The world was so small from so high. I coasted with the wind in my brown feathers, enjoying the peace.

I loved quiet, but also enjoyed being with others. I don't know what to describe it as.

As I flew above my friends, I came near the house. The witch's house. I slowed my flight, and landed on the roof of the tall building. The tiles underneath my feet were crumbling with age, covered in moss and other plants I couldn't identify. I cautiously walked across the roof, to the other side of it; the backyard.

I scanned the area to find it was a much more entertaining venue.

In the far corner a tall snow slope was being used for sledding, skiing, the works. A pool and hot tub were near the middle of the area, along with water slides and diving boards. I'm another area I saw what appeared to be a barn or stable.

Treehouses were scattered throughout the trees, some more elaborate than others. Rock climbing occurred on a steep bluff nearby, and roller skaters were racing beside those walking on paths.

But above all; the people.

There were so many people. Even though the backyard was only twice as large as the front, there seemed to be four times as many residents.

I kicked off the roof, soaring above the people, but flying low to better observe. It was like a whole new world had been introduced to me. To my right, electricity shot from one's fingers, while another changed colors. One person seemed to be having the best time, due to the fact that he had a cart full of cupcakes that he handed out to everyone he saw. While watching the process, I heard a gasp to my side, and I landed to see where it came from.

I found a wide-eyed small girl, who appeared to be around six, holding a teenager's hand tightly.

"What is that, Ash?" The girl looked up at the blonde curiously, and I wondered how the girl was related to Ash.

She had jet black shoulder-length hair, with striking gray eyes. Her skin was a dark brown, while Ash on the other hand, had a fair complexion with long hair, and shimmering blue eyes that seemed to have a hint of a different color.

Ash knelt down, "That's a hawk. Be careful, they can be dangerous, but are usually shy."

I ruffled my feathers before shifting and watching the duo for their reaction. The girl hid herself behind Ash, while she stared at me skeptically.

"Who are you?" Ash seemed to command an answer rather than ask the question.

I stood my ground, "Chloe. Nice to meet you."

She nodded stiffly, "Likewise."

I knelt down to the small girl, "What is your name?"

"Lauren." She whispered, "L-A-U-R-E-N"

I nodded, and tried to smile sweetly at her, which seemed to work, because she didn't cower back any further.

"What is your Gift exactly?" Ash spat, and I nearly recoiled at her words. What was it with knowing everyone's Gift? Was it like social class or something?

"Isn't it obvious? Shapeshifting." I returned. What was with the hostility?

"Ha. Mine's elemental," She scoffed, "Beat that."

"Is this a competition now? Look, I just here to meet new people. I don't want any trouble. . ."

Ash began to break into uncontrollable laughter, and I rolled my eyes at her 'hilarious' joke.

I turned to walk away, and she called after me, "I'm sorry. I don't really get to meet many new residents, and I don't get to do that often." I didn't turn around and took to the sky once more, releasing a loud cry before heading towards the other parts of the yard.

A rock wizzed past my head, and I hovered in place, swiveling my head to see Ash staring me down. I turned back towards my flight, rendering myself invisible for a bit more space. Dust fell over me in an attempt to outline me. I sighed as I dove into a water source I created to wash off.

I came back out and looked at Ash, who was running towards my water source.

I leapt into the air silently, and flew around the air in circles when a gush of wind blew me backwards, and I was unable to stabilize myself while my wings thrashed wildly.

Suddenly, the wind halted, and I tumbled towards the ground, fearing for my life. I couldn't go anywhere, I only knew of the drop that signaled my defeat.

✦✧✦✧

I felt a warm hand ran down my back, and I opened my eyes carefully.

"How do you feel?" Someone cooed, and I swiveled my head to find the source.

Everything was blurry, I couldn't tell what anything was. I shut my eyes again and darkness enveloped me once more.

✦✧✦✧

The sound of crying woke me, and I opened my eyes. The crying halted and hands picked me up. I squinted as I tried to bring my eyes into focus, but it wasn't working.

