Yegor sat there on his chair near the cage where Brooklyn was kept, still stone but now with the tip of his tail smashed. He held the pieces in his hand to show his animal what he did to threaten him into submission.
Then he saw the eyes of the gargoyle glow along with the stone skin cracking, smirking as he looked forward to seeing the beast's reaction.
Brook came up from his day's sleep, stretching but then felt the cuffs on his hands. He was still a prisoner. He growled softly from it but then, Brooklyn realized something felt strange, mostly on his tail. He swished it and suddenly flinched when he noted something wrong. He turned around and what he saw made his face grow pale; for five inches of his tail was gone!
The gargoyle felt cold sweat falling down his body, shaking all over, reaching over to take his tail in his hands, seeing a small hole where his tip used to be. Tears started to pour down his eyes again. He couldn't feel any pain but just seeing his mutilated tail in such a manner was enough for him to really believe the pain could be there.
Horrible snickering suddenly reached his ears and turning around saw his captor, holding a hammer and some stone pieces of what remained of his tail tip in his hand. Brooklyn backed up, hitting the back of his cage, eyes bright in fear and sorrow. The man really was serious about taking away a piece of him while stone!
"Thought we wouldn't actually do this dismemberment to you, eh, little animal? Well, we were serious. So you will behave when the auction comes along, won't you?" Brooklyn held his tail tight in his hands, shaking, before eventually nodding.
"Good boy," purred Yegor darkly, sneering as he placed a bowl of slop on the floor inside his cage. "And here's your reward for behaving. Auction only one week away!"
Brooklyn curled up there on the floor but then eventually began to crawl slowly to the food. His stomach couldn't resist the food even if his hunger felt lacking after seeing what they had done to his tail in a horrible way, scared of his clan to see him with a dismembered tail. How would they fix this nightmare?
Taking up the bowl, he struggled with the muzzle to eat that awful slop, saddened that he still couldn't eat real food, like a piece of bread or anything, cringing again when the taste of the horrible stuff hit his tongue when putting it in the side of his mouth.
Eventually, Brooklyn couldn't eat anymore, pushing the bowl away and shivering violently from the terrible cold of the Siberian wind, curled under his cold blanket to try to get warm, gazing at his broken tail. He could still move it, but it pained him to see it in a deformed way, wiping his eyes and fighting the urge to cry, though it was hard.
….
One night, a girl named Sasha was entering the animal auction but not to buy any of them since she knew that buying these poor creatures would only appease the horrible animal handlers but wanted to see what evidence she could use to hand them over to prison. Sasha had inherited her parents' fortune when they passed on but didn't wish to be a rich snob so she bought a humble home to live in that wasn't a mansion so she could use her money on it well. Sasha had dark brown hair and blue eyes, wearing heavy winter gear because of her living style in Siberia.
She gazed about at all the animals that looked rather miserable but seemed to be fed and watered alright, digging her hands into her pockets since it was freezing tonight, hearing chatter from other browsers. So far, nothing new or exotic enough in here for her to see.
But then Sasha heard laughter from the middle of the auction displays. Curious, she went over and saw a crowd of men surrounding a big looking cage, laughing mockingly at whatever animal was in there. Sasha tilted her head, curious, until she spotted one of the men throwing a can.
"Ha! Deformed freak! You like a little can?" he leered.
"Ya look different and uglier than ever with that broken tail!" mocked another. Sasha felt suspicious, moving through the crowd and she suddenly gasped, a hand over her mouth in shock and disbelief, for in front of her was a creature she only read about on the news. A gargoyle!
He was a beautiful, red-skinned creature, with a nice beaked face and long white hair. But for some reason, he looked worse off than the other animals, crouching down, whimpering, a muzzle on his face as he kept getting mocked, and a rock hit his shoulder, making the gargoyle yelp in pain right as another struck one of his wings.
Sasha growled. This poor gargoyle didn't deserve this brutal treatment and had seen enough. Turning to one of the men, who was about to throw a glass bottle, she knocked it out of his hand. "Stop it! Stop hurting my gargoyle!" She screamed out loud in her own Russian/English at the hecklers, who looked rather shocked at this from this woman. "Back off, chick. This one is already marked down, so we're havin' a little fun before he's sold." Sasha turned to the red one, who peeked his eyes up at who saved him.
He had heard the female who told the men to stop, shivering violently, bruises on his skin, as the girl he saw in the crowd gazed back, concern in her eyes and pity. Brooklyn flinched slightly and turned away, hugging his tail. After the men left, Sasha had a hand on the cage. A small gentle smile was present, but Brooklyn was wary, gazing at her fearfully again after the men were gone.
