Long Past Dawn

"Why don't I tell you a story from a long time ago, little girl?"

"There was a young boy, one eye was as red as blood, no one knew why this happened. But it tore his family apart, his father left him to run off with his lover, leaving him and his mother alone. His mother had fallen into grief, both from the loss of her husband and the cursed eye of her son."

"The two sunk into misery, the mother turning to alcohol to wash away her problems, leaving the son to fend for himself on the streets. The son who had lost not only a father but a mother too did not know what to do."

"A small child no older than 7, left alone by his father and alcoholic mother. What could he do? Oh but this child was a smart one, he learned the ways of the streets quickly. Where to find food, where would hire a child, which schools didn't care much about parental consent."

"Of course it was a loose and dangerous life but it was a life none the less, and for the boy that was enough. And one day he found a well enough paying job, to clean the railroad tracks of the dead animals that would wander onto them. It wasn't as dangerous as it might sound, they would only let him down when the trains weren't running or there wasn't one for hours."

"Soon enough the boy was well acquainted with the job and what can with the job. Soon days turned to weeks and weeks to months. The boy found the corpses interesting, the lifeless look in their eyes, the way some were intact while others could not be identified. He would find so many animals, mice, rats, cats, dogs, birds, toads, frogs. But they all had the same lifeless look in their eyes."

"The boy soon grew to love that look, but he kept his love hidden. Soon years past by, the boy went off to a great school, to learn biology, chemistry, and physics, all on a full scholarship."

"He had not seen his mother for almost a year. He was joyful to show his mother his accomplishments, maybe she would finally see him and not the shadow of the b*stard father that left them."

"And so the prodigy son returned. He burst through the front door of the home of his mother, wielding his diploma in hand. The excitement almost burst through him."

"Full of vigor he stepped into the living room, but soon his joy died down. For there, hanging from the ceiling, was his mother."

"Her deep blue eyes open and staring at something no mortal could see. The boy now man dropped to the floor, his mouth dropped open in shock, unable to process the scene before him. From his mother's cold corpse flutters down a piece of paper, on it was a drawing; two red eyes staring at the same nothing as the mother."

"That was when he realized it was his damn eye that took his mother's warmth from him, but no tears where shed. Oh no, no tears could be shed from that cursed eye, for as the man looked up at his mother he recognized the look he so loved was now plastered for eternity on his mother's face, those empty eyes staring lifelessly at nothing and everything."

"A shiver of joy ran through him, an electric shock. Those eyes, those deep blue eyes, death complimented them so well. The blank look? He loved it. The lifeless eyes? He could never find another like them."

"They were his special treasure, nothing could replace the beauty that they held. They were one in a million."

"They were his and his alone..." Crazy-red-eye man finishes, looing off into the distance as if he can see the scene unfold, the dead woman hanging in the noose, the boy staring up at her eyes. "I do believe that the shade of blue was the same as yours..."

I shiver and the man smiles, this one isn't a threat but something else.

He turns to leave the room and Jikan and I don't say a thing. But one question slips past me as he's about to head out of the room, "Was that little boy you?"

The man stops and I can tell he's smiling nostalgically, he shrugs before he continues to walk out of the room, "Who knows."

I suddenly remember my plan to freeze him and just before he completely exits the room I manage to yell at him, "Stop!"

He freezes just like I expected him to, it worked. It f*cking worked, I let out a sigh of relief, maybe things are turning around.

At this point, I'm well aware that there are probably cameras pointed at us from every direction so the next thing is to make sure they don't call back up yet.

I have no idea if this will work or not but at this point, it's worth a try. I close my eyes and try to focus on the room and imagining all security cameras in the room blacking out. After a moment I hear what sounds like static and I have a feeling that the cameras are down.

I sigh in relief, now to get out of these restraints, I don't have a key or anything else that might open them. I bite the inside of my cheek, what can I do to get out of these?

I can't break them open. Maybe I can try my power? Will that work? Worth a shot since we've come this far. "Open."

I hear a click and then feel the cuffs on my wrists and feet fall away. I, anything but gracefully, fall to the ground. I also see that Jikans restraints have fallen off and she's lying in a heap on the ground next to me.

I get up and walk over to her, she's chalk white and shivering. My stomach sinks a little but I tell myself we'll get out of here and she'll be fine. "Come on, Jikan, let's get out of here."

No response from her and my worry only grows, I go over and pick her up, she's as light as a feather. I can't leave her here and she can't walk so I'll have to carry her. She seems to settle into my arms and I run past red-eye and into the corridor.

Cement walls and flooring greet me, I see what looks like a squad of guards running down the hall, great, just great. I look up and see how high up the high ceiling up above me, the sky's the limit eh?

I feel my wings open up and I lift off into the air, the guards continue to run towards us. I see guns in their hands and I know I have to get out of here fast. I soar over them and they c.o.c.k their guns at them, I try to fly faster to avoid the bullets but I let out a scream as I feel one hit my shoulder.

I think I'm about to fall onto the ground from the pain but I grit my teeth and keep flying, holding Jikan tight in my arms. I have to get us out of here.

As busy as I am with trying to escape I do look for a clue as to where the hell we are, I glance at the guards in the corner of my eye and see the guards have the words Cadmus sewn onto their jackets. I'm too busy dodging bullets to think too deeply about what the hell Cadus might be.

Three more bullets hit me and the pain seems to overwhelm me from the bullet wound, but I see an elevator at the end of the hall and I fly harder, I notice Jikan going limp in my arms as tears threaten my eyes but I push both to the back of my mind.

I can just see the elevator doors open and I imagine that it's more guards but at this point, the pain is too much for me to stand any more. My wings stop working an I feel me and Jikan falling. The only thought that comes to mind right now is that we were so close. So close to freedom.

"Dawn!" A scream seems to pierce through me, it feels so familiar, but who is it?