I blinked rapidly in hopes of seeing my holder, and I could see a vague outline of a face.

I heard a strange sound and I clacked my beak at the person's attempt at talking to me. I couldn't seem to understand the person, no matter how hard I tried. He turned his head and called out something, and two more people ran in.

"Chloe. Are you okay? Can you hear me?"

I couldn't respond, but I gave a quiet caw, it would need to suffice.

I felt weak, and sore. I gathered all the strength I could muster, and tried to stand up, pushing through the pain.

A hushed sound came from the one holding me; Barry. I looked up at him, putting everything I could into seeing his face. I could make out small pieces, his jaw, hair, but not much else. But, I was standing, so that was something.

"Chloe, talk to me." Barry begged through Lizzie again.

I shook my head, I couldn't think straight, and it took effort to do rudimentary movements.

Slowly, my mind was able to clear and I could almost see the things around me. I was able to make out the things closest to me, and I smiled when I could see Barry.

He had a weak smile, and wondered why he seemed to be so pained.

"Lizzie, what did you do?"

"I didn't do anything, besides, Barry told me to."

I huffed, "Lizzie, could I talk to Barry?"

"Chloe! Oh my gosh! Please tell me you're okay!" Barry exclaimed.

"Calm down, I'm fine. Although, it is hard to focus. Now tell me, what did Lizzie do?"

"Nothing," He said rather quickly.

"Stop. Tell me or I won't talk to you."

"Fine. Lizzie can. . . take away pain or emotion, and spread it out for others to bear through it."

"You're doing that now. You did that with my burns before. Why?"

"I can't see you get hurt. It just pains me to see you like this. Why did you get yourself hurt right after you healed?"

"I wasn't trying to. To be honest, I'm not sure what actually happened beyond leaving a girl named Ash."

Barry froze, "Could you shift so we can better bandage you up and talk?"

I nodded weakly, and Barry set me down gently. I shifted, and nearly collapsed, but Barry caught me before I hit the ground.

He laid me on a soft surface, and I couldn't determine what it was. A woman came into the room and began to hold my arm firmly, and began to wrap it up.

I didn't know why she was doing it, it didn't hurt. But by the look of it, Lizzie had taken all the pain from it away. I frowned at her, but she didn't notice; she was too focused on something else.

Soon the bandage was finished, and I looked at the woman once more to find that it was Missy. She looked towards Lizzie, and I felt a welcoming sleep cover me as the world disappeared from view.

✦✧✦✧

"Don't put me to to sleep again!" I shouted through to Lizzie, as I felt waves of sleep come over me, "I have already slept plenty!"

"Fine," She mumbled, "But don't over exert yourself, or it won't be a smooth transition to sleep."

"Is that a threat?" I rasped. I propped myself up against the back of my bed, and Barry held my hand tightly.

"I'm not on my deathbed, you don't need to be like this. I only have an arm in a cast, and a concussion. I'm fine."

Over the past day, I had been sporadically waking up, hearing voices, and then Lizzie would put me back to sleep.

My vision had cleared some, but I still felt horrible. 

"But you just healed from your other injuries, and then you got hurt again.You could have just asked for me to take you to the backyard," He scolded, "The front yard is contained of more of the first people to come here. The backyard is more rowdy, and dangerous. It is kind of considered that the front yard is more upper class. The lower class can't come to the front yard without invitation, but the front yard can come and go as they please."

"Calm down. You could have told me that. You know how curious I can be," I began, but paused, "Who is Ash?"

Barry blinked, "Ash is the, well, Sophie of the backyard. But much worse. Is that why you were blown through the sky?"

I shrugged lightly, "I think so? I was trying to get away from her when rocks and earth were flying by me. Then a gust of wind brought me out of control, and I dropped."

He ran a hand through his hair and sighed, "Her Gift can not pass over to the front yard unless she was invited, causing it to stop."

