This is a random drabble I came up with on my RP blog. I don't really know where it came from, or why I wrote it, but I kinda like it. I hope you do too.
A Night Among the Flames
If anything happened, she would know. Her perch on the clock tower was perfect; an eagle's view of the town below. Even through the darkness she could see. See everything. Everyone. Voices and laughter echoed below her, overpowering the drum beat pounding away. With a deep breath, she closed her eyes and let the sounds wash over her.
Children. She could hear children screaming at one another.
Chatter. Teenagers, adults, and elders talked in friendly voices, no one wishing to break the peace of the night.
Music. It rang. It played. The harmonies mixed together into a swirl of chaos, brought back together with the melody breaking through just barely over the masses of noise. Yet it didn't hurt. It sounded joyous, like a world full of life.
Of course, this world was full of life, especially on this night, of all nights. The night of the New Year. A special holiday to the somebodies, or so she'd been told.
Her eyes flickered open, taking in the dim lights floating above the ground in paper lanterns. Colorful, paper lanterns that almost disappeared above the crowd. They were gorgeous, but insignificant. Not a single person below paid them any heed, for they were too busy with their games, their food, and their music.
A festival.
She relaxed from her position, moving her legs out from under her so they swung down over the tower wall. Her eyes could not be moved from the excitement below. It made her long for something. A beat in her chest. A begging notion of love and happiness she knew she could never really feel. Even though she dreamed of it night after night; dreamed of the boy and his friends, and she longed for it, always did those things… those emotions, hang just out of reach.
Just… out… of….
She held out one of her gloved hands and gripped at the air, trying to grab some invisible something. A star, perhaps?
A loud cheer of excitement exploded below her and she glanced down, blue eyes wide with curiosity. They were chanting numbers. Counting down from ten.
Nine.
Eight.
Seven….
She shook her head. What a strange way to celebrate. They were making noise, leaving their guards down, and for what? A single night of happiness to celebrate an event which came around year, after year, after year? Every 365 days?
One.
Bright lights burst into the sky, accompanied by the fire cracker bang of gun powder and flame. A gasp escaped her lips. She had no been expecting such a thing. Such a marvelous display of light. There were more, breaking the stillness of the starry sky with their cackling, burning, fearsome array of color. She could almost feel the heat billowing toward her, crashing into her as though she were only two feet away. So close she could touch it.
Then they were gone. Silence rang through the night. Not even the people below spoke. The incurable darkness returned once more, leaving her alone.
Yet still, if anything happened, she would know. It was her job. Part of her training. To be silent. Silent and deadly; the perfect weapon. Shaped just like a puppet.
Except, a puppet she wished not to be. Her desire to go down and talk to them. To be one of them….
She closed her eyes again. If only she had been born with a heart.