Green finch and linnet bird,
Nightingale, blackbird,
How is it you sing?
How can you jubilate,
Sitting in cages,
Never taking wing?
Sabrina sat on top of Widows Peak, overlooking the barrier. The sunset sent an orange eerie glow over everything, but the beauty stopped at the train station. She saw the train leave, gathering speed. And she knew the exact moment it crossed the wall that was her prison. She could practically see the flash it set off as it passed, taking people away. She hugged her knees to her chest as a little bird flew through the trees surrounding her, singing sweetly, calling, to no one in particular. The woods were silent; no one else heard its sweet song.
Outside the sky waits,
Beckoning, beckoning,
Just beyond the bars.
How can you remain,
Staring at the rain,
Maddened by the stars?
All of her energy felt bottled up. She could feel it sitting like a rock in her stomach. She wanted to jump off this cliff and run through the barrier. She knew it wouldn't hold her back; she was human. But she felt as trapped as an Everafter. She couldn't leave without her parents. And that required finding them. But always there was another case to solve! Her life was filled with little distractions, pulling her further and further away from her goal.
The sun had set over Ferry port Landing, and the stars were…maddening. She had never seen so many, living in the city, but now, as they revealed their brilliance, she only wanted to look up and see….blackness.
How is it you sing
Anything?
How is it you sing?
Green finch and linnet bird,
Nightingale, blackbird,
How is it you sing?
The little bird chirped again and Sabrina turned to glare into the trees. It sat on a low branch, a beautiful little yellow and black bird. She lost some of her anger then. In place came a rushing sadness. This little bird didn't know or care how trapped everyone in town felt. She hung her legs over the edge of the cliff and laid back, listening to the birds insistent chirping.
Whence comes this melody constantly flowing?
Is it rejoicing or merely halloing?
Are you discussing or fussing
Or simply dreaming?
Are you crowing?
Are you screaming?
After a good deal of time, the bird kept chirping. Sabrina Grimm was not known for her patience. She sat up quickly, turning to face the little thing. She glared daggers and it, but it kept singing.
"Why?" She screamed then.
"Why do you insist on tweeting away; what are you even saying?!" She raged at it, upset that the only thing that could hear her in up on Widow's Peak wouldn't listen.
"No one cares. No one is around to here you scream! No one wants to hear your song!" She seethed, almost breaking down. She was the same as that little bird. No one wanted to listen to her scream. No one cared enough to hear her complaints.
Ringdove and robinet,
Is it for wages,
Singing to be sold?
Have you decided it's
Safer in cages,
Singing when you're told?
She let a single tear fall as she gazed at the little thing. It hopped around on the branch, but didn't fly off.
"You can go." She told it quietly, a strange confusion settling in on her features.
"You can run away, you can leave this town. You don't have to stay here like the rest of us. So why do you? " She asked, wiping a tear away and turning back towards the horizon.
Puck silently stepped out from the tree line but kept quiet, simply watching Sabrina vent.
My cage has many rooms,
Damask and dark.
Nothing there sings,
Not even my lark.
Larks never will, you know,
When they're captive.
Teach me to be more adaptive.
Sabrina pulled her legs to her chest again, laying her head on them. She sighed heavily, letting the self-pity fall over her.
"I can go wherever I please in this town, but it's all the same. Every place has someone who wants to get out. That's all anyone wants in this town is to leave. Nothing here wants to stay." She whispered, crying softly. She knew Daphne loved it here, but sometimes she would cry at night, thinking about mom and dad. The tears would slip down her little face and she'd look out the window of her dad's old bedroom and wonder where in the world they could be.
Sabrina knew that she should try to get used to this town, but it was all Hell in her eyes. She couldn't adapt.
Green finch and linnet bird,
Nightingale, blackbird,
Teach me how to sing.
If I cannot fly,
Let me sing.
The little bird kept singing. By now Sabrina had picked up the tune and through her tears she whistled it back softly.
Puck stepped forward then and tentatively blew a few light notes into his flute. It matched the tune of the bird and Sabrina turned as little pixies filled the air.
I have sailed the world,
Beheld its wonders,
From the pearls of Spain
To the rubies of Tibet,
But not even in London
Have I seen such a wonder . . .
Sabrina wiped the tears from her face quickly, turning from him and hanging her head. She didn't have much fight in her tonight
"What are you doing here Puck?" She blurted quickly, mad he had interrupted her sulking. He shook his head and sat down next to her.
"I've been all over Sabrina. I've seen a lot in 4,000 years and this town isn't half bad compared to some. Compared to Faire this little dump is a god-send." He started gazing out over the tree line, straining to see further. He turned to her then and his blue eyes were cloudy and slightly sad.
"But this is torture."
Lady look at me look at me miss oh
Look at me please oh
Favor me favor me with your glance.
Sabrina turned her head from him, confused by his words but not wanting him to see her tears.
"Grimm, will you look at me?" He whispered lacking the usual condescending tone he possessed. She shook her head slightly, not wanting to feel so weak.
"Sabrina, please?" He asked quietly. She turned slowly to see his blue eyes concerned.
Ah, miss,
What do you what do you see off
There in those trees oh
Won't you give won't you give me a chance?
Who would sail to Spain
For all its wonders,
When in Kearney's Lane
Lies the greatest wonder yet?
He took her chin and steered it toward the horizon. He smiled, surprisingly kind and pointed past the barrier.
"What do you see out there? What are you looking at when you sit here?" He asked, wanting to know why she sat here night after night longing over something out of reach.
"I-I see out apartment in the city. Daphne running around the couch singing while Mom cooks dinner." She said, blushing at the picture she always imagined. Puck grinned and turned to her.
"That sounds great." He said earnestly.
Ah, miss,
Look at you look at you pale and
Ivory-skinned oh
Look at you looking so sad so queer.
"But honestly the best thing on this Earth is right here on Widow's Peak." He whispered before slowly reaching down and kissing her lips softly. Sabrina jumped in surprise but didn't pull away.
"Stop being so self-pitying. " He said kissing her once more. "You are too beautiful for that."
Promise
Not to retreat to the darkness
Back of your window
Not till you not till you look down here.
Look at
Sabrina started. She was sure that tomorrow Puck would resume being obnoxious and gross but for tonight she smiled.
"Don't go sulking anymore. You are needed right here in town. And when you aren't anymore, we'll go find you that apartment." Puck said sweetly.
Me! Green finch and linnet bird,
Look at Nightingale, blackbird,
Me! Teach me how to sing.
If I cannot fly,
Look at me .. . Let me sing ...
Before Sabrina could respond, Puck grabbed her around the middle and jumped off the cliff, rocketing down towards the ground before soaring back up through the night, laughing as they went.
The little bird hoped to where they had been seated and sung his song one more time. He then followed Puck's example and flew off the cliff, heading straight through the barrier and on to fix another's problems.