Jinxed - An Alec Lightwood LS

Chapter 3: Caged Bird

Her arms were tightly wrapped around her, cradling her own body as it rocked back and forth on the chilly surface. Ethel wasn't the only one at fault for the sway of her body. She was stuck in a birdcage, hanging from the ceiling of the cargo area bellow deck. Around her were other people in the same, metallic cages, only quite a few looked rather unusual. Some had horns, others strange looking nails, or several eyes, different colour skin, scales, pointy ears, and so many other weird features. She had seen them before, but not all together in one room. Additionally, they had visible dark veins. 

After being imprisoned, she had managed to ask a few questions to the others. They were all 'Downworlders'. She learnt that they too were prisoners. Also, while most of these unusual features were supposed to be normal, the black veins were a cause of experimentation. That made her fear her future. 

But it had been several hours since being thrown into the cage. This allowed her more than enough time to think about the evens that had taken place earlier. She had gotten captured again, and dragged to the same stage. On her way there, she got a better look at Amanda, whom was indeed dead. To make matters worse, Ethel was forced to drink from the Cup. That demonstrated to her that her actions didn't make her destined to a quick death, but rather, something else. Maybe she would be experimented on, like the Downworlders. She didn't know. 

Either way, she truly wished the Cup had killed her then. Not only did it feel like she had nothing else to live for, after the very last person she cared about was dead, but the pain was excruciating. Yes, unlike other survivors of the Cup, she had screamed her lungs out. A burning sensation had taken over all of her body after the liquid reached her throat. It was in her veins, travelling all over like scorched Earth. It was like the sun had decided to take residence within her, threatening to disintegrate her from the inside out. Yet, no smell of burnt flesh proceeded. Still, the pressure that followed on her ears, made the world ring louder than ever all around her. And lastly, someone surely had put an explosive device on her head, because Ethel was sure it had detonated and melted her brain at one point.

However, fate was cruel. All this pain was for nothing, as the grim reaper did not appear. All the pain, combustion, and pressure had left within a few seconds, despite having felt like an hour. Her breath returned to her heated lungs. Her trembling hands settled. The the world was no longer screaming at her ear. But any celebrations that could have been made for her survival would change. She was made to hold a dagger, which glowed under her hand, but it was gone form her grip just as quickly. They didn't want her to handle a weapon again. Instead, she spat on Valentine's face, and that she would kill him. If she no longer had the option of living alongside her friend in this cruel world, Ethel would decide on a new purpose in life. To end his. 

Unfortunately, she had not gone about it the right way, for she was immediately thrown into this birdcage. Her situation worsened, as Ethel realized all her stuff was back at the academy, including her phone. There truly was no way out. Both because of the cage, the invisible forcefield around the ship, and with absolutely no means to communicate to the outside world. 

"Bring her down." Her thoughts were snapped and scattered away from her brain as those words were spoken. She looked bellow, and found Valentine looking right at her. Beside him were two Shadowhunters tugging onto a rope, and releasing it slowly. That's when she felt her cage moving, descending. This was it. She was going to die. That is if a worse fate didn't await her. But Ethel suspected it did. After what she had done, she was likely going to have to pay a price. "Leave us." As soon as the cage landed on the ground, Valentine instructed his people once more. 

Now it was just them two, along with all the other Downworlders by the ceiling. Admittedly, they were likely far too high up in the cargo area to hear them speak. Ethel stood up from her place, and made the inevitable question. "Are you going to kill me?"