CHAPTER 11

FREE LIKE THE BIRD

208, Month 6. The next day

Cornelius

Mom and dad weren't exactly happy when they found out what Erol and I had been doing that night and somehow my dad found a way to blame it on me.

But when they saw Phoenix they suddenly became very impressed, of Erol of course.

I became temporarily invincible at that point.

Erol told them everything that happened that night, all except the part where I saved him from the metalhead and that if I hadn't been there Phoenix would have just run away.

He mentioned however that I was the one who hid under the tree when the metalheads arrived. I pointed out that standing just below them shouting wasn't the greatest idea either.

Finally I got him to admit who saved his life at the end.

"Are you serious son? Cornelius killed a metalhead all by himself?" said Dad, sounding shocked.

Erol was still grumpy but he told the truth, "yes" he muttered.

Dad looked at me, and for the first time since I was expelled he didn't look angry. Not that he seemed happy either but at least he didn't yell at me, that's a start.

"Good work kid" he said, (I tried to ignore the fact that he had called Erol son while I was just "kid") "but you know your brother could have made it all by himself right?"

What was I supposed to say? The truth? That Erol had been to scared to shoot? That might help. It all ended with me being sent to my room as soon as we got home.

The first thing dad did when we came home was to drag me upstairs by my ear and close the bedroom-door, for lying he said.

Erol had moved out, now at days he lived in a bigger room downstairs.

Works for me, then I wouldn't have to share the room with him.

"Now? How was the visit?" a voice asked.

I looked up at the lamp in the ceiling; Tanya sat on the same spot where I found her yesterday.

"Tanya? I thought you had gone to find your family?" I said surprised.

"I was, but on the way I started thinking" said Tanya, "My parens have each other right? And all my siblings may have found someone in their lives too. But what about you? When I leave you'll be all alone"

"Well, I was alone before I found you" I said, "And I survived"

"But where you happy Cornelius?" asked Tanya.

I couldn't lie; actually I hadn't been happier as when I found Tanya since before Praxis took over… eight years ago? Was it really that long?

It still felt like yesterday when we were all gathered at Jacob's house for the dinner party. I still had nightmares about that night. A four-year-old kid, lost in the basement surrounded by fire…

I looked up again; Tanya was still waiting for an answer.

"You're right Tanya" I admitted in the end, "I don't want you to leave"

"I don't want to leave either" said Tanya, she flew down and landed on my shoulder, "I'm staying! It's better than being caught out in the rain anyway"

I laughed, "You are one of a kind Tanya" I said.

208. month 8

The days went by, and a couple of months later the time came for Erol to go back to school. I was left at home as always, with the door closed and the window nailed. Dad didn't take any chances. And for good reason. I was sick of this house! I was sick of my dad yelling, sick of being bossed around by Erol (even though that only happened in school-vacations), and I was sick and tired of being locked up in this room every day.

"Are you sure about this?" Tanya asked, she had taken refuge under the bed.

"If you've got a better idea say it now" I said and pulled out a box containing my old school-things from the crimson school.

School-things they called it, it didn't look like school-things to me.

The box contained a couple of books, a first-aid-kit, and a small box which used to contain the gun in my pocket.

"Are you ready girl?" I asked Tanya. She answered by crawling under the bed.

I looked out of the window to make sure my parents had left.

Then I took the biggest book out of the box, backed of a few steps and threw it.

Pieces of glass flew out with the book. I pushed out the last pieces of what used to be my window so I wouldn't cut myself. Of course my room was on the second floor so it was a long way down but I wouldn't let that stop me.

Tanya flew out of the window and landed in the three outside.

"Are you absolutely sure about this?" she said again, "it's a long way, you could hurt yourself"

"I don't care" I sad and jumped straight out of the window.

I was free! No one could stop me now!

I got up, my feet hurt after hitting the ground but I could still walk.

"Are you coming or what?" I asked Tanya.

The sparrow flew down and landed on my shoulder.

"Do I have a choice?" she asked.

"You always have a choice" I said, "You can stay here and get yelled at"

Then I ran, right into the streets, away from the neighbourhood I had been living in since I was two, away from all my long-lost friends' houses, away from everything that was familiar.

I didn't know where I was going, I didn't even care.

