Chains Made of Stars- ON HOLD

Chapter 9: Laila

Did you know that sirens in Greek mythology were actually half-bird? They were not mermaids, so the sirens in this story will be half-bird too. (I mean, It would be kinda ridiculous to have mermaids flopping around space, so that's another reason)

Will had collapsed. He was deathly still, his limbs splayed out in odd angles. The screeching of the lyre intermingled with Cetus's and Orion's anguished screams was driving Mith crazy. Her heart and head hurt like nothing had ever hurt before. She wanted to run as far away from the lyre and never stop running.

Will was conveniently knocked out. She could escape, find the nearest Carcerem Society outpost. Go back home.

It was that easy.

Mith backed away from Will's body, muscles tensed in preparation to run. The lyre, in all its ugly wickedness, seemed to be singing to Mith to do it. To abandon Will and save herself.

It was that easy.

She wouldn't have to take part in the madness that was Will's mission. The lyre would kill him, and there would be no one to deal horrible drugs to the inmates either.

Mith shut her eyes and took a deep breath. 

She told herself that she couldn't do anything to save his life. She told herself that she didn't owe him anything. She told herself that she didn't care.

A sudden, vivid image of the future flashed in Mith's head. She could imagine having to explain to Will's parents (if they were still alive) that she had killed their son. She could imagine Will's sister (if he had one) bursting into tears. Hell, she could even imagine the funeral. The old man from down-the-lane (if he existed) would barge in and say a word about how Will had always helped him carry his groceries in (or something like that anyway). Everyone would then stifle their sobs and remember what a great guy he was (he wasn't, but you never know). 

And that was the point. Having barely known Will for a couple of hours, Mith realised that she didn't want to decide whether or not she deserved to live instead of him. She didn't know whose lives she would end up wrecking if she left him for the dead. Not to mention that the stress of being a murderer would probably give her an aneurysm.

Ah, fuck.

Mith knelt down next to Will. She pulled out her phone, gritting her teeth as the lyre music dug into her brain like needles. She wanted to run, so bad, but she forced herself to stay. She was nauseous and weak and sick, but she had to try, at least.

She played a random song on her phone and cranked up the volume, then pressed it to Will's ear. 

(The random song, if you must know, was Big Parade, by the Lumineers)

Maybe, just maybe, if he wasn't listening to the lyre music he might snap out of whatever weird coma he was in.

The cheerful chorus started out, a sharp contrast to all the screeches and the screams and the pain around her. 

Lovely girl won't you stay, won't you stay, stay with me

All my life I was blind, I was blind, now I see

Lovely girl won't you stay, won't you stay, stay with me

All my life I was blind, I was blind, now I see

Will stirred, but he looked as if he were having a terrible nightmare. Mith nearly sobbed with relief.

"Get up!" She shook him roughly. "We have to get out of here!" 

He moaned and twisted.

"Please, Will, you have to get up!" Mith cried.

"Can't," he mumbled. "Sleepy."

Mith screamed in frustration. She was going to lose him. She was going to die. The screams wouldn't stop. This mad hellhole of a place was going to suck her in. She was desperate she was scared she was-

 That was when she noticed the flurry of movement somewhere behind her out of the corner of her eye.

She turned around.

There was a creature there, a sort of half-girl-half-bat, and she was looking right at Mith.

Mith shrieked.

The creature had leathery, batlike wings. Her face resembled a human girl's, but it was too flawless to be human. Haunting almond-shaped green eyes rested above finely angled cheekbones. Light pink lips curved into a soft smile. Porcelain skin crinkled into dimples around the mouth. Black hair tumbled down narrow shoulders like silky waterfalls of ink.

Mith's eyes widened as she realised that along with wings, the creature had talons instead of feet. Rags covered her petite frame. 

Mith's first coherent thought was Siren.

Mith's second coherent thought was She's beautiful.

Mith's third coherent thought was Now she's going to sing and kill us all. 

Mith's fourth coherent thought was an assortment of truly horrible swear words which shall not be listed here.

The siren raised one perfectly sculpted eyebrow at Mith. Predictably, she started to sing.

 The lyre quietened down, as did the monsters. The horrible screeches faded, and Cetus and Orion melted back into their constellations. Even the song on Mith's phone had paused itself, overcome by the siren's sweet voice. In a few short minutes, the sky was still except for the melodies of the siren. Mith grinned as the godawful noise receded and peace overwhelmed the sky once more.

Suddenly, Will sat up, looking dazed.

"Will," Mith said with a relieved exhale. The siren's song was making her deliriously happy for some reason, and she smiled again. Somehow, this divinely beautiful creature had managed to subdue the lyre and the monsters. All was well with the world. 

"Are you all right?"

"Just fabulous, thank you," he replied darkly. "Now I hate to be rude, but who invited the siren?"

Hello hello hello, another chapter out!