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The sky was a dead thing.
The sun had dragged all the blue from the sky, and now the fog was drifting down to earth with no power to keep it in the heavens any more. It's daylight blue had curdled and turned to a thin, concrete coloured grey, and all the colours faded from the world as it fell.
Fell like an angel. Like the end of days.
Like a birthday, a beginning.
Dressed in a hospital gown, Josie stood at the window and watched the fog fall. It was late in the afternoon, but it would be a thick aired night by the time darkness fell.
She couldn't have chosen a more perfect day. Not if she'd planned this for years.
They'd be coming, soon. At four, David had said. We'll take you to your new room at four. There was no clock in here, no way to tell the time but for the shadows on the wall and on a day like today there was not one whisper of sunlight to cast a single shadow.
Her eyes ever locked on the grey world outside her window, she sat down on the bed and began braiding her hair. Couldn't have it getting in the way.
*
"Josephine Rhydderch?" It took a moment for her to drag her eyes away from the window and land them on the man who had spoken. It was the drugs, they made her slow. The man was in his early forties, rough face, grey and blond hair. Mark, his name tag claimed.
"Is it time to go?" she asked, as David appeared at Mark's shoulder. David nodded.
"Are you ready?"
Oh yes. "I think so." she said, dipping her eyes. "But...may I have one last request?"
"I think so." David was in a good mood today. Well, she thought, of course he is. He won't have to deal with me ever again. Josie smiled, careful, polite.
"May I wear my own clothes?"
*
She started slowly, taking a little at a time so they wouldn't feel it straight away. Their life- their vitality seeped through her white shirt, touching her muscles, fusing with her marrow. It washed away the drugs, but she couldn't let them see that yet. Not till they were outside. Not till there was a real sky above her, no more of these artificial lights and closed in walls.
David had his hand around one arm, Mark around the other. Josie let them, making her arms limp, her body weak as they walked her down the halls. Like they expected her to be. Renee's door was closed and that was a pity. She wanted to wave goodbye to the girl, and whisper a promise of see you soon when Mark and David were not watching. Step by step the front door came closer and there were more people waiting. Security, nurses from the Children's Ward waiting to make sure she was actually gone and nurses she did not recognise, waiting to take her away.
The one thing she hadn't counted on was her parents showing up. No, one parent and a step parent, she was still insistent on the difference. That woman could never have borne her.
"Surprised to see us?" she asked with a smile, registering the look on Josie's face.
"Annette," Kristov placed a hand on his wife's arm and gave his daughter a genuine smile. "We've come to help settle you into your new room."
"Isn't that nice of them?" David asked Josie, who gave him a sharp glare and had to hold herself back from sucking him dry. His fingers were already tightening on her arm as he subconsciously leaned on her for support. "Do you want to say goodbye, Josie?"
"Already have." Josie said, under a impatient smile. Ahead of her, Annette pushed open the swinging double doors and walked out into the misty afternoon air. David and Mark moved forward with Josie between them, out into the real world...
The air hit her face and she relished its coldness, breathing in the dew that was just waiting to fall. They moved out into the wide driveway, lined with the iron fences and paved with stones and grass. Annette was blithering on about something or other and her voice was just grating on Josie's nerves. The woman had always looked down on her, turned her father against her. She wouldn't be surprised if she'd seduced him away from her real mother. It was the fresh air- no, it was the energy she was getting from Mark and David- she could focus properly, completely.
Annette had always had it out for her. Hated her friends, tried to keep her away from Caleb, judged her for everything. Her father had always said she should be glad of a normal mother but this one was a pathetic replacement. Weak and stupid and spiteful, she'd spent the last sixteen years of Josie's life trying to destroy who Josie really was. Well, today was her birthday and today was her day of freedom and things would be different from here on in. The captive period in her life was over.
No one was going to stand in her way. Any that did, that had ever... she'd make examples out of them all. With one final tug, she pulled the last of the energy from the men holding her arms and they collapsed to the ground, unconscious and dry. She stepped over Mark's body and strode over to Annette, her pupils dilating until her already dark eyes were completely black. "It is over!" she cried, and as she reached for that woman someone grabbed her from behind, wrapping their arms around her so her own arms were pinned. Without even thinking about it, she smashed her head back into theirs so hard she almost saw stars herself. The body behind her hit the ground and Annette shrieked, backing away with a look of shock on her face. Josie laughed at it and dove for her throat, squeezing hard on it so she couldn't breathe, could only whimper in fear.
