Girl who Speaks to Birds

Chapter 26

Hold fast to dreams, for if dreams die, life is a broken-winged bird that cannot fly.

-Langston Hughes

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I looked at my father, who was staring back at me. I got up, cautiously stepping away. He had betrayed me. I sent a glare at him, one filled with hatred and hurt.

"You betrayed me!" I shouted angrily.

My father began to speak. "Madelyn, it's not like that!"

I flew up. "Sure it isn't. You called me an it! And now your boss is doing some sort of project on me? Yeah, that's not betrayal at all."

"I was forced, Madelyn. When I married your mother, I was forced into becoming a hunter! It was either me or you! And I cared about you! I couldn't let them just turn you into a ruthless killing machine! So,I did what I had to! You think I wanted to have all the cameras, sprayers, and spy shifters put in the house? But I did it because I care for you! There were cameras everywhere in the house and they were spying on us the entire time! I couldn't tell you or I would be killed! We all would! And then where would we be?"

I sighed. "Dead. But that's not to say that this is true. How do I know this isn't a set of lies?"

"I'm your father. Why would I ever lie to you, Madelyn?"

"I don't know, you sent me to a place full of hunters who wanted to kill me - and still do - and now I'm on the run! And you've lied to me my entire life! I trusted you, and you betrayed me. Do you know how much that hurts? It pains me inside to think of those moments where you betrayed me, Dad. I want things to be how they were before this happened."

"Madelyn, I'm sorry this happened to you. But we have to push through it. And I need you to stay strong."

"How can I know that I can trust you, Dad?" I asked "So much has happened, and I feel betrayed."

I landed in a tree. "It hurts. And I want things to be like normal, but that's never going to happen. I don't know if I can trust you, Dad."

"But you can, Madelyn. I escaped bullets and your own mother to come here and help you. Do you really think I'd do that if I wanted to hurt you?"

I sighed. "No. And I'm sorry, but I can't know if you're really on my side anymore."

"But Madelyn, I am on your side. And I'm your father. Shouldn't you be able to trust me?"

"I should, but you kidnapped me and took me to that place full of hunters. It was frightening, and plus, you acted really evil." I sighed again "I don't know who I can trust. I mean, I can trust Madelyn and Tyler, but besides them, I don't know."

"I know this is hard for you, Madelyn, but I'm here to help. I sacrificed my own safety for you. I even ended up with this."

He then lifted up his pant leg slightly to see a bronze bullet imbedded in it. Ouch. So maybe he really did care.

"They shot you?"

He nodded. "You have a bandage or something?"

I sighed; it was freaky when I healed Tyler and the pain had come to me.

"You have to do this, Madelyn."

"I know. But how do I know he's on my side?"

"He took a bullet to the leg to escape the hunters and find you. Isn't that enough proof?"

I sighed, knowing Ashlea was right. I glanced at my dad, and then at the bronze bullet. I was going to have to do this for my dad, no matter how much it pained me.

"I have better." I replied "I can heal you, but you're going to have to stay calm, alright?"

"And you're sure this will work?" asked my father, and I could hear curiousity in his voice.

"It will, because I've done it before."

I placed my hand above the wound, and the same thing happened. A pain ran through my leg, burning with the intensity of fire. I shut my eyes, taking deep breaths. It would be worth it.

Images of a disolving bronze bullet filled my mind and caused pain to race through my body. I wanted to stop, but I had to do it. My dad had risked his life just for me, and I was going to help him with the aftermath. A wave of nausea washed over me, and I felt like I was going to hurl.

Then, all pain simply went away. I was, however, exhausted. Not so much that I had to fall asleap right then and there. It was the 'I stayed up until three in the morning' type of exhaustion. It wasn't too tired, and I could manage for now.

"It's done." I replied, looking at my father.

"Thank you, Madelyn. I know I acted like a jerk, but I couldn't stop the act. They have cameras everywhere. They would've killed me if I had helped you." After a pause lasting half a minute, my dad spoke again. "Who's that?"

I looked behind me and saw Tyler, who was triumphantly holding a dead squirrel.

"Tyler. That's Tyler."

Then, the squirrel moved. Well, looks like it's not dead.

"If you come back, you die." I heard Tyler snarl at the squirrel shifter. Then, he let him go. And he ran faster than any squirrel I had ever seem

"He's a shifter like you?"

I nodded. "He's gonna help me rescue Trinity and all the other shifters."

"I'll help you rescue your friend," began my father "After all, I know my way around that place. But we'll have to go soon; she was captured a day or two ago, and I fear that her execution may be soon."

We spent most of the night planning; it was almost four when we had finished. We then got to sleep, with Tyler and I taking shifts in case my dad was doing an act. When it was time for my shift, what I saw was shocking.

A/N- That quote up there is one of my favorites.

Prepare for a huge shocker next chapter. But here's a hint; When you leave the hunters, you don't leave normal.

PM me if you think you know what's gonna happen.

Please comment (If you're an author, you know how important these are), vote (This is really important too), share, and I'll see you all in the comments! Bye for now!