A Senior!

I pat the motionless paunch.

There is hope.

If I made it, then you too, you have to have…

A heavily cloaked Senior stands before me. He blocks the sun with his sharp cap. I cannot see his face. What is his expression? Help me. Help us. Hurry!

“This ugly thing,” my angel hisses.

“Here,” I wheeze, “Here.”

I continue to pat the lumpy paunch. The Senior looks about leisurely.

I do not believe this Senior can hear me. Most Seniors are hard of hearing, how frustrating.

“Here!” I gargle on blood, attempting to grab onto the trapped boy.

More approach. More Seniors.

They all leisurely look on. I cannot see their faces, but I sense a feeling of nonchalance… towards me… towards him.

“The Seniors dislike us,” my angel hisses in a familiar voice, “They dislike you too,” the voice is distorted but, “We are children of the night,” the voice, I am certain, “Dark-skinned. We are dark-skinned,” these words belong to, “Open your mind…”

the silent boy.

I glance up at the Seniors, they are mumbling amongst each other.

“Why this one?” a Senior with an unsteady head speaks up.

“Hush! What insubordination!” a soft-spoken Senior gripes.

“The signs are all there,” a red-capped Senior chimes in, “The Maven comes.”

He motions someone forward.

The silent boy emerges. My eyes widen. The boy advances; he lifts me.

“Come along,” the red-capped Senior motions to those around.

The silent boy wraps me in his arms and begins his steady pace.

Did he bring them here? Where is his adamant distrust from before?

Why does… Wait… What am I doing?

I am wasting precious time.

I lean into the boy and give strength to my chest.

“There,” I manage to wheeze out to the silent boy.

I attempt to tell him of the trapped boy. He continues on… everyone continues on.

“There!” I gargle and motion my lifeless limbs towards the dead creature.

The boy glances at me but continues on. They all continue on… leisurely.

Why will they not listen?!

“He… (gurgle) being… left (gurgle) behind!” my voice sounds like garbled nonsense.

How can we leave him like that?! He did not so much as flinch, in my time of need.

He is a good boy, a good person!

Do they not hear me? Do they not understand?

I look over each one. Nonchalant. Nonchalant. Nonchalant. Nonchalant. Nonchalant.

Further and further, we get from the trapped boy…

I cannot…

…

ANGEL!

Angel help!

Help Angel!

Angel, please!

Help! ANGEL!

“BriNg tHe cReaTUre!” my angel and I screech.

Everyone halts. The silent boy looks at me with trembling eyes, his head twitches ever so slightly. Some Seniors recoil, others heave.

“BriNg tHe cReaTUre!” my voice, my distorted seraph voice and I shriek, “mY FrIEnd! INsIde tHe BeAst!”

“BriNg tHe DeAd cReaTUre!” I command them, “BriNg HIm!”