Hayley's Story

Prologue

Most mountains in Surna remained unexplored for centuries. Many have remained a sight to be seen from afar, where myth and legend spun around them like the cotton clouds surrounding their summits. Legends of incredible treasures and fantastic creatures living within the uncharted regions sprung from adventurers and story-tellers seeking fame and recognition, some so commonly known that they have been passed down to each generation through stories and books. No one has ever dared to believe such creatures existed, even when they lived amongst other creatures the mind could not imagine on its own...

Harpies, for one, were creatures of legend, said to have wings for arms and talons for hands and feet, the ability to fly as so many children dream to do. The idea, though seemingly farfetched, amused many. The creatures were described as bird-like people, although beautiful in appearance, deadly and unmerciful. Deities and other relations to religions were never determined, but it is possible that they did have communities whom worshipped gods both commonly known and unknown to us. Any official recorded history of encounters with the beings, whether they were from adventurers or imperial guardsmen, have always ended in violence and death, calling them ‘Fallen Angels’ or “Birds of prey, disguised as women”. It seemed that the creatures were not so imaginary after all, even if sightings were very rare and uncommon.

The wings Harpies were so infamous for were much like eagles and vultures; large, beautiful feathers, all skilfully knitted onto the talon-like arms of the beings by nature itself. Because of this, legend hunters and travelers began hunting anything similar to a Harpy down for their precious plumage. As years passed, the creatures were less and less common... From myth turned reality, to a simple, distant dream... Harpies were never again seen in Surna...


Chapter 1 – Enter Hayley

I usually dreamt of th’ day I’d learn how t’fly, how th’ world would look so tiny under me, an’ how I’d be able t’feel the wind goin’ through my feathers. T’the likes of me, it felt like freedom, somethin’ I would work f’er my whole childhood like everyone else. My dream was cut short by th’ sound wings flapping, nearing th’ nest I was sleepin’ in. I opened my eyes, still feeling sleepy, an’ raised my head out of my wings. Us bird-people, we sleep with our wings wrapped around us’selves, like a big, soft blanket. I saw th’ blurry shape of Chello, my mother, carrying a dead raccoon with her feet. She dropped it in th’ nest before perching herself on th’ nest’s rim. She was really pretty, her wings were always so nice and well groomed. I tried everyday t’groom my own wings like her’s, but I liked it better when she did it f’er me. I looked up at her, swaying slightly from still being slightly drowsy. She grinned, she was always smiling, it made everything look happier. I slowly unwrapped myself from m’wings, walking over to th’ raccoon. I sat infront of it an’ started eating, picking out some of th’ parts I didn’t like... Like th’ fat an’ bones. Chello hopped down th’ rim, walking behind me to groom my hair while I ate. I smiled at her, an’ she smiled at me.

I dunno why, but I never saw my father. I dunno if there even were boy-bird-peoples, so I don’ even know if my father even exists...

After eating, m’mother lectured me about how t’fly like she usually does a few times a week. I always listened, I wanted t’fly really badly, but I was too young she said. I was too old enough... I was mature f’er a 9 year old.

Mother decided that I had t’go to bed after th’ lessons, I asked if she could tell me one of th’ old stories she used t’ tell me when I was smaller. I spent th’ night on her lap, she wrapped her wings around me an’ stayed that way until I fell asleep. I felt safe, dreaming about flyin’ with her over th’ tiny world under us.


Chapter 2 – Last One Standing

Th’ next mornin’, I woke up t’Chello whispering for me t’get up. I didn’t want to, but sh’ made me... When I opened m’eyes, I saw how worried she looked. She wasn’t smilin’ no more, an’ it scared me. She kept her wings around me f’er a long time, an’ I started to hear noises. I heard voices an’ footsteps from places around the mountains. Mommy didn’t say anything, she just looked at me all sad like... I wanted to cry, I was so scared of how she was actin’ but she moved a talon over m’lips. I nodded, not making a sound. She suddenly let go of me, I reached up f’er her but she took my hands before I could do anything. She looked over to th’ mountain side, an’ I heard th’ voices grow louder. I heard metal clings and clangs, footsteps making small rocks fall from th’ cliffs. Mother opened her wings an’ flew off into th’ sky before flying over th’ cliff top. I couldn’t see her, but I heard all kinds of yelling. I was scared. I saw people dressed in shiny metal clothes fall off th’ cliff, an’ mommy screamed. Everything was quiet after that... I waited for a long time...

Soon it was night time, an’ I wanted mommy to come down t’ tell me stories. I called her, whispering at first. Then louder, an’ louder... I screamed her name. I started t’get worried, I tried t’ climb the cliff even if mommy didn’t like it when I did. I couldn’t climb too far, I was ‘fraid t’ fall off. I sat back down on th’ nest an’ started to cry... I missed my mommy... I wanted her t’ come back an’ tell me stories... But mommy never came back...


