Hello everyone!
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Disclaimer: I do not own the Storm Hawks, nor the song "Hide and Seek" by Imogen Heap.
Chapter 4: The Sweeping Insensitivity of This Still Life
They were here first
Aerrow turned at the sound of Radarr's questioning chirp.
"What happened, Radarr?" Aerrow asked, looking up towards the sad looking tree atop the hill.
Radarr scratched his fuzzy head and scrunched his face in concentration. After a few moments, he looked up at Aerrow with wide, worried eyes that told the boy that his friend had no clue what happened either.
Getting up off the wall of the cave, Aerrow began to walk up the grassy slope, headed for the tall tree. Radarr followed close behind.
The tall grass tickled the bare skin of Aerrow's legs, where parts of his pants had been torn away. The sky above was a deep blue. Not a cloud could be seen for as far as the eye could see.
Radarr would stop periodically on their assent to sniff a wild flower or chase an unsuspecting butterfly. When finished, the little blue creature would scamper up the hill until he caught up with his friend. They boy was totally focussed on the tree, his gaze not leaving it. Aerrow's eyes glowed with a plan that Radarr could see was beginning to form in his friend's mind.
Pulling back the veil of leaves that drooped to the ground, Aerrow and Radarr entered the natural canopy of foliage. A smile graced Aerrow's lips as he began to climb the tree skilfully, Radarr following right behind the boy.
Standing on one of the large, sturdy branches, Aerrow observed the tree thoughtfully.
"We could make an awesome fort here." Aerrow commented.
Radarr chirped in agreement.
"We're adventurers now, Radarr," Aerrow said, "We're probably the first to ever step foot on this terra! We can claim it as our own. We'll make the greatest fort ever!"
Radarr hoped up and down in excitement, forgetting he was in a tree. The poor creature lost his footing, his arms flailing around in an attempt to regain his balance. It was Aerrow's sturdy hand that did this, however.
"Careful Radarr!" the boy laughed, "I'm going to need your help, so don't go hurting yourself!"
Radarr chirped in agreement. Falling from the tree wasn't on his list of things to do either.
"Our fort will protect us from all the evil things out there." Aerrow continued his earlier thought, "And we'll let anyone in who needs protection."
Radarr gave a stiff, determined nod of agreement as a breeze swept past them, blowing the branches back so the pair could look out proudly at the terra that was to become their new home and sanctuary.
Neither noticed the large, dark blue bird with wing tips like fire, taking off from the rock outcropping.
Oily marks appear on walls
Piper watched her father pack. Once he had all the food in the bag, he walked around the damaged room, picking up various things here and there, and placing them in the bag as well. Piper didn't take note of the objects that were being dropped into the canvas folds, none of it seemed very important anymore.
Piper used her energy to try to decipher the situation. Her father's teary eyes. They scared her a little. She couldn't remember ever seeing the big, strong man - her hero - shed a tear. Her mother's lifeless hand. Way was she sleeping on the floor? Why didn't her father wake her up? Wasn't her mother coming on their trip too?
Where pleasure moments hung before the takeover,
Piper's head shot up at the sound of a chocked sob. She found her father kneeling on the floor next to a pile of broken glass and frames. He held a glossy picture in his large hands. His thumb ran gently circles across her mother's smiling face.
Whipping his face in his sleeve, her father picked himself off the floor. He walked over to his daughter, holding up the photo for her to see. It was of the three of them. They sat on the sofa, her father tickling the laughing little girl senseless and her mother leaning in to join in, her face bright and mischievous. Her father folded the picture once, twice, and placed it in Piper's chest pocket.
"Look after this for me, okay?" her father asked, a sad smile on his face as he patted the photo, which was now against the little girl's heart.
The sweeping insensitivity of this still life
After a long time, Finn couldn't stand it anymore. His curiosity was just too much to handle. He would just have to apologise to Grace after.
Slowly, he removed the blanket from his head, leaving it to rest on his shoulders. His small body felt numb and cold, the heavy material, at least, gave him a bit of comfort. His makeshift cape dragging behind him, Finn quietly opened the closet door and made his way slowly out into the open.
Finn trod lightly. He was experienced in sneaking around silently. It was a needed skill for all self-proclaimed "King of Tricksters," such as himself. Cautiously glancing around the door frame, he saw the hallway was clear. Running a hand along the wall, he made his way to the partly open door that lead to his sister's room.
Giving the door a small push, it opened with ease.
Grace lay sprawled on the floor. Sleeping? Her body was covered in cuts and bruises. One of her legs shot off to the side oddly. Her cloths were crumpled and torn. Her pretty features were marred with pain. Her golden hair was tangled, clumps of it missing.
"Grace?" Finn whispered, walking towards his sister, unsure.
She groaned at the sound of her name, her eyes opening groggily to look at her little brother.
Hide and seek
"What did I tell you Finn?" she whizzed.
"But they're all gone." Finn defended, kneeling down next the older girl.
"The game isn't over yet." Grace said, her breaths shallow and laboured.
"But you're hurt." Finn said softly, his small hand running along her blackening arm.
"The game isn't over yet, Finn." she repeated, "You have to go back and hide."
"When will the game be over?" he pleaded.
"When it's silent and you can't hear anything at all." Grace answered, taking a shuttering breath.
Finn felt his fingers touch something sticky. Looking down, he saw that a thick, red liquid was sweeping out from underneath his sister's beaten body. His eyes went wide in horror.
"I can't leave you here!" he argued, his voice softened, "I don't want to leave you here."
"But I lost, Finn." Grace said, "The Talons found me."
Finn felt tears welling up in his bright blue eyes. He allowed them to fall down his cheeks, great sobs accompanying them.
"Shhh." Grace soothed, lifting a hand to whip away her brother's tears, "Everything's going to be okay. Mom and dad are watching over us. Remember?"
Finn nodded, unable to speak from his effort to hold down his sobs.
"You haven't lost yet, Finn." Grace reminded him, "So, you need to go back and hide."
Finn shock his head, he didn't want to leave her there alone.
"Please Finn?" Grace's voice was fading a little, "Do it for me? Win the game for me?"
Looking into his sister's pleading eyes, Finn nodded in agreement. Standing, he pulled the blanket back up to his shoulders. Turning, he walked slowly to the door. Before exiting the room, he took a quick glance back.
Grace smiled at him softly, but sadly. Her eyes were brimming with their own tears. She mouthed I love you to the little boy, before he turned the corner and made his way back down the hall and into his nest in the closet.
Poor Finn. I'm not cutting the poor kid much slack, am I? But, I must say, I actually really enjoyed writing Finn's character in this fic. I really like giving his seemingly 2D character/personality some more depth (this will come out more in the next, and last, 2 chapters).
I did my last final exam this afternoon, which means I'm now offically finished my term! This means I'll have a LOT more time to work on my writing, so hopefully, I'll get my two oneshot collections up and finished fairly quickly, and get some more fics coming your way as well!
Again, thanks for reading, and please review!