4 – Flightless

Sup people, I'm back… just enjoy!

The sound of the ice shattering finally stopped, but Skipper couldn't open his eyes. He knew the sight that was waiting for him, 'Calm down soldier, you've just saved a life here. Everything's going to be Okay,' he slowly raised an eyelid, which was soon followed by the other. He hesitantly lowered his head and saw Savio's crushed head scattered all over the floor.

So you've just made your first non-hunger related kill, what now? All kinds of emotions began flowing through Skipper's mind; sadness, pity, fear, compassion, but the emotion that prevailed over all the others, was anger. He clenched his beak as a rage was growing inside of him, the faceless owner of the voice on the tape-recorded, who brought him into this mess, Eggy, who got himself captured, and he, who committed the crime.

He averted his look from the headless sculpture and remembered the murder weapon still in his flippers. 'The baseball bat,' Skipper raised it and looked at it, then back at the serpent, ˝it's not my fault,˝ he muttered, ˝IT'S YOURS!˝ he yelled, pointing with the bat.

Maybe it was just the body's way of getting over the pain, but Skipper couldn't explain his next actions either, he began swinging the bat in all directions. Savio was being turned into crushed ice, soon, no sign of his former form were visible. The only thing that remained was a million-piece puzzle, never to be reassembled.

The penguin was panting, the adrenaline levels in his blood were slowly dropping. He let go of the baseball bat and dropped to where his knees were supposed to be (I don't know, in "It's About Time", he did drop to his knees, even though that's impossible for a penguin). ˝I'm sorry,˝ he whispered.

A light came on in the freezer, illuminating a door, Skipper noticed it immediately and got up. He began walking towards it and noticed that there was something on this one as well, "IS ONE COMMITTED TO SAVE AN INNOCENT LIFE". He looked at it, it was also written in blood, ˝Hmm… but is any murder justified?˝

He pushed the door and entered yet another hallway. He was slightly hot, having adjusted to the icy cold of the freezer, he would've loved to just pluck out his feathers, one by one, right about now. He waddled on, the thoughts of his team mates crossed his mind, ˝I hope they're fine. If this psycho did anything to them, I'll tear this place down brick by brick to find him.˝

Meanwhile, back in the freezer, slow steps were heard approaching the glass box containing Eggy. A pair of webbed orange feet stooped in front of it. ˝Well, well, the kid did better than I thought. Come on Eggy, time to get you home.˝ A pair of black flippers picked up the container and began carrying it towards a secret exit through an open part of the wall.

Skipper continued walking down the hallway, the thoughts of the snake were constantly rushing back to his mind and he was trying to suppress them, ˝Come on Skipper, remember, he was a bad guy, he deserved it.˝ He soon came upon another door, "WITH GREAT POWER," was the sentence that caressed this one.

The penguin observed it, ˝Is this my test, and have I failed it already? Have I misused the power this guy gave me?˝ He slowly raised his flipper and brought it up to the cold steel. He applied the necessary force and pushed the door open.

The lights were incredibly strong in here and Skipper was immediately blinded. He used his flipper to shield his eyes and tried to find shady spot, but the intensity soon decreased and he could see normally. The room was nothing special, about five by five meters, some machinery hanging from the ceiling and a control panel in the center of the room.

Skipper waddled to it and looked over all the buttons. None of them was labeled, so he didn't know what they did. He looked around the room, searching for another tape-recorded and spotted one right next to the panel. He brought his flipper down to it and noticed, that it was quite cold, 'It must be the same as the one from the last room'. He pressed the play button.

˝*Static*… Hello Skipper, welcome to your second test. Let me just say, that I'm very pleased with your previous work.˝

The penguin clenched his beak, as a rage built up inside of him, ˝Cut the chit chat! I know that thing's rigged, It's a live feed! Am I right?˝

˝*Chuckle*… congratulations on figuring that one out, but don't think it'll help you. Now if you would please turn your attention to the wall in front of you, I'm sure you'll recognize the avian on it.˝

Skipper gulped before slowly turning, he hoped it wasn't one of his friends. The wall was dark, but some lights came on, revealing the next animal at his mercy, ˝Frankie?˝ the pigeon was nailed to the wall by his wings. Dried blood covered the wall beneath him and he was slowly waking up.

˝Frankie has been blessed by Mother Nature with the gift of flight. And how does he decide to use it? By taunting other animals. How many times have you been called flightless, Skipper? Why don't you clip his wings, just to show him what the feeling's like. All you have to do, is press the big red button, or you could just leave him up there to starve to death. The choice is yours, good luck?˝

Skipper looked at his fellow bird, he listened to his moaning, ˝Skipper… is that you?… please, get me down… I beg you *pant*.˝ The penguin brought his eyes down to the control panel, where he located the red button, ˝The voice is right… you don't deserve the gift of flight.˝ He raised his flipper and brought it over to the button.

˝Is he going to survive?˝ he asked the voice. ˝Of course Skipper. I assure you that he will not die by my hand or that of the machine you're going to activate.˝ The penguin gulped one last time, before closing his eyes and pressing the button.

Frankie heard a loud metallic click beneath the ceiling and raised his head. What he saw, were two huge axes swinging towards him. His eyes widened and the pain of his wings being severed struck him. He let out an inanimal scream (like inhuman). With nothing holding him up, he plummeted to the ground.

The pigeon landed on his side and an ever growing pool of blood was forming around him. Skipper opened his eyes and saw the scene. ˝Hold on! I'm coming!˝ he raced over and lifted the pigeon's head. He was no doctor, but he clearly saw him dying. ˝Hoover dam,˝ he muttered. He scanned the floor around him and saw a small white box with a red cross on it.

He gently put down Frankie and waddled over to grab it. He opened it and what he saw, made his blood freeze up. It was a syringe filled with a clear substance. ˝What you have there is Sodium thiopental, it will take away Frankie's pain, unless you want to watch him suffer to the bitter end.˝

Euthanasia or a mercy kill, is it ethical? Tell me if Skipper should administer the lethal injection. Review!