Chapter 3 – Leaving The Nest

I didn’t dream for a lot of nights, I stayed in th’ nest like mommy said an’ waited... I was tired an’ hungry an’ lonely. A few nights later, I decided that I had t’ leave an’ try to find mommy. I started climbing th’ cliff again, it wasn’t too hard for a while, but I still wished I could fly up there instead. Th’ cliff was a lot higher than I thought it was, my arms started to feel sore. When I reached th’ top, all I saw was people dressed in shiny clothes an’ no wings, they weren’t moving. I saw feathers on th’ floor, I walked over an’ picked one up.. It was my mommy’s.

I didn’t want t’ throw it away, so I kept a few of her feathers in my pockets. When I was done, I started t’ walk down th’ flat walking-road that went down th’ mountain side. I looked up while walkin’ an’ saw my nest up high. My lips curled an’ started t’ shake, my eyes were burning too. I wiped them a lot r’ try an’ keep them dry... But I couldn’t... I started t’ cry. I wanted t’ go back with mommy, but she wasn’t there no more. I heard my feet knock over some rocks over th’ edge, the rocks fell far, so far that I couldn’t see ‘em anymore. I got scared, mommy told me not to look down th’ mountain before I could fly. Lookin’ back up at the walking-road, I continued for hours.

Eventually, I started t’ see trees... An’ not them gray ones in the cliffs, they were brown an’ had green stuff all over them. The green things danced on the trees’ branches, moving all around with th’ wind. I started to think about th’ day mommy would teach me how t’ fly, an’ maybe then I could dance with them. I continued to walk, an’ th’ road went through the trees. I felt kinda happy an’ proud, I was going places all by myself like th’ big girl mommy said I wasn’t yet. Still... I missed mommy anyway.

At night, I slept in th’ trees I climbed, I couldn’t make any nest because I didn’t know how, but my wings kept me warm. The trees smelled nice at night an’ in the morning. The grass was wet in th’ morning too, I dunno’ how, it didn’t rain or nothing. I saw weird animals an’ pretty plants everywhere. Everything looked so nice...

As I went to pick a flower I saw in th’ side of th’ road, I felt something get thrown at m’feet. I looked down an’ saw a rope tied with rocks, wrapped around my ankles. I couldn’t move ‘em, an’ I fell over. I tried t’ reach down at claw th’ ropes off my feet, but I felt something hit my face which made me fall on m’side. My head started t’ hurt an’ I saw a person standing next t’ me. He kicked me again an’ again until I started t’ cry. When I did, he pushed me down on m’stomach an’ put his knee on my back. I cried louder but he didn’t stop. He reached over, taking one of m’arm backwards, it hurt. I felt him touch my wing, I tried t’ pull my arm away but he was too strong. I then felt a sting in m’arm when he plucked a feather off a’ me. He looked at it really closely an’ then tied my arms t’gether, I was still crying. He lifted me up on his shoulder an’ walked off down th’ road, I wanted t’ kick my legs and get off, but couldn’t. I felt sore all over, my face and tummy hurting from the kicks...

He brought me t’ a weird place; a place with cut trees where other people like him were sittin’ on, an’ a weird house with wheels, an’ a fire. The man said somethin’ t’ th’ others, but I didn’t hear him over my crying. Th’ man dropped me on th’ ground an’ kicked me again so I was lookin’ at the other people. One was bald an’ had weird marks all over his head where his skin was different colors. The other-other guy was smaller and thinner, he was wearing brown overalls like I used t’ wear when I was smaller. Th’ small man laughed while th’ big one looked at me, then m’wings. He reached over t’ try an’ touch them, but I squirmed an’ tried to move away. He grinned, but not like my mother did, this grin scared me. He got up, raising his foot. I saw his feet were not like mine was, he didn’t have talons. He brought it down on my face an’ I fell asleep...


Chapter 4 – What’s left to lose

I woke up with a really bad headache, I touched my head an’ felt it was wet. I realised m’hands weren’t tied no more, but my forehead was cut. It hurt to touch it, but I kept worryin’ ‘bout how much it was bleedin’. I heard noises, an’ looked around. I was in a really small cage, an’ inside the house with wheels. It was movin’, I was hearing the wheels go “bump-bump” on the road. I looked back down an’ my eyes widened... My wings were missing a lot of feathers, th’ ones mommy used t’ groom every day. I closed my eyes tight, I didn’t want t’ cry again... But I was cold, I had no wings t’ warm myself up, I had no mommy no more t’ make things better, an’ I didn’t know where I was. I couldn’t stop m’self from sobbing that night...

Th’ next few years, I was sold from owner t’ owner, being trained t’ listen t’ them an’ not my mommy. They taught me not t’ touch th’ cage door or I’d get smacked. If I made too much noise, I’d get smacked too. I wasn’t allowed t’ talk or move around much, so I really started t’ feel lonely... They gave me a bowl a’ food once a day, every master had different food an’ different tasting water. A lot of times, th’ food tasted really bad, not like mommy’s food.