"Hey, guy," Sasha greeted softly, in a sweet, soft voice that Brooklyn hadn't heard in ages after all the mean male voices. His ears perked slightly and wished he could talk, but at the moment tugged his muzzle sadly, tears showing again. He shivered from cold more and Sasha wondered how long they have kept him in the cold for so long even though he looked like he preferred warmer climates, wrapping the blanket around his shoulders despite his tied wings. Seeing those pretty wings tied up rather angered Sasha greatly.
Sasha extended her hand forward, trying to touch him and give the creature comfort but Brooklyn shied back, his eyes looking feral and glazed with fear again, baring his teeth. Sasha pulled back her hand, understanding that he was mentally scared. "Oh, I'm sorry, didn't mean to scare you," Sasha apologized gently. She then knew that this wonderful new creature couldn't stay in this place or survive being owned by those other mean people.
"Are you really a gargoyle?" Sasha asked curiously, holding the creature's bars. Brooklyn gazed at her, not growling anymore but eyes still clouded with his terror, nodded shakily, still holding his tail, hoping to somehow get it fixed. But then Yegor suddenly came around, causing Brooklyn's ears to fall again in fear of him, and Sasha glanced over at the seller with a small bit of hate but tried not to show it so much, folding her arms as he gave her a little smug grin.
"Well, well, well, if it isn't Sasha Belene," he said with a low chuckle, then glancing at Brooklyn. "I see you've been eyeing my prized collector item whom I shall sell this Saturday."
Sasha though backed up a little. "Not really planning to buy him but, have you been treating this one properly? He looks terribly malnourished. I can see his ribs," she complained, eyeing the ribs of the gargoyle poking out just a bit. "He needs the proper nourishment, not this slop, or he'll die."
Brooklyn looked at this strange new girl, his heart thumping slightly but somewhat appreciated her for standing up for him, untensing slightly but still kept his ears flat. Yegor glared but couldn't help but admire how she spoke out, despite her being a millionaire too.
"It is not up to you to decide what this animal eats. Only me or whoever buys him. Now if you're not buying anything, I have to ask you to leave," he demanded, pointing towards the exit. Sasha glared back then looked over at the sorry but beautiful creature in the cage. She had to help him. "I'll come back," she mouthed. Then Sasha turned to leave, reluctantly. Brooklyn weakly held out his hand, not wanting her to leave him but then felt the shocking of his collar.
Yegor growled at him. "Don't get sweet on that girl. You will accept whoever buys you this Saturday, so if you dare even look at her, then you'll lose more than your tail." He threatened, glaring harshly. Brooklyn panted heavily from being shocked but weakly hugged his already broken tail, eyes looking down at the floor. Yegor huffed at him then went off to do more business for the auction day.
….
Over the last couple days before Saturday, Sasha had tried her best to visit Brooklyn as much as possible without Yegor around to try and gain his friendship. One day on Friday, she had him to herself with nobody else around. Brooklyn, somewhat calmer with seeing more of Sasha's presence, moved a bit closer to the bars.
"I heard you turn to stone during the day, right?" Sasha questioned. Brooklyn nodded shyly, eyeing her hand, and seeing how pretty her eyes were. He welcomed her company a lot better now but still wouldn't let her touch him. "Always thought that ability was amazing," she stated with a little smile. But Brooklyn looked down at his tail again then shook his head, eyes so sorrowful and sad. Sasha frowned, realizing that they must've taunted at how vulnerable he was during the day, hands clenched.
She raised her hand when putting it through the bars. "I'm gonna do everything I can to get you away. You don't deserve all this, friend. Will you be able to trust me?" Brooklyn flinched but then eventually inched closer, head moving toward Sasha's hand, until eventually his beak rested on her palm, causing her to gasp softly. His skin was cold but also soft under the muzzle straps.
"See you Saturday," Sasha murmured gently, giving him a small pet on his beak then leaving. Brooklyn watched her leave with sad eyes, gripping his bars and leaning against them. Please don't leave again… he thought sorrowfully, hoping Saturday will soon be here.
….
Soon, the big day was finally here. Sasha had gotten the money she needed after seeing how much he was worth, hoping she could outbid everyone to get the gargoyle. Sighing, Sasha went to her car to drive to the auction.
At Brooklyn's cage, he had woken up again only to see the men there, grinning mockingly but looking pretty threatening, one holding that chain. His ears lowered in submission, not wanting more torture and willing to let someone buy him to get out of this place. Yegor smirked. "Much better. But will you still cooperate inside the warehouse?" Brook nodded with a small, shivered whimper, feeling like his feet had frostbite.
"Get him out here," growled Yegor, as Henri walked up to hook the chain onto Brooklyn's collar, tugging harshly. This time Brooklyn didn't resist, allowing them to lead him to his fate. His head remained lowered, deformed tail drooped down and dragging on the floor in misery, limping along on his sore feet, his cuffed hands out in front of him, low to the floor.
In the warehouse, it sounded like quite the crowd in there, making Brooklyn tremble, wanting this over with quickly. He swallowed a lump in his throat, butterflies in his belly upon reaching his cage near the stage. Brooklyn looked around; trying to find Sasha but was pushed in roughly, making him squeak in pain and hit his head, lying there.
Yuri was sitting in the front row with his money with him. He had seen the gargoyle being led without much of a struggle like before and was more approved of that, smiling triumphantly. Sasha was a couple chairs behind, anxious for the red gargoyle to be brought out so she could claim him.
Yegor stood on stage and announced the animals, saving the gargoyle for the last one. Brooklyn sat in his cage, holding his knees in fear, afraid at who would buy him, watching as each animal was either bought by someone or taken back out to their cage. He didn't want to go back to his old cage or be taken away by someone crueler. Brook looked at his tail again and felt the hot shame making his forehead feel funny, vision swimming from the trauma of them breaking off his tail tip from before.
"And now, our prized animal who has been tamed even further; the gargoyle!" called out Yegor happily, ordering Henri and another man to bring Brooklyn out.
Brooklyn cringed up from them giving him hard looks. "Behave, ya freak of nature or else. We can take a wing from ya the next day," Henri threatened, thrusting a fist at Brooklyn who whimpered, nodding, allowing them to lead him onto stage, no longer fighting like before. Sasha watched in sadness at the sight of her friend being brought up, looking utterly saddened, crouching down.
Yegor looked down, grinning triumphantly and petted Brooklyn under his beak, causing him to shut his eyes. "You see? Even I, Yegor, can take control of a freak such as him. And now I'm allowing someone new to take it on. Same price. Any takers?" Most of them were muttering at the sight of the broken tail. Brooklyn wished to sink into the floor from those eyes.
Yuri then made his bet at the price. "I take your word for it, Yegor. He is mine." But then to everybody's surprise and Brooklyn's, Sasha stood, bravely glaring at both Yuri and Yegor. "I can top that. 20.000.20 rubles." She demanded. The crowd ooed at that but Yuri growled. "20.000.30." He snapped back. Brooklyn watched intently as the bid war went on, hoping Sasha would win, the numbers growing higher until Sasha topped it all.
"30.000.000!" Sasha yelled out the final number, stomping her foot, since she had all the money. But Yuri didn't have that many rubles when he looked, for he only had enough for what Yegor had to offer. He growled, hating the girl for outbidding him. "Price going once… going twice…" Yegor said, giving a little sneering smile down at Brooklyn, who remained crouched on all fours, barely moving an inch.
"And… sold! To Sasha Belene! Come up to get your prize!" Yegor announced proudly. Brooklyn was amazed that the girl won but shivered violently when she came up with her money. She gave Yegor a glare. "I never wanted to buy anything for your cause or for my 'collection.' Only this once for his health's sake," she snapped. "But here's your money."
Yegor nodded. "Hope you enjoy him. But he comes with this chain and remote. Don't take off the muzzle and collar if you know what's good for you."
Sasha nodded but was only playing with it until they got to their house. Yegor attached the chain to Brooklyn's collar again. "Don't disrespect your new mistress or you'll be sent back here, get me?" He murmured softly. Brook nodded, looking up at his new mistress in fear who came to take him away. She gave one of her smiles again, gesturing gently at him to follow her, the remote staying in her pocket for now so she could burn it later.
"Come on, big guy. We're getting out of here," she said softly, as the two moved through the crowd who were muttering in disapproval, glaring at Brooklyn who shied from their mean eyes, hiding behind Sasha. He was relieved he would be hopefully going to a better place, and maybe get help to go home but still didn't trust if she would betray and shock him.
They made it to Sasha's car and Sasha opened the back seat, allowing Brooklyn to go in but Brooklyn was frozen, glancing at the car in fright. "It's ok, nothing dangerous is in here, I promise," Sasha promised gently, trying to reach to him.
Rather timidly, Brooklyn placed a hand on the car floor, jerking a bit then eventually, slowly, climbed in, hiding on the floor instead of sitting on the seat. Sasha took it for now and got into the front, getting the car into gear, and beginning to drive to her home.
Brooklyn remained there on the floor and had tensed when the car began to move, crying softly and covering his eyes, praying for the ride to be over. Every now and then, Sasha glanced at her passenger, who was crying on the floor, skin so pale and looking ready to pass out. She hoped they would get home quickly so she could get to work on healing this poor gargoyle.