Someone else was running over to her, probably her father, but she wasn't going to let him be in time. He didn't need this bitch. Josie smiled at the fear in her eyes and kissed her, softly, on the forehead.
Annette's neck snapped as easily as one of the plastic forks the Ward issued its patients for lunch. Josie tucked her hands under Annette's arms and tossed the body aside like it was nothing more than a ragdoll, but the thump she made when she hit the ground belied the grace with which she flew. Kristov was screaming their names- Annette's and her own, and she was insulted that he'd use the same breath for both.
She didn't think about this, either, but when he reached her she clawed out at him, tearing through his sweater and his skin. Deep gashes appeared right across his torso and she could feel the warm blood at her fingertips. "Don't get in my way." she snapped, and because he was her father she didn't tear him any deeper.
But he was stupid. Stupid. He put his hands on her arms and looked into her eyes with pain written plain on his face. "Jo, love," he pleaded, his voice strained, but she just shook her head. He wasn't going to use that voice on her any more, it controlled her, it appealed to part of her that wanted to crawl into his lap and hide away from the world and let him deal with all the shit... and she wasn't going to let that part of her live anymore. It was as weak and disgusting as Annette had been and she was so much better than that. Josie would not let anyone try to control her, no more. She screamed with the fury building up in her chest and rammed him back against the iron fence, slamming her fists into him as he yelled with pain. She was screaming and laughing and dizzy and high and there were frail weak hands trying to drag her off but it was impossible. Oh no, they couldn't stop her now.
She spun around and spat at those hands, kicking and clawing and swearing at them as loud and as hard she she could. No, she was never, ever going to let them keep her captive for one moment longer. She had to get out, all the way out- Josie raised her eyes to the grey sky and leaped, reaching for the top of the iron fence and heaving herself up onto it.
The mist swirled in, as close as ever, and she looked down at them all one last time. Her father was lying motionless on the ground, absolutely covered in blood.
Stupid man, he shouldn't have tried...
She had to get out of here. She grinned down at the nurses, the five bodies, dear or unconscious, that she'd left in her wake, and gave them all the finger. With a sharp jerk, two dark wings sprouted from her back and she left off the fence, and disappeared into the foggy, falling night.
The sun had dragged all the blue from the sky, and now the fog was drifting down to earth with no power to keep it in the heavens any more. It's daylight blue had curdled and turned to a thin, concrete coloured grey, and all the colours faded from the world as it fell.
Fell like an angel. Like the end of days.
Like a birthday, a beginning.
Dressed in a hospital gown, Josie stood at the window and watched the fog fall. It was late in the afternoon, but it would be a thick aired night by the time darkness fell.
She couldn't have chosen a more perfect day. Not if she'd planned this for years.
They'd be coming, soon. At four, David had said. We'll take you to your new room at four. There was no clock in here, no way to tell the time but for the shadows on the wall and on a day like today there was not one whisper of sunlight to cast a single shadow.
Her eyes ever locked on the grey world outside her window, she sat down on the bed and began braiding her hair. Couldn't have it getting in the way.
*
"Josephine Rhydderch?" It took a moment for her to drag her eyes away from the window and land them on the man who had spoken. It was the drugs, they made her slow. The man was in his early forties, rough face, grey and blond hair. Mark, his name tag claimed.
"Is it time to go?" she asked, as David appeared at Mark's shoulder. David nodded.
"Are you ready?"
Oh yes. "I think so." she said, dipping her eyes. "But...may I have one last request?"
"I think so." David was in a good mood today. Well, she thought, of course he is. He won't have to deal with me ever again. Josie smiled, careful, polite.
"May I wear my own clothes?"
*
She started slowly, taking a little at a time so they wouldn't feel it straight away. Their life- their vitality seeped through her white shirt, touching her muscles, fusing with her marrow. It washed away the drugs, but she couldn't let them see that yet. Not till they were outside. Not till there was a real sky above her, no more of these artificial lights and closed in walls.
David had his hand around one arm, Mark around the other. Josie let them, making her arms limp, her body weak as they walked her down the halls. Like they expected her to be. Renee's door was closed and that was a pity. She wanted to wave goodbye to the girl, and whisper a promise of see you soon when Mark and David were not watching. Step by step the front door came closer and there were more people waiting. Security, nurses from the Children's Ward waiting to make sure she was actually gone and nurses she did not recognise, waiting to take her away.
