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E P I S O D E II.
dead bird walking.
part one.
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FADE IN:
INT. THE AVIARY — FLASHBACK — DAY.
CLOSE IN on a spiral staircase, the thunder of footsteps. Overhead, the sound of alarms wail. At the end of the staircase, four kids tumble out— we catch sight of them one by one, as they skid into the hallway: Nayah, Anika, Felix, and Kit.
They race through the foyer and into a wide atrium-like room; there's a round table in the center of it, and on the table is a glowing white, 3-dimensional map of Plover Hill. It shimmers like a hologram, and one location on it blares red, pulsing with intense light.
The kids crowd around the table, and we get a good look at their faces. They haven't changed all that much—Felix wears different glasses, Nayah's hair is shorter—but there's something different about them, something lighter. They're missing the weight they carry now. In front of them, words flash across the screen:
TITLE CARD: ONE YEAR AGO.
Anika focuses in on the red spot on the map.
ANIKA
It's coming from the hospital. The wards are already down.
FELIX
Oh, god. The hospital wards are some of the strongest we've got. That means we're looking at...at least a Level 5 demon. Possibly higher. Could be a Xiehahl. Could be worse—
Anika's already moving, opening a small portal in the air and pulling her weapon from it—a gold leaf-shaped blade, about the size of her forearm.
ANIKA
Then we should get going.
Felix's eyes go wide as he sputters in surprise for a moment. It's Nayah who speaks up, though:
NAYAH
Hang on, shouldn't we wait? Starling—
ANIKA
Starling said he's not getting back until tomorrow night. People are in trouble now, we can't just sit around until then.
Nayah looks at Kit, as if to help her reason, but he's already strapping knives to his belt, and looks back at her with a teasing grin.
KIT
You scared, Lark? C'mon, this is what we trained for.
FELIX
Barely! None of us have fought anything stronger than Aedions—
KIT
Speak for yourself. (smug) I've fought a Karach.
FELIX
(sarcastic) Oh, did you hear that, guys? Bluejay's gone all the way to Level 3, we're saved—!
ANIKA
Guys, we don't have time for this. The hospital's in trouble. We need to go.
Anika and Kit have already pulled on their gear, and Nayah huffs as she follows in suit. Felix trails behind them, anxious.
YOU ARE READING
𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐈𝐑𝐃𝐒 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐃𝐀𝐑𝐊.
General Fiction𝐏𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐑 𝐇𝐈𝐋𝐋, 𝐌𝐈𝐂𝐇𝐈𝐆𝐀𝐍. 𝟏𝟗𝟗𝟖. 𝐈𝐓'𝐒 𝐁𝐄𝐄𝐍 𝐀 𝐘𝐄𝐀𝐑 since the portal to Hell was closed for good. One year since Kit Taylor died in the process. One year since the Aviary - a group of four kids brought together to hunt de...
