Firebird

The earth crackled as she ran in unholy sprints and so did the leaves. Autumn was here and the leaves had broken down from their chains. She disappeared again from my sight. I was again close; very close.

It has been 2 years since I have been chasing her. And I have run out of patience now. I want it ended swiftly. But she has managed to outsmart me; every time. I am the hunter and she was the one that would be hunted. The mountains didn’t help me much. It would have been much easier if we were on the plains. But I have no choice here; I have to find a way.

I am Evan, 12 years old, and this is my world. I have been living this world for the last 2 years and hunting her down is my mission; my salvation. I have not yet met another living soul. I am all alone facing my nemesis. Pangs of longing and depression have hit me every now and then. But I have been strong. I crave for my freedom.

My nemesis is the Firebird; the only other moving being here. She is painted with shades of red. She resembled a peacock. She is as majestic as the dragon; as magnanimous as the lion. Her fiery red wings glitter like brittle glass. She has a golden crown perched on her head. Her beak is silver, her eyes blue. She never made a sound. She is the devil of these lands. And my freedom shall only be attained after I stab her heart.

I have my weapons; a sword and an arrow. And these shall be enough. I only need one chance and I shall succeed. Many people have tried hunting the firebird. Some have succeeded in months, some years. Some never have. The essence of this world taught me these. I had no guardian, no shining angels or voices. The essence of this world-of-no-return instilled its learning and assigned me, my one sole task.

Kill the firebird…stab the heart…

I sneaked into a small crevice and adjusted myself. The firebird had stopped near a water stream. She was about a few hundred meters from my sight; if only I had a bow. She didn’t have any powers apart from her surreal beauty and her unnatural sprint speed. I only needed to trap her in a closed space and then I might have a chance.

I slid slowly in the stream as I watched her go near the bank, opposite to the crevice I was in. I swam cautiously through the blue waters and approached the bank. When I felt land, I rose cautiously above the water and saw her standing atop the edge. She was staring the distant water fall. A calm demeanour shone on her face and I felt instant love for her. I didn’t have a reason to hurt this harmless being.

Climbing the bank in one swift motion, I jumped as I made way and swung my sword towards her in one swift deadly arc. She reacted quickly but I was effective this time. I cut her deep on her right side and now she bled silvery blood. She backed off a little as blood spurted in steady amounts. This impact swerved my sword off my hands and it fell into the stream.

She faced me. I expected wrath and anger. But her face has never been calmer. She opened up her wings in one majestic movement. I dropped down to my knees in reverence and folded my arms in a prayer.

She was standing on her two legs and her radiant red wings radiated warmth and care that I have craved for, all this time. It was like a homely light of affection. I cried.

Do it child…

I suddenly heard her. She wasn’t speaking through her lips but it was something else altogether. She was inside my head.

Do it child…Do it before people interfere with our matters…I tried my best to bring you the greater freedom of life…But my missions have failed me…You deserve the other freedom, in peace…

I wept, as things suddenly made sense and as I felt a rush of blood to the head. I nodded.

I went near her and removed the arrow from my pocket. She cajoled me with her wings. I steadied my arms and held the arrow with both arms. I raised it above my head and positioned it to stab her.

Freedom was one stroke away…

The room 402 of the Green Field Hospital was buzzing with activity. The only child of the residential Doctor couple passed away this morning. The boy fell from their apartment’s terrace 2 years back and has been in a coma since. The state was vegetative from the very start and his vital organs never truly responded back.

There was a legal tussle ongoing for a mercy on his pain. And only yesterday did the jury rule in the favour of a clean death with a consensus made on its implementation being the following week.

Evan won.