Silent Sounds

“Ugh!” I groan as I’m flung back against the wall surrounding the stairwell to the roof; the roof I’m on right now.

My head hurts and my limbs are burning.

Vosk and I have been fighting for hours, and yet he seems perfectly fine!

“I’m beginning to think you’re not even trying.” Vosk’s smug voice coo’s at me. “Do youwantto die?” He asks with a shrug. I grumble to myself as I push against the wall for support.

“At this point, I’m wondering why I’m still alive.” I reply, wiping blood from my mouth. “We’ve been fighting for so long! You had lots of chances to end me and yet, here I am!” I pick up a black steel sword from the ground.

Vosk’s silk wings ruffle as he shrugs. “Do I need a reason?” He asks, running his hand through his black hair. I sigh. Stubborn asshole.

“Yes.” I grumble. “So then I know if it’s even worth the fight.”

He laughs. “I like playing with my prey.” Vosk jumps at me. I jump out of the way. He’s fast, but if I keep my guard up, I’m faster. “Thought you were tired of fighting. Though you were ready to die.” He mocks.

“Shut up.” It’s my turn to make a move. I leap at him. He blocks my attack with his sword.

“Make me.” He laughs. I growl and jump back. Vosk just stands there. Staring. His wings drop.

I glance behind me. Stupid idea. The sun slowly rises behind. I look back to where Vosk stands. Or where hewasstanding. I look around, he’s nowhere to be seen.

I sigh, “seriously?” I spread my wings and fly home. We fought all night and yet, he’s the one who runs.

***

I get home a bit later. My sister, Linsy, lays on the couch. She’s talking to her phone as she scrolls. On the other end of the line, her friends laugh with her. She looks up from her phone and at me.

She scowls. “Where the hell have you been?” Her friends go silent and listen.

“Why would you care?” I growl back.

She laughs, “you’re right, I don’t care about you. No one does.”

I sigh and walk away. I can hear her friends laugh from her phone, saying things like, “if my brother talked to me like that, he would be out on the streets.”

“I know right!” My sister replies, “but unfortunately, I made a promise to mum and dad.”

“Screw it! You don’t need him! He’s just wayin’ you down!”

“Yes, but think about all the views he gets me for being so stupid!”

They laugh in unison. I grab a glass of water and some leftover pizza. Then I go and lock myself in my room.

My sister doesn’t know where I’ve been. And I’m definitely not going to tell her. If she knew, she would post it everywhere and my life would be over.

I’ve lived with my sister for the past ten years; ever since our parents died in a fire that we barely escaped from. Linsy was nice at first, but then she got her phone -and friends- and my life became hell.

Social media is a curse. It turns good people into monsters. That’s what I hate about being called a public hero: my face -or as much as they can see of my face anyway- being plastered everywhere. People are constantly begging for autographs, people wanting to know who I am in the daytime. If they knew who I am in the daytime, they would be very disappointed. Besides, why the hell would I show my face to the public when the very person I’m fighting will see me and know who I am. Do people not have any common sense?

I curl up on my bed and lay in silence. I like silence. It calms me somehow; being alone with nothing but my own thoughts to keep me occupied. I’ve never been good with loud places. That’s probably why I like the night; it’s quiet, but not too quiet with Vosk always in my face. I’m fine with that though.

I was up all night and got no sleep. So I’m not surprised when my eyes flutter shut and I fall into a deep slumber.

Word Count: 698

Welcome to my second story!! Thank you all so much for the support on my first story, I hope you enjoy this one just as much as that one!

~Emerson