The one thing she hadn't counted on was her parents showing up. No, one parent and a step parent, she was still insistent on the difference. That woman could never have borne her.
"Surprised to see us?" she asked with a smile, registering the look on Josie's face.
"Annette," Kristov placed a hand on his wife's arm and gave his daughter a genuine smile. "We've come to help settle you into your new room."
"Isn't that nice of them?" David asked Josie, who gave him a sharp glare and had to hold herself back from sucking him dry. His fingers were already tightening on her arm as he subconsciously leaned on her for support. "Do you want to say goodbye, Josie?"
"Already have." Josie said, under a impatient smile. Ahead of her, Annette pushed open the swinging double doors and walked out into the misty afternoon air. David and Mark moved forward with Josie between them, out into the real world...
The air hit her face and she relished its coldness, breathing in the dew that was just waiting to fall. They moved out into the wide driveway, lined with the iron fences and paved with stones and grass. Annette was blithering on about something or other and her voice was just grating on Josie's nerves. The woman had always looked down on her, turned her father against her. She wouldn't be surprised if she'd seduced him away from her real mother. It was the fresh air- no, it was the energy she was getting from Mark and David- she could focus properly, completely.
Annette had always had it out for her. Hated her friends, tried to keep her away from Caleb, judged her for everything. Her father had always said she should be glad of a normal mother but this one was a pathetic replacement. Weak and stupid and spiteful, she'd spent the last sixteen years of Josie's life trying to destroy who Josie really was. Well, today was her birthday and today was her day of freedom and things would be different from here on in. The captive period in her life was over.
No one was going to stand in her way. Any that did, that had ever... she'd make examples out of them all. With one final tug, she pulled the last of the energy from the men holding her arms and they collapsed to the ground, unconscious and dry. She stepped over Mark's body and strode over to Annette, her pupils dilating until her already dark eyes were completely black. "It is over!" she cried, and as she reached for that woman someone grabbed her from behind, wrapping their arms around her so her own arms were pinned. Without even thinking about it, she smashed her head back into theirs so hard she almost saw stars herself. The body behind her hit the ground and Annette shrieked, backing away with a look of shock on her face. Josie laughed at it and dove for her throat, squeezing hard on it so she couldn't breathe, could only whimper in fear.
Someone else was running over to her, probably her father, but she wasn't going to let him be in time. He didn't need this bitch. Josie smiled at the fear in her eyes and kissed her, softly, on the forehead.
Annette's neck snapped as easily as one of the plastic forks the Ward issued its patients for lunch. Josie tucked her hands under Annette's arms and tossed the body aside like it was nothing more than a ragdoll, but the thump she made when she hit the ground belied the grace with which she flew. Kristov was screaming their names- Annette's and her own, and she was insulted that he'd use the same breath for both.
She didn't think about this, either, but when he reached her she clawed out at him, tearing through his sweater and his skin. Deep gashes appeared right across his torso and she could feel the warm blood at her fingertips. "Don't get in my way." she snapped, and because he was her father she didn't tear him any deeper.
But he was stupid. Stupid. He put his hands on her arms and looked into her eyes with pain written plain on his face. "Jo, love," he pleaded, his voice strained, but she just shook her head. He wasn't going to use that voice on her any more, it controlled her, it appealed to part of her that wanted to crawl into his lap and hide away from the world and let him deal with all the shit... and she wasn't going to let that part of her live anymore. It was as weak and disgusting as Annette had been and she was so much better than that. Josie would not let anyone try to control her, no more. She screamed with the fury building up in her chest and rammed him back against the iron fence, slamming her fists into him as he yelled with pain. She was screaming and laughing and dizzy and high and there were frail weak hands trying to drag her off but it was impossible. Oh no, they couldn't stop her now.
She spun around and spat at those hands, kicking and clawing and swearing at them as loud and as hard she she could. No, she was never, ever going to let them keep her captive for one moment longer. She had to get out, all the way out- Josie raised her eyes to the grey sky and leaped, reaching for the top of the iron fence and heaving herself up onto it.
The mist swirled in, as close as ever, and she looked down at them all one last time. Her father was lying motionless on the ground, absolutely covered in blood.
Stupid man, he shouldn't have tried...
She had to get out of here. She grinned down at the nurses, the five bodies, dear or unconscious, that she'd left in her wake, and gave them all the finger. With a sharp jerk, two dark wings sprouted from her back and she left off the fence, and disappeared into the foggy, falling night.
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