Sparrow

introduction

The wind was chilly on my bare arms. I could see steam rising from the pool as the teenagers splashed each other and laughed. Goose bumps were like little mountain peaks, determined to keep me warm.

Glancing over at the boy a couple feet away, I shivered in the night air. He had a camera and was focusing it on the girl I had been watching. She was pretty, with long, wavy, brown hair, a large contrast to my shoulder length blonde locks. The first thing I did after escaping was regrow my hair.

I couldn't help noticing how the boy hid every time he captured an image. He didn't belong here. Or anywhere, a quick glance at his mind told me. Much like the red headed girl sitting off by herself. Loneliness radiated off of people, like intense heat waves. I knew. I was alone too.

After drying off, all of the teens but one went inside, jostling each other and joking. The red headed girl sat still for a minute before following them. There was nothing else to watch so I peeked at the boy again. His pale complexion glowed in the light coming from the house. He jerked his head in my direction.

I moved a little too loudly.

"Hello?" The boy's voice was fearful.

I stood up from behind the bramble bush, causing him to jump. My white hospital gown probably added to the fear. "Don't be afraid."

He scooted backward on his behind. "Who are you?"

"An observer. Like yourself." I didn't move any closer. If he yelled for help, I would have to run again. The added adrenaline warmed me up. To pacify him, I pushed the thoughts into his head.

Don't run. It's ok.

A single drop of blood ran out of my nose but I wiped it away quickly with the back of my thin hand.

Sitting back down, I kept him there, his mind instantly forgetting I was there, any memory of me a mere dream in the back of his mind.

We watched as the red headed girl came back out and sit on the diving board of the pool. She was examining her finger. White light lit up the backyard as the boy snapped another picture. The girl was gone.

I needed the boy to leave. Another droplet of blood dripped from my nose as he walked to his car in a uniform walk. When he was halfway there, I let go of him, there was no need to waste energy.

I was alone again, in the cold. Alone with my thoughts.

The monster wasn't stopping. And neither were me or my sister. We had gotten out by the skin of our teeth. She was safe but I was in the backyard of one of the teenagers, shivering, alone, and a runaway.

Curling into a warm ball, I drifted off, ears alert, my cheek resting on the tattooed 006 on my wrist.