BROKEN W IN G S bySophia"Bel l " Lopez An excer pt...
Art byIsabel l aAl ej o
Tove fl ies, dodgin g tr ees, h er h ear t in h er th r oat. Sh e feel s h er sel f fal l in g. Sh e feel s th e weigh t of h er sm al l figu r e tak in g h eed. W ith al l th e str en gth in h er ,sh e k eeps on . An oth er dr op of r ain l an ds on h er back , on h er win gs. Sh e scr eam s in agon y an d for ces for war d. Th e r ain com es down h ar der. Dr opl ets of pain str ik e h er as sh e fl ees, gu n s fir in g at an in n ocen t. Th e ar m y h as u pgr aded to faster ,str on ger weapon r y. Th e water pou n ds on h er. H er pu l se r aces. Tove k eeps on . Th e pain over power s h er th ou gh ts. Sh e scr eam s as sh e goes, h er sm al l voice r each in g vol u m es it sh ou l dn ?t be abl e to r each . H er th r oat is sor e. H er h ear t is r acin g. H er body is r ack ed with sobs. Sk e k eeps on . Sh e k eeps on . Sh e k eeps on . H er win gs ar e tir ed. H er back is bu r n in g. H er body is dr own in g in agon y. Sh e k eeps on . Sh e k eeps on . Sh e k eeps on . Um ek o h ear s a pitter -patter on th e r oof. Sh e pu l l s away fr om h er sk etch book . H er face l igh ts u p, an d a sm il e car r ies h er to th e sm al l win dow in h er r oom . Sh e wr aps a bl an k et ar ou n d h er sh ou l der s an d sits by th e win dow, h er feet tu ck ed u n der h er. Sh e l ean s h er h ead again st th e gl ass watch in g th e r ain dr ops fal l fr om th e gr ayin g sk y. Th e sk y tu r n s dar k with its tear s an d a br igh t l igh t gr aces th e sk y befor e fal l in g. Sh e sees it, ju st for a m om en t. Tove tu m bl es to th e gr ou n d. Sh e h as n oth in g l eft to give. Th e dr ops fal l , an d h er scr eam is excr u ciatin g. Sh e l an ds in a stick y,sl u dge. M u d. Sh e tr ies in vain to stan d. Th e l ife was su ck ed ou t of h er in h er battl e. A l ar ge cr eatu r e bar r el s towar d h er ,bu t Tove h as al r eady l ost con sciou sn ess. Um ek o stan ds abr u ptl y h ittin g h er h ead again st th e wal l in h er r u sh . Sh e gr im aces fr om th e pain an d h u r r ies ou t of h er r oom an d ou t of th e h ou se gr abbin g an u m br el l a on th e way. Ou tside, in th e r ain , sh e cr ou ch es down as m u ch as sh e can with ou t gettin g h er k n ees cover ed in m u d an d scou r s for th e l igh t sh e saw in th e win dow. Sh e sear ch es an d sear ch es, bu t n ot fin din g an yth in g, sh e begin s to pon der wh eth er wh at sh e saw was on l y l igh tn in g in a stor m . Cr ou ch in g down again , pl an n in g to give u p after th is l ast sear ch , sh e sees a gl ow in th e sl u dge. H er face br igh ten s, an d sh e h u r r ies towar ds th e sigh t. A sm al l body l ies in th e m u d, pecu l iar for its size an d gl ow an d for wh at pr otr u des fr om its back . A sm al l body l ies in th e m u d, u n cl oth ed, gl owin g, an d with win gs on its back , on e win g sn apped in two. Um ek o's face fil l s with a sm il e. Th e k in d of sm il e th at cou l d on l y com e fr om fin din g a sm al l per son with win gs on h er back in you r yar d. Th e k in d of sm il e th at r each es you r eyes an d m ak es you l au gh of gl ee.