A smoky, decaying egg stench clung to the air. The little girl's mother had screamed five minutes ago, but the child had taken four to move in her dark room, lit up only by the small princess nightlight next to her lavender door. Deep voices from strange men muffled in the hallway. The floor creaked, and she took slower steps.
Her bare feet crept along the chilled wooden floor. She clutched her porcelain doll close to her chest. The doll with chestnut hair had a chip in her cheek, and the little girl had chosen it from Mr. Garland's shop because she thought no one else would.
She tiptoed to her mother's bedroom and bit her lip to keep from gasping. Bulky men with white feathered wings stood over something on the floor. Their facial features appeared impossible to make out in the dim room. The child squinted, trying to identify the still figure on her mother's blue rug.
The first one pulled a scroll from the air. "Adding this one to the tally."
"We need five more before the night is done."
"Anyone else live in the house?"
The second angel pulled out another scroll. "A daughter. Eight-years-old."
"Might as well get two for one, then. Save the kid the trouble of the apocalypse."
"Hey! Look at this." He showed something on the parchment to his partner.
"That certainly ups things."
A hand covered the child's mouth, dragging her down the hall. "Whatever you do, don't scream," a voice whispered.
She tried to scream anyway, but the hand applied more pressure on her lips. It yanked her into the frigid night. Her doll fell to the ground, and porcelain flew everywhere.
The hand released her when they made it into the backyard. She spun around to see a young boy with blonde hair and green eyes that shined under the moonlight. He put his finger to his lips. The girl backed away from him, not taking her eyes away.
"We have to go. I'll explain everything later." He held out his hand to her.
She backed away farther. The sliding glass doors shattered, and the winged men charged through.
The boy spread his own white wings and reached for the girl again. "It's them or me."
She grabbed his hand, and he flew them into the sky.