All I knew was that I would no longer have to listen to my father's complaining.

CHAPTER 12

THE REBELLION

208. month 8

Cornelius

After a lot of running, walking, crawling and sneaking in the streets I finally made it to the slums without being noticed.

I almost felt safer there, who would look for me in this dump? Besides, I had heard most of the slums residents hate the baron as much as I do.

"Gee, this place looks cosy" said Tanya, "Where do we go from here? Shall we find a nice hotel?"

She was clearly unhappy about the situation. A wild sparrowflut would dislike to be shut in a room all day; Tanya however preferred to stay inside.

"Don't worry Tanny, we'll find some place to stay" I said.

"And where are we going to find that, in a cardboard box? You'd better remember this! I refuse to sleep in a box!"

I rolled my eyes; a bird who would usually love to be left alone on a large grass field didn't want to stay one night in a box? Perhaps Erol was right, domestic animals are cowardly.

"Are you lost kid?"

I turned over so abrupt Tanya almost fell of my shoulder. A male-elf came out of a dead end, he had a gun in his belt and half of his face was hidden behind a red mask.

"No" I said quickly, "We're fine thank you". I shut Tanya's beak in case she would say anything stupid.

"A young boy like you shouldn't be wandering these streets alone, especially not these streets. Not even accompanied by a bird" the man said, "Where are your parents?"

"Eh, out shopping" I said, fastening my grip on Tanya's beak.

The man came closer, "What's your name kid?" he asked.

"None of your business", I noticed I was shivering and let go of Tanya's beak, she started panting like she had just run a marathon.

"Hey, I don't want to hurt you" said the man,"I just want to help"

"I don't need help" I answered, "I can make it on my own! No one is going to order me around"

"Is that what this is all about?" said the man,"You ran away from home because your parents were too bossy is that right?"

"I don't like this guy, he reads minds" Tanya whispered in my ear.

"What I'm doing out here is none of your business! So just leave me alone!" I said to the man and was about to leave when I heard a familiar voice.

"Well that's some surprise! I didn't expect to see you here"

I turned around again, this time Tanya did fall of.

It was the man I met in the park the day I found Tanya.

"You!" Tanya said as she landed on the ground, "I know you right?"

"If it isn't Cornelius Elfin and his little bird-friend Tanya" Samos said smiling, "what are you two doing in a dump like this?"

"I was about to ask the same question" I said.

"Shadow? Do you know these two?" the first man asked.

"We've met" said Samos, "how are things Cornelius? I heard your brother got himself a new pet this summer"

"How did you know?" I asked.

Samos opened a newspaper he held in his hand, it showed a picture of Erol, proudly holding Phoenix on a leach. He tried to look casual but I could se the flut-flut had its feet and wings tied to the fence so that he wouldn't break loose.

"It's not every day a fourteen-year-old captures a wild flut-flut. Not even if it is a chick. Actually I don't think anyone ever managed to tame a wild flut-flut before" Samos said.

"Whoopee" I said low.

"Is that Phoenix?" asked Tanya who had just flown back on my shoulder, "He looks dangerous.

"A total maniac" I said, "wild birds shouldn't be captured like that. But he was an orphan so he probably wouldn't have survived anyway"

"You don't seem too happy" said Samos, "Of course. I guess no brothers can ever be friends, can they?"

"Not me and Erol, that's for sure" I muttered.

"Erol Elfin? You mean the baron's nephew?" asked the man still standing behind me.

"Not really, just his wife's nephew" I said.

The man laughed, "You don't seem to like the baron very much, do you?" he said.

"No, do you got a problem with that?" I asked.

"Of course not. I'm not his biggest fan myself" said the man,"My name is Jon; I'm in the underground movement working against the baron".

"A rebellion? Awesome!" I said exited.

"Didn't the baron say it was only a rumour?" asked Tanya.

"That's probably his biggest dream" Samos said and giggled, "But you two shouldn't walk around in these streets alone. Do your parents know where you are?"

"Of course not! And I'm not planning to let them know either" I said.

"I should have known. But you still need someplace to stay, you can sleep at my house, if you don't mind sleeping on the couch" said Samos.

Tanya looked at me and smiled; "fine" I said to Samos, "I don't have anything better to do".