The way I never would have thought to have to do this. Never would I thought I would have to reveal my identity, to potentially ruin my own life. How can I destroy something I’ve worked so hard for, just for it to be gone in an instant?

Well, let’s rewind a little bit. Anyway, I’ve even known as a little bit of a villain here. In this tiny little town. So then it shouldn’t be that big of an idea, right? Wrong. Huh, there are unfortunately pros and cons. Pros? I’m known. Like everywhere. Cons? I’m known. Can’t go places without being feared or scared. But I cannot help it, the way that the claws are grown from my nails, the wings sprouted on my back, the sharp, beady black eyes of mine that watch in every direction. Believe it or not, I’m feared for that. Shocking. But it’s just a distraction from the actual person I am; a costume. In reality, I’m just a man. That’s all. Just your local neighbor. seriously someone you see at a supermarket purchasing a bouquet of flowers for his mother on Mother’s Day. I hated myself forever, the way I looked, talked, laughed, anything, really. And so when I got the chance to get to alter my life (changing into the so-called villain I am now), I leaped for it, unaware of the potential consequences that would come for unsuspecting me. Oh, how I wish I could go back, but how I wish I couldn’t. I yearn to be a human, a small unfeared creature by society, but the way I would have to deal with my own fear of myself? I could never go back and overcome it.

So, instead, I stay here, my long, shiny black claws sharpened and my dark eyes locked on a building. I wonder what I would do if it suddenly caught fire, hmm? Being a small, fragile human being in a gigantic building such as that; it would be too much to bear. Too many people packed into that building. And in the events of an attack or fire? I would have no clue what to do. And that is why I wait here, crouched on top of this small little steeple, my claws dug into the top as I’m leaned backwards so I don’t get poked. My wings are tucked neatly into my back, letting me launch if needed.

I’ve grown quite used to this new body, with the unhumanly long claws, the wings of a vulture, the eyes of a crow, cold and unsightly. It still shocks people that aren’t fully afraid of me to see how well I can function.

Anyway, I’m sitting on a church steeple, ready to launch. I scan the area, then peer at the building once more. I’ve always had a strange fascination with that building. The way it’s configured, the layout, the walls, and the fountain. Oh the fountain. It’s beautiful. How I wish I could stick