I was trained t’ follow my masters’ around wit’ a rope tied t’ necklace they gave me, an’ I listened. I tried my best t’ not get them angry, but they usually did anyway. Th’ feathers in m’ wings slowly grew back, sometimes my masters’ would pluck a few more feathers out again. I saw all kinds of places during th’ years, I wasn’t allowed outside my cage, so I couldn’t see them very well... An’ every night, I’d tell myself that mommy was okay, an’ that she’d come back t’ get me one day, an’ she’d teach me how t’ fly. We’d fly far away from here... Mommy never came back.


Chapter 5 - Surna

Pretty soon, I got used t’ life like this. I followed my masters’ orders an’ kept quiet. I rarely ever got t’ leave my cage anymore, an’ I was okay with that since I’d usually only get hurt or yelled at for leavin’ it. I lived in fear, an’ for another five years it went on like this.

Eventually we stopped in a forest road. Another merchant came int’ th’ house with wheels, lookin’ around at stuff while my master tried t’ sell them stuff. He’d occasionally show me off, tellin’ them my price as usual. This time was diff’rent though... He said that I was the last livin’ ‘Harpy’ on th’ planet... “Harpy” was th’ name they used for bird-people like me... But... If I was th’ last, then mommy wouldn’t ever come back...

I heard my heart break at that moment, I felt like screaming. I wanted to. I opened my mouth an’ tried to, I really did... But no sound came out. I had lost my voice. In its place was a soft an’ quiet whispery voice... Mommy was gone, she would never come back, she would never teach me t’ fly or tell me that everything’s gunna’ be okay...

Th’ merchant eventually sold me, my new master’s name started with a ‘V’, I can’t really ‘member it... He took me t’ his caravan-thing, putting my tiny cage next to him on th’ seat before he pulled on th’ ropes that made the animals pulling it start t’ walk. He looked down at me an’ asked my name. I stayed in m’ corner, I knew that I wasn’t allowed t’ speak unless spoken t’ by m’ masters. He asked again, nudging th’ cage a lil’. I told him my name was “Hayley”, but I couldn’t remember m’ last name..

When night time came, we stopped at th’ side of th’ road. He brought my cage behind th’ caravan thing and set it down before pullin’ on a rope which made the house on wheels split in two. Th’ two parts, allowing him to walk inside with m’ cage.

I never seen somethin’ like that b’fore, I watched th’ two parts close back up again, then back up to th’ man. He didn’t look down at me, he just put my cage down on a table. I looked around th’ house; it was small, one bed, a very small kitchen, two chairs, two windows, no doors. He lowered himself to look at me while I was lookin’ at th’ room, he was a very tall man... T’ me anyway... I wasn’t th’ tallest around t’ start with nether. He asked me if I was hungry, an’ I jus’ nodded. He got up, opening th’ cage door and tellin’ me that I could get out. As much as I wanted t’ leave th’ cage, I didn’t move. He said it again, slowly closing th’ cage door t’ emphasize how his patience was runnin’ out. I really didn’t want t’ stay in there, I took m’ chances an’ scrambled out. He closed th’ cage door behind me an’ walked over t’ th’ tiny kitchen. I hopped off the table, an’ watched him turn his back t’ me. I tip toe’d over t’ th’ windows t’ see if they were unlocked... But they were, an’ barred too. I jus’ stared at th’ outside world; th’ green leaves an’ the wind that made them dance. I wanted t’ join them, but... I was afraid to now... I had changed... I no longer craved t’ be free an’ happy... No... All I wanted now was a mommy to hold me again.

Th’ man placed two bowls of stew on th’ counter, I could smell it, it made my mouth water. I haven’t had a warm meal since mommy brought me that freshly picked raccoon. I slowly stepped over to th’ counter, peeking half of m’ face over to spy on him an’ the food. He looked down at me an’ patted th’ stool seat next t’ him. I looked at it for a moment, an’ he told me t’ sit, which I tried to... I perched myself on th’ seat like I always do... Birds don’t sit, they squat an’ lay on their folded legs like a bed. He shook his head though, taking a hold of m’ folded up legs. He moved them over in th’ same position like he was. It felt weird, but it didn’t hurt. He then turned to his bowl of stew, taking th’ spoon an’ using it t’ eat. I looked back at my spoon... Than to m’ hand... My hand was a talon... I couldn’t use a spoon. I looked over at th’ man again, he didn’t seem t’ notice my problem. I moved m’ hands under th’ bowl an’ lifted it carefully t’ my lips.

When he was done, he brought his bowl t’ th’ kitchen counter, leavin’ it there before moving over t’ his bed. He told me t’ put my bowl away when I was done, an’ went t’ sleep. I watched him f’er a sec, completely amazed that he didn’t hit me at all. I quickly finished th’ stew an’ put the bowl next t’ his an’ walked over t’ my cage, but it was closed. Instead, I walked over to the corner of th’ room, squatting with m’ back against th’ wall, wrapping myself in my wings... Th’ warm food felt good in my tum