Lost

[Senlin Lang]

The light was just peeking over the large buildings.Birds chirped slightly before desiding that any city would be better than this.Mariana watched them desparingly and coughed.Her throat was dry and cold at the same time.Her breaths came out slowly and with a pained effort.The little girl stood clumsily and tripped.She looked exhausted.As if the energy to even stand had left her.Slowly her hand curled around the soft grass beneath her as she fought back tears.They threatened constantly to spring forth.It seemed to take her hours to stand,and in fact she must have waisted thirty minutes just lying there.A slight breeze pushed the hair from her face and caused her thin body to shudder.Then Mariana saw it.Floating gently towards her.A soft and downy feather of the purest white.Energy glowed around it as if this was a gift from above.She knew better.Her hand moved forward as she watched it's slow desent.The feather never made it.One long and knarled hand had apeared from no where and snatched it.A horrid blackened figure stood before her as the poor little girl let out a despairing wail.A phantom." Ah....little fallen one....do you wish for the feather ? " Her misty eyes closed as pain coarsed through her weak body and horrible cackling filled her ears.Hours later.....Mariana truely felt the blow she had been given.Even now they would kick her while down.The phantom had left.she was still lying upon the grass.Her skin bruised in many places.Her hands looked red as if stamped on.The poor little feather was caught in a tree and almost seemed broken.It was gut wrenching to watch how slowly and rattling her breaths came.With enourmous pain Mariana stood and tried to reach it.Her movement was even slower and her pain was more than physical as she discovered it was out of reach.Poor...lost...angel.