Page 73 of Shiny Things

I looked and saw a tranquilizer lodged in my left wing. I couldn’t shake it off and knew it was only a matter of time before I would fall to my death.

I flapped my uninjured wing harder, trying to put as much space between us as possible. A nearby crop of trees seemed like a good place to start. It took great effort, but I managed to safely land on a large branch.

Scared and alone, I didn’t know if I should shift into my human form and try to remove the tranq or if that would somehow do permanent damage to my wing.

Why did I have to run away from Elias? He would have pecked their eyes out for this by now. But I’d left my phone with my clothes. There was no way I could get in touch with him, but I knew I had to try.

I could feel the meds starting to kick in. It was making me drowsy.

Think, Kim, think!

Before the world around me started to blur, I concentrated hard to figure out where I was. In the distance I could see Elias’s apartment. I gauged the distance, trying to determine if I could make it there or if it would be best to just lay low and ride it out here.

Searching around I saw a hollowed-out hole in the tree I was already in. I may piss off a squirrel or two, but it would be a safe place to hide until the tranquilizer wore off.

I started moving towards the hole, but stopped as screeching tires alerted me to company.

Shit! There must be a tracking device.

“She’s here somewhere.”

“Kim, come out, come out wherever you are,” Joe mocked.

How could he do this to me? How could he do this to any raven? Didn’t they know what he was?

“We’re right under her,” the guy tracking me said.

I closed my eyes trying my best not to succumb to the darkness threatening to pull me under.

Breathe, Kimmy. What do you do if you find yourself in trouble?

Call for help.

Good. What kind of call?

A loud shrill alarm call.

Good girl. Now what’s our motto?

We’re safer in numbers. Search out other ravens and get to safety.

So what are you waiting for?

My father’s voice of a long-forgotten memory rang fresh in my mind.

We’re safer in numbers. I need to get to Elias’s apartment.

Even knowing I was in no condition to fly, I reached out and bit down on the tranquilizer and yanked it out. My wing burned and I wasn’t positive I could fly with it, but I knew I had to try.

I dropped the device and watched it fall to the ground with a thud.

“What’s that?” the Collector asked bending over to look at it.

While they were distracted, I took off flying like my life depended on it, because I was pretty sure it did.

When I was several yards away, I started to cry out for help in the loudest shrill call I could muster.

“Damn it. You’re both just screwing this up. Give me the gun,” I heard the man yell, but I kept flying and shrieking out my warning, hoping to draw the attention of any raven in the area.

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