So... some of you may have noticed I haven't posted in a while.
Some of you may have assumed me dead.
Some of you may have hoped me dead.
Well, I'm still alive. I've actually been free for a while now I just... Haven't been able to write.
People say their life felt like it was turned upside down when they find out about the Fears... The Gods? That term sounds wrong now.
The birds inside me are wary... I can hear them thinking. Wondering whether or not to kill me.
I have not turned against them, but they figure it is only a matter of time and I... am not sure I can't agree.
The Convocation saved me after the fire. My wife betrayed me, my children were stolen from me, my very body, my sight all taken from me, but the birds were there for me after the fire. All the worst things that happened were because of the fire. It led me to the dark place where I willingly became a monster and embraced the darkness.
The fire... The Birds saved me from the results of the fire, but...
Perhaps I should explain. When the doors open I found myself looking not at 11 or 12, but a buff looking man. I didn't have my machete so I tackled him weaponless. I'm not really heavy and I might be hollow so, even less heavy? I don't know about that one, but regardless, my tackle wasn't all that effective. He tossed me away and I slammed into some crates. We were in a warehouse. He came over to me then reached down and grabbed me by the metal mask and lifted me up. I kicked him in the balls. I'm not ashamed. I am a dirty bastard and I do not fight fair. He dropped me, but didn't quite buckle like I was expecting. I attacked in a fury, throwing punches at his face and chest, he blocked most of them, but then I swept his legs out from under him and he fell hard. I heard his head crack as it hit the ground. He was only dazed though. He was one tough motherfucker, but his mistake was having a weapon on him and remaining dazed long enough for me to get it. It was a simple flip knife and I made quick use of it before he could react. The first stab was supposed to go to the throat, but it didn't quite hit. He shifted and I stabbed him in the shoulder instead. He tried to wrench the knife from my grip, but I got it out first and slashed at his back as he tried to roll away. He got to his feet and I got into a fighting stance. His arm seemed to hurt him, but he got into a fighting stance as well. Unfortunately for him I suddenly didn't feel much like fighting and so instead I took the knife to myself cutting a large gash into my arm from which the birds emerged.
He punched one of the birds in the face, as it flew at him, hard enough to break it's neck which was damn impressive to watch, but the birds overwhelmed him and I heard him scream as they tore the flesh from his face. I then began to search around. 11 and 12 had to be here and I was going to find them. It didn't take long.
There was an office upstairs in the warehouse and I opened the door and was met with a rush of flame. I barely dodged it, the birds weren't so lucky. 12 stepped out of the office. wearing what looked like a homemade flamethrower pack and turned it towards me. I tossed the knife at him and it skinned his cheek causing him to flinch and then I rushed at him. Shoulder checking worked a lot better then tackling and I smashed him against the rail. the pack on his back was dented and began to leak. He hit me in the side of the head with the gun part of his flamethrower, but the iron mask they gave me is surprisingly durable and I barely noticed it and punched him in the face.
It occurs to me... I haven't addressed this already, but after I killed Zero, none of the times I've seen the Children have they had that defense mechanism of theirs.
Anyway, that punch knocked him senseless. He's a tough kid, but he is just a kid and I tossed him to the ground and tore that pack off of him before lifting him up by the throat.
"Oh... I have wanted to do this for so long," I said before tossing him over the railing and watched him fall down to the ground below. It wasn't too far, but it was far enough. I heard 11 scream, she was inside the office and had seen the fight. I wasn't bothered, by the scream, but what she screamed.
"Harold!" she screamed as she watched him fall and I turned to her... I looked back at my last post before writing this and saw WereMagi's comment... I guess I seem like an idiot for not having realized it before, but it wasn't until now that it had even occurred to me. I stood frozen as she rushed over to the railing to look back at her brother, my son and I spoke in almost a whisper,
"Tamara?" I asked and she turned on me and then punched me in the gut winding me and I dropped to my knees.
"Hey dad... Good to see you," she said and her voice was filled with anger. I tried to get back up, but she lifted her foot and kicked the side of my head, it didn't hurt, but it knocked me back down and then she stepped on me. Either my strength had ebbed quite a bit or it was the emotional shock, but I couldn't get back up with her holding me down... Maybe she was actually just that strong.
"You know... I'm kind of glad this happened. I've wanted to talk to you... Wanted so badly to tell you, but until just now I hadn't had the courage to do so..." she said and her voice sounded broken, like she was struggling with the words. I felt a bird starting to try and release itself from the hole in my arm and I turned my arm to press it against the grated floor of the catwalk. I don't know why... I wanted to hear what she was going to say.
"Harold... Was too young to remember and with all that happened, I doubt it ever occurred to you, but do you remember the day of the fire. Not when the fire happened, but just before that? Do you remember me asking you a question?" she asked and the memory snapped back to me.
She had been looking out the window and had asked in a curious voice...
"Why are there so many birds outside today?" I repeated and she took her foot off of me and stepped back and slipped a hand into her pocket as she picked up the pack Harold had been wearing.
"I'm glad you remember and I can tell that you're realizing the implications. Now let that thought be with you as we go see my brother and mother in hell," she said and drew a lighter out of her pocket. I realized what she was going to do and released the bird that was still trying to get out, it flew at her, but it was still too late. I don't know what was in the pack exactly, but whatever it was exploded when the flame was brought to the liquid leaking out of it.
I woke up a bit later lying on the ground of the warehouse. My entire body was aching and my clothes were burned and I was cut open in a number of places. I probably should have been dead... Tamara definitely was.
Twice I've survived a deadly explosion at close range... A miracle I guess... I don't really have much desire to figure it out...
After I made it home I thought long and hard about what she meant...
I feel like it had been obvious and much like I had been so blind as to not realize who 11 and 12 were I can't believe I'd never realized it before. The Convocation had set it all up... The Convocation had caused the fire. The convocation were the ones who ruined my life. Why? Just so they could get me to serve them?
I mean yeah I'm a damn good servant, but...
They took everything from me...
I'm not sure what to do now and neither are they.
Oh and I suppose I can cross 6, 11 and 12 off my list as well as 9... So, that's just 3 and 4 left... I suppose if I ever feel like caring about any of that again I'll have to go after them at some point. Assuming The birds don't decide it's too risky to keep me alive now...
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