Different- Chapter One

If there are any words ya don't get- just let me know and I may or may not be able to tell you ;) As always comments are very much appreciated.

Chapter One

I stood in horror, my mouth agape, unable to say anything. My eyes went from creased in sadness and near tears to wide open- as round as circles before I crushed them together and put my hands over my ears- I tried to block out what she had just said. What that meant. They had finally come for her.

I had known this day was coming, from that moment I learnt the true meaning of this institution and the corruption that ran through this society. I had tried to force the knowledge from my mind, that one day they would come. But it lurked, the nightmare, in the back of my mind and with each passing day I grew only more fearful that the day it would come to being would be the next. And now, here it was. The living nightmare.

Dusk launched herself towards me, and wrapped her tiny arms around my stomach. She was so small. So fragile...I held onto her but only lightly as I was so afraid I would break her. But I was even more so afraid to look into her eyes at the torment I would see within them. As much as this was a true hell for me, I couldn't imagine what it must be like for her.

We stood there for many minutes. There was no comfort in this- there would be no comfort from now on. What was about to happen was too great for any kind of solace. We held each other because we knew that soon we would be torn apart.

I eventually pulled away, and collapsed onto my soft feather mattress, because my legs couldn't hold me any longer. Dusk stood still- I could feel her gaze upon me yet I refused to meet it. I sat there with my eyes closed, and my back pressed against the wall. I wanted it to swallow me up, keep me safe within. But it was not to be.

Then a thought. One that had not occurred to me before. I sprang to my feet and spun Dusk around roughly- I was beyond the stage of being soft and gentle. This matter was far too serious- then relief flooded my body. It was so sudden it almost knocked me to the ground. I laid my hands apon her beautiful dark orange and grey wings. I was so immensely pleased that they were still there it was beyond the point of comprehension. I hoped, with all my heart that she would be allowed to keep them- maybe she was to be under the employment of the more liberal of the Ardas. Yet I knew that until I asked I could not and would not be fully relieved.

“Are they going to...?” I tailed off, unable to speak the last words. Only then it occurred to me that this was the first words I had spoked to her, and I began to feel guilty. But, there was nothing I could do about it now.

Dusk lowered her head, and when she looked up she stared directly into my eyes. Her bright amber eyes filled up and my hope was crushed. There is no feeling like a dying hope, one that has been broken and smashed. I truly gave up then, and the broken sobs I had to fight to keep in escaped.

“S-s-s-orry” I whispered. Dusk did not hear, as with my tears her began to fall also. We wrapped ourselves in cloaks of sadness and I didn't know when there would be a point we would be able to remove them again.

It was an eternity before I could force myself to ask the next question. But I did so, and regretted it immediately.

“When?” A single word with so much meaning. When was she to leave? When were her wings to be clipped? When would I next see her? When would anything ever be normal again?

“As soon as Hazel signs me off...” Dusk replied to my first and second question. And I knew that it couldn't be long at all. We only had minutes left together, no time to say goodbye. No time to make anything right. And with that I made the choice I was afraid to think before, let alone voice.

We were going to run.