Icarus
A creature with inky skin loudly fumbles through the air on heavy wings; moonlight making its body an eerie silhouette of a man. Upon closer inspection, his mouth is moving as if talking, but the heavy gusts surrounding him make it inaudible. The man's mouth stops its running, and his movement soon follows; massive wings holding him up as if wading water. Sunken eyes peer out of a dark face looking lost, the whites glowing in the moonlight. “Illyena” he whispers; “Momma, poppa, sister... none of you ever understood. You never tried”.
We're introduced to the scene by the sound of glass shattering. “I'm crazy?” a woman screams. “I'd rather be crazy than a freak! Look at those wings of yours, they are hideous!”. “Illyena, please stop this, please. I don't want these damned wings either, but what choice have I!”. Another dinner plate chases an insult as they both crash upon the wall behind the man. Just staring ahead blankly, a new plate slowly finds its way to his face; ceramic shards draw blood that slowly disappears as the skin underneath it starts to turn an inky, reflective black. “I hate what I've become, please help me!” the man wails. Out of things to throw, Illyena screams a final “FREAK!” and runs from the room. The scene ends as lights dim over the crying man.
The sun starts to climb the horizon. The dull light of the morning reveals the charred remnants of buildings underneath the man; the smoke rising from the cinders begins to swirl around him as the air begins to turn. Thin plumes at first, but quickly solid gray envelopes him. Inside, a scream is heard. “MOTHER! Can't you see all of my angels are falling! Father, can't you see all of my old demons are calling!” Laughter rides the wind and is carried up into the sky to branch out over the land. The noise crashes onto barren dirt; no ears exist to listen anymore.
We're introduced to the scene by the sound of a child wailing. “Robin, it's me, your big brother. Please don't be afraid”. An older couple rush into the room and look in horror at the siblings. “Get away from her you monster!” the women shouts. “Mother, it's still me, I'm still the same person, please don't be afraid”. Grabbing his daughter by the arm, the older man pulls her away from the man, and grabs a baseball bat. “You're no son of mine anymore!” the father yells. “Now get out of the house, or else!”. “But mother... father... it's me, Icarus, please stop” the man whimpers. “I warned you!” the father shouts as he starts to swing the bat at the man's head. The blows do no more damage then a blade of grass to the man, but he just stares ahead. “Why won't you see it... I thought you loved me...”. Standing up, Icarus looks at the family. The scene ends with shouts turning into silence.
Head thrown back, the man stop his laughing, and looks at the sun. “Icarus huh? It's only fitting that I should rid myself of all my wax”. “Good bye beloved family. I've stood behind you my entire life, but you just couldn't stand behind me. I'll fly close to the sun, and for just one second, I can remember what it means to feel something without fear. Since I couldn't have yours, I will accept the sun's warm embrace. I've loved you all so very much, and I'm sorry for what I've done”. Staring at nothing in particular, the man starts to fly towards the horizon without looking back. The mangled arm of a young girl lays partially charred from under boards of the house. Laughter floods back on echoes to wash over the house, but nobody can hear it. The ruins of a city casts shadows in the distant; not even the scavengers have come out for the bodies yet. All is deathly silent.
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