"That's strange."

"It's all in who accepts the people. If one of the first hundred or so accepts them, those people also live in the front yard. Everyone can only accept one person though."

"But I thought Missy accepted you; are you allowed to accept me?"

"Yes, I was number 78 to come here. That means I can still accept you, but you can't accept anyone else. This does not apply to the backyard."

"So why exactly the separation? It just doesn't make sense to me."

Barry heaved a sigh, "It just is a sort of reward to those who got trapped first. . . Can we talk about something else?"

I looked down at my lap, and directed my attention to my left hand.

It was dirty, grime underneath my nails, and small scratches from running on all fours; I probably only got harmed as an animal.

I always shifted and used my Gift all the time. I really didn't act responsibly. That was probably because I didn't remember how to act, or that nothing was stopping me from doing what I wanted. But that was no excuse. I really needed to be better.

Barry's hand appeared and held mine. I looked up to be met by his eyes, and I took in his handsome face.

He put on a small smile that pulled at the corners of his eyes, which brought back my attention too soon.

They seemed to go on for eternity, his pitch black pupils reflecting into infinity. The brown surrounding them seemed to almost change slowly, turning into an amber, but to come back to the original color in a hypnotic pattern.

He suddenly disappeared from view, and I looked down to see a ferret in my lap.

I looked to where Lizzie was before, but she was gone. Barry chittered up at me incomprehensibly, but I knew he was talking.

I began to try and shift him back, or understand him, but to no avail.

"Lizzie, what did you do!!" I screamed at her. I searched my mind to see where she was in it - so I could at least kick her out.

"Why do you always think it's me?" She asked stupidly.

"Because you are the only one that could do anything!"

Barry sensed my agitation, and snuggled between my arm and side. But, it didn't quite help.

I continued to rack my brain when Lizzie didn't give a response, and soon found her. She was a little light in the corner of my mind, and I swiftly picked her up and threw her out of my consciousness. I immediately set up mental shields from her presence, with a sigh of relief.

I tried to pick Barry up with my good hand, but he wriggled out of my grasp and snarled at me.

I was taken aback, and dropped my efforts to look at him.

But then a jolt shot through me, along with severe pain in my arm.

I stood up not of my own accord, and began to walk out the door. I continued through the house, trying to stop Lizzie from doing this, but I couldn't.

When I came outside into the night air, hordes of people came outside with me. This couldn't possibly be Lizzie.

We lined up at the edge of a walkway I hadn't really noticed before. My gaze was forced to look at the front gate, where someone stood.

No. Not her.

It was a young child who appeared to be around six or seven years of age, and behind her stood a group of teenagers, one of them with a gun to her back.

She looked at him fearfully before taking a step forward onto the walkway.

Then it began.

All those around me lurched into action and I did too.We began to circle behind the child as she continued to hesitantly walk towards the house. I tried to resist when I felt a tugging at my pant leg.

I turned my head to see a ferret pulling with his teeth at my jeans.

I wanted to smile, to reach down and pick him up, to forget about the girl.

But I couldn't. I could only keep moving towards her; no matter how hard I tried, and I couldn't shift Barry back.

We followed her silently, unable to do anything of our own will, watching as the girl scuttled away from us like a living nightmare; which we were.

The girl finally walked into the house, where screams could be heard in the house; but to have silence reign once more.

I felt arms hold be tightly and firmly from behind, and I turned to hold Barry in return. Well, best I could do with one arm. I felt no pain once more, which meant Barry felt it all.

Tears ran silently from my eyes, blurring my vision. Barry wiped them away softly with his hand, but I couldn't stop. A young girl just got forced to join us. I got a flicker of how serious this place was.

I felt so stupid for continually saying I was going to get out, but to find that it was perfect here. Hundreds of people were forgetting and losing their lives for a new one. It was like a twisted version of Peter Pan and the lost boys.

I was going to do it.