Salty air whipped past me as I flung around a corner, stirring a flurry of seagulls from the path. Graffitied plaster walls and dainty terraces flitted past, until I skidded to a stop mere inches from a canal that surfaced out of nowhere. There were more voices, murmering form places I couldn't see. "[i]Who's...ah look at that...what the...? Kid, freak, Outlander...[/i]" I glanced around, my heart drumming. A bridge. I skimmed across it faster than a breath. There had to be a way out of that place, somewhere! Buildings flew by. My efforts were thwarted by…yet…another…“Dead end,” I breathed. My face fell.
At least…I was alone, aye? There in that musty alley…it was almost like a prison without bars. I could stay if I wanted, and I could leave if I pleased…and no one would stop me, or burn me…my fingers feathered over the brand on my neck, despite the way it stung. And in that alley there would be no nooses. There wouldn’t even be ropes.
Loneliness stabbed me in the gut, in the way it would tend to do. Those ropes...I squeezed my eyes shut. Fiery images flashed behind my eyes, and I could hear the clank of metal, and feel the texture of a rope…that rope had gone around Papa’s neck. I didn’t know why. They’d told me I looked like him, and maybe I would be like him someday. I’d wanted to be like him. Then…why did they do that to him? Crick. I remembered the sound as if it were right in my ear. I’d wondered in horror, at the time, why he was sleeping in the air like that.
I forced my eyes open and cradled my head. Please…please make the sounds go away. Please don’t think about the sounds. I don’t like the sounds.
A shrill whistle startled me out of my thoughts and I spun around. What was with the whistles? I’d been hearing them everywhere. I’d thought it was just the birds, except the only birds I’d seen were seagulls. Another whistle answered. I wasn't alone here…was I?
"Look 'ere, look 'ere," a smooth voice sounded from...up. My gaze shot to a lady looming on a rooftop. Beyond her slender silhouette I could see larger figures emerging. "Long ways from 'ome, aren't you, Dimples?"
I suddenly decided that being alone was better than being lonely with a stranger, and edged away from the odd silhouette. "...I think..." Where was home, anyhow?
Another sharp whistle split through the air, followed by a rumbling laugh. My eyes grew wide as a lanky man stepped off the rooftop, slid down the wall and landed neatly on the brick below. Smoke billowed from his mouth when his voice spat. " "
At least…I was alone, aye? There in that musty alley…it was almost like a prison without bars. I could stay if I wanted, and I could leave if I pleased…and no one would stop me, or burn me…my fingers feathered over the brand on my neck, despite the way it stung. And in that alley there would be no nooses. There wouldn’t even be ropes.
Loneliness stabbed me in the gut, in the way it would tend to do. Those ropes...I squeezed my eyes shut. Fiery images flashed behind my eyes, and I could hear the clank of metal, and feel the texture of a rope…that rope had gone around Papa’s neck. I didn’t know why. They’d told me I looked like him, and maybe I would be like him someday. I’d wanted to be like him. Then…why did they do that to him? Crick. I remembered the sound as if it were right in my ear. I’d wondered in horror, at the time, why he was sleeping in the air like that.
I forced my eyes open and cradled my head. Please…please make the sounds go away. Please don’t think about the sounds. I don’t like the sounds.
A shrill whistle startled me out of my thoughts and I spun around. What was with the whistles? I’d been hearing them everywhere. I’d thought it was just the birds, except the only birds I’d seen were seagulls. Another whistle answered. I wasn't alone here…was I?
"Look 'ere, look 'ere," a smooth voice sounded from...up. My gaze shot to a lady looming on a rooftop. Beyond her slender silhouette I could see larger figures emerging. "Long ways from 'ome, aren't you, Dimples?"
I suddenly decided that being alone was better than being lonely with a stranger, and edged away from the odd silhouette. "...I think..." Where was home, anyhow?
Another sharp whistle split through the air, followed by a rumbling laugh. My eyes grew wide as a lanky man stepped off the rooftop, slid down the wall and landed neatly on the brick below. Smoke billowed from his mouth when his voice spat. " "
