A scruffed up, shakey blond kid was hiding quietly in the bushes. Dark eyes blown wide as he bit down on his shuddering lip. That damn bird was still right there. The same he had seen all day. Pitch black eyes sifting through the dead and dried glass on the ground. Picking up whatever bits it found interesting, before bringing it up to the gnarled oak tree above their little heads.

It was distracting him. He knew it. Trying to make him think it wasn't following him around. Like he was normal. Like it was real.

But he knew better. He's seen him. He saw him watching. He pushed his hand over his mouth carefully. Not wanting a breath to disturb him from his spot in the bushes. He was scared. Of a bird? No. That wasn't a bird.

He didn't know what it was. And that was what scared him. It looked like one. Sure. A simple brown sparrow. Scissor tailed and musical as any other.

Maddox wouldn't accept it though. The boy would die before he could. He saw it. He saw it. He saw it.

Just a bit earlier he had tumbled down a little hill. Pretending to be chased. By who? Didn't matter, kids chased him away all the time, for what reason? He didn't know. Maddox usually didn't care.

It was at the park. Early on a Saturday morning where he escaped instead of watching whatever garbage Cartoon Network threw at him at times like these. He loved to stare at the TV, like every mindless child would given the liberty. Yet, there where always morning where he just enjoyed the cool morning air before the heat set in and ruined the mood for the day.

He saw it flit through the trees. Curious he watched it, sprawled out on the poor, unwatered, grass as it scratched his back through his striped shirt. A large yellow smiley face at the center. His favorite shirt.

He hadn't seen too many birds since the beginning of fall set in. The birds flew off save for a few spare crows here and there. And the heat was definitely about to leave Greendale soon. So he didn't think he'd see any either. But there it was. Flying back and forth in the trees without a care.

He's seen it all day since. Following after him like he wouldn't notice. Black beady eyes staring, burning on him as he wandered around to try and lose them, as he went in for lunch, as he ran after the ice cream truck, as he sat silently in the park's metal bench.

But they hadn't.

So. He hid. He ducked into the playground. Sitting underneath the slide for hours. Even with the kids giggles, even as the sun begun to lower farther and farther down into the sky.

He lost it. He was almost sure he did. Maddox felt no normal animal would stay observing anything for such a time. It would have flown off into some other place. To find another child to pick on as his little blond head peeked out into the open.

Black eyes meeting black eyes from where it sat in the little wooden chips.

He ran then. Avoiding it's eyes as he pretended a kid was at his tail. Ran far. Out of the park. Off to the cul-de-sac, to the little woods that where left before it. Tripping down into the bush where he sat now in the sunset's dull glow.

Afraid to breath. Because here, he was alone.

He sat excruciatingly still. Afraid to move a single branch, a single leaf, to cause even the slightest of stirs as he felt the tables turn. Now he was watching in silence. Observing the strange. Heart beating to his ears.

The sparrow stopped moving. Head turned up towards the tree as the woods felt still. Nothing moved now. It was them.

Alone, together.

With a small flit if it's head, the sparrow turned much to the blond boys terror. Their eyes meeting as he felt his blood run cold. A scream caught in his throat.

He launched himself forward. Both hands wrapping around the silent bird as he caught it before it's spread wings took it away. A panic rushing between them both as Maddox shook it. Claws scratching at his hands as it's wings beat against him. A horrible new screech penetrating the air.

"LEAVE ME ALONE!" He yelled. Shaking it more until it bit his hand, throwing it to the ground as he recoiled with a cry.

The sparrow scrambled. Wings spasming as it landed on its back, frantic to get upright but to confused to do it properly. That terrible screech still leaving it as Maddox pushing his bleeding hand over his ears. Not wanting to hear it at all.

"SHUT UP!" He cried out as it continued mercilessly, still unable to right it pathetic position. Tears welling in his eyes as he looked at it. It was his fault after all. It couldn't just leave him alone to begin with-

"SHUT UP!" He picked it back up. The screeching only increasing as his hands began to tighten. Shaking more violently until he heard the cracking. Felt the breaks beneath his fingers as the birds voices grew more wretched. Gurgly. Wet.

He threw it down again. Tears streaming down his pale face as it plopped into the dry grass with only a small, pathetic croak left.

But his pout held no sadness. He wiped furiously at his tears. Only frustration. Anger. Hate at how such a problem had to be made.

It was a bird. A simple bird. Fixated by his yellow hair it craved for it's nest. A mistake it made as it lay silent. Feathers in a mess, beak open in a small motion as it looked into the empty sky.

A threat. Like no other Maddox had seen before.

"Your fault." He mumbled quietly. Looking at his scratch covered hands, at the mess he had made of himself that would surely call for a grounding. Turning home. Tears dried. Hands clenched around a feather. On his way home in the darkened day.

~

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