BIRDCAGE TEASER

CHAPTER ONE: Ornithophobia

The sun's gloomy rays trickled against the autumn stained leaves as a cool breeze hushed through the air. Thin beams of light crept through leafless branches and cast eerie hand-like shadows onto the rusted gate below. Fingers reached through the metal bars, and with a gentle push, a spindly feminine figure slipped through the tight opening. The girl held a bell shaped birdcage in her free hand. Her short brunette hair framed her face like a helmet and her bangs fell just above her eyes. Long swoops of hair jutted out from her neck. Despite her dark circles, her eyes shined a bright amber yellow and beamed with excitement. The short sleeved gray button up she wore was accompanied by black trousers that seemingly blended in with her black shoes. She drew her attention upward and jogged over to a withering tree hunched over a rotten bench. The bug infested wood groaned under her foot as she leaned over and strained to latch the handle over a crooked branch. She nearly threw the cage to the ground at the feeling of fingertips tapping along her back.

The girl jerked her head around and came face to metal with an odd looking machine. The mystery person slowly lowered the device to her chin, her vibrant purple eyes still fixated on the screen in front of her. She possessed gray, wavy hair that rose just above her shoulders. A thick strip of her locks drooped between her tired eyes and swirled to a twist directly under her nose. Her shoulders came to a sharp point from her dark blue blazer, which was neatly closed over a lighter blue turtleneck. Brass buttons held her contstrictingly tight and overly exaggerated features together. She glared up at the brunette and grinned ear to ear as she began to speak. Her throaty voice was low and snide, and her tone was groggy despite her abrupt entry.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't Raven Cage with her cage. You nearly made me jump out of my skin."

Raven's shocked expression twisted into a relieved smile. "Helena! What're you doing around the back entrance? And.. what is that?" She pointed a finger at the machine and tilted her head. "This is an electric magnetic heat sensory device. I'm back here because a ton of loud idiots are near the main gate. I thought if I picked up a heat signature here, it would totally be something. But, you pleasantly got in my way."

"I didn't know you enjoyed inventing things, too!"

Helena flinched slightly, her baggy eyes widened as she backed away from the girl's enthusiasm. "I bought this at the shop for like, a hundred dollars or whatever."

"One hundred dollars? Your obsession with ghosts and stuff is getting a little out of hand, don't you think?"

"That's amusing coming from the bird brain. What are you doing back here, anyways?" She squinted, a stubborn scowl engraved into her face.

"Oh, you nearly made me forget! I think I finally perfected my birdcage! I'm back here so I wouldn't run into anyone." Helena inched closer and examined the cage clenched in the girl's hands. "To not run into anybody? I realized that you've been avoiding me all summer. You're picking a birdcage over your best friend? How terribly ironic, my feelings are crushed."

Raven's jaw dropped to her feet despite Helena's powerful words mismatching against her careless tone. "I've just been busy! I'm not avoiding anyone! Birdcage or no birdcage, I'm always going to be your best friend!" Helena seemed to completely ignore the girl's rebuttal. A piercing scream interrupted their conversation before Raven was able to open her mouth. The two flinched in surprise. Raven's legs buckled backwards and jumbled over each other. Helena's eyes sprung wide as she slipped and flailed her arms. She grabbed onto the first thing she could get her hands on, which was unfortunately one of her friend's unstable legs. Raven yelped as they both hit the ground.

"Are you okay?!"

"Oh yes, I'm perfectly fine."

"Thank goodness! I worked so hard!"