inch. His eyes were swollen up and he couldn't open them.

Matt went over to the girl. She whimpered and started to wriggle farther away from him. She was on her back, using her elbows to move herself. Her shirt was torn, and her arms were cut up and muddy from the ground. Her pale face was marred and bruised. Blood dripped from her lips and her nose. Her cheeks were both a purplish brown color. Her hair was messy. He crouched down to her level.

"Are you okay?" The girl didn't say anything, but nodded once very slowly. She looked behind him.

"You shouldn't have done that," she whispered hoarsely suddenly shaking her head. Tears were pouring from her eyes, and she was slowly losing control of her breathing. Her eyes were red and her lips were chapped.

"You asked for help." Matt held out his hand. "My name is Matt." She stared at his hand.

"My name's Val." Her face finally broke and she started to sob. She threw herself into his arms. "Thank you," she cried out heavily, clinging to him. He held her tightly.

"I'm sorry that happened to you." She didn't answer. "I'll never understand how a man could ever hit a woman. You're going to be okay Val."

"Thank you," she cried again. He closed his eyes.

-*-

Charity suddenly moaned. Shadows opened his eyes again, looking at her. Her eyes fluttered open, and she glanced around the room, squinting dizzily. Her eyes finally landed on him. And, she just stared. And blinked. Her eyes were mostly void of emotion, apart from a hint of sadness lingering.

"You're not dreaming," Shadows said, breaking the silence. She just stared. "It's nice to see you again." She just stared. Synyster walked in.

"Well we didn't have any rope, but we've-" he stopped as soon as he saw Charity's open eyes. He smiled. "We've got duct tape." He started unraveling, taking one of her arms and taping it to the chair arms. "How are you feeling? Head hurt?" She just stared. He chuckled. He taped up her other arm next, then her legs. Shadows looked at Synyster, glancing back to the door. Synyster narrowed his eyes. "Boy, that was quick. A thank you would have been nice, but don't trouble yourself, boss." Synyster left in a huff. She just stared. Shadows held eye contact with her, not saying anything for a minute or two.

"You're in shock." She just stared. "I hope you're not giving up." Her eyes lit up suddenly.

"I will not give up," she whispered out. Her voice was gravelly and dry. "I will not give up. Ever." A smile etched its way slowly onto Shadows' face.

"Good."

"Where is he?" Shadows tilted his head.

"Who?"

"You know who."

"Oh, the boy?" Charity ground her teeth together. Shadows let out a breathy laugh. "The boy is dead."