The Escape Plan

[InvisibleFlames]

A story about a half-bird, half-human creature on display at a museum, and a boy who befriends her and tries to help her escape.

[InvisibleFlames]

the honor of starting is all yours, you know.

[iDenver23]

"You're dead, Denver!"
Gaaaah! What do I have to do to get those guys to leave me alone!?

There I was, running from those idiots from school who won't- no, CAN'T- stop bullying me. I didn't even do anything wrong! I guess they just think I'm an easy target. This is the 3rd beating today!

My name's Denver, I'm 16 years old, and apparently, I'm a loser. I'm actually lucky today, because they usually beat me up 5 times a day. But, if I can somehow outrun them, then hallelujah! I'll be free!

The museum should be just around the corner. I can hide there, for now.

[InvisibleFlames]

The cage was too small. It was always too small for me to spread my wings and fly away. My leather and velvet dress felt good against my skin, my wedding dress. Why did they have to come then? A mere second before I said "I do" My groom could do nothing as they took me. The strange flying machines these wingless creatures put me in nearly deafened me. And I was alone, so alone.

My name is Clarissa. I was the princess of an angel tribe, at least that's what we called it. I was about to marry the prince of a neighboring tribe, but I was torn away from him at the last second. I am 16 years old, and I'm trapped in a cage, in a place where there's no privacy, no peace, no one who comes along without calling me "Birdie" or "Bird" I hate them. I hate them all. They who brought me here, they who locked me in the cage, and most of all, my tormentors. A prisoner of war, kept alive to serve as an example to would-be rebels.

A small girl stared at me as her father read the small sign in front of the cage.

"All they know is what I told them," I said, "Maybe I lied."

"Daddy, the birdie talks!" she exclaimed.

"The birdie- Oh, of course! Even the children are taught to torment the prisoners! My blood is all you need, just take it!" I yelled. The girl screamed and ran away, her father running after her. Serves them right, I thought

[iDenver23]

I sat down on the cold hard floor.

"Hah, hah, I'm safe," I said to myself.

I entered the new part of the museum where there was a new exhibit. I was too lazy to read the sign above. I think it said... Fallen something?

Whatever. I sat there for a while then did something I never thought I would do. I cried. I cried my frickin' eyes out.

"Why the hell did this have to happen to me?.."

I cried for a few minutes, then I noticed a pair of eyes staring at me.

[InvisibleFlames]

"Really? You think you have it worse than me? My groom..." I cried, "We were almost married!" I stare at the boy before me. He was different than the others. He cried, but it wasn't because of me. He cried for his own reasons. A sign of weakness. I cried because of what others did to me, he cried for... what? I wasn't sure. I almost asked him, but i decided not to. It was his weakness. I wasn't about to make him reveal the cause to me.

[iDenver23]

I wiped my eyes and said, "I... I wasn't crying..."
The creature raised an eyebrow at me.

"Okay, I WAS crying..." I sighed. "I'm just glad they didn't use that cutter on me again."
My eyes fell on the creature's wings, I looked at them in awe, the way the wings changed their colors was simply dazzling.

"What-What are you?"

[InvisibleFlames]

I wrap my hands around the bars, pressing my forehead against a vertical piece.

"What do you think I am?" I say, staring at this strange creature, so like the others, yet so different. "I'm not supposed to be here, no matter what they decide to call me. But if you wish to address me, I am Princessa Clarissa Rachella the third." I study the reaction on this creature's face. Amazement was painted clearly across his face. "If you really want to know, there's a sign right there," I nod to the sign, "Otherwise just call me Clarissa. What, may I ask, are you?"

[iDenver23]

I stood up and walked over to Clarissa's cage. I wasn't really sure how to answer that, so I said, "I'm human like everyone else here. You can call me Denver."

I thought about what she said. I'm not supposed to be here. Then I asked her:

"By any chance, were you captured by my kind?"

[InvisibleFlames]

"As you things say, duh," this boy was turning out to be an annoyance, "I'm the first one they caught. I would have fought, but my people don't allow fighting at weddings." I stepped away from the boy, I didn't like humans being so close to me, even if Denver really was different. I stared at him, closer to me than anyone my age had been in a while. I thought of my betrothed, how he had fought, how he had won me. This boy would never be able to win me, but he was attractive in his own strange way. I tried to keep my emotions out of my expression, fearing that my slightly annoyed mask would crack and reveal my thoughts. No one from my home had ever wanted another, when their betrothed had won them.

[iDenver23]

She was actually kinda pretty, if you subtract the dark glare she was giving and put a smile on it... Damn. I have such weird taste. Wait... WEDDING?!

"You were about to get married?!" Clarissa nodded. "Man, my kind can be such idiots..."

I sat down again, I leaned on the cage and sighed. "It must have been hard for you, leaving your groom and all."

[InvisibleFlames]

Loud voices echoed off the walls near the room. "Speaking of idiots," I say, nodding towards the
door, "Sounds like there's a herd of them coming." I watched as the color drained from the boy's face. "What's wrong?" I asked.

[iDenver23]

Please don't tell me its them! Crap! Crap! They found me!
"I-I-I have t-to hide!" I said with that helpless look on my face.
But where the hell can I?! All I can see here is the cage and they'll see me almost immediately if I hide behind there! My head turned from left to right, searching for another exit, but it was no use...

My Status: I'm screwed...

[InvisibleFlames]

I watched as Denver panicked. She stared at the door, wondering what the problem was. Five boys ran into the room, a boy with black hair leading them. They spotted Denver almost immediately, but their attention soon turned to me.
"hey Denver, who's the hot chick in the cage?" the black haired boy asked, "your girlfriend?"
"I'm Clarissa," I said, leaning against the bars on the cage.
"what's with the cage?"
I fluttered my wings, smiling.
"hey, wanna be my girl? Ditch the loser and come with me."
"I can't unless you find the key and let me out," I say, reaching out to the boy and twirling his hair around my finger. He leaned his head through the bars and I kissed him.
"I'll be back after this place closes and get you out, I promise," the boy said.
"what a pity," I replied, "to make a promise you won't keep."
"I'll keep it, you'll see. I'll be back at midnight and I'll break you out."
"We'll just have to see about that," I say, slowly recoiling from the bars.
The boys ran out of the room, shouting as they went.

[iDenver23]

I stared at Clarissa in disbelief, "Err, thanks," I said, smiling at her. "Do you really think he'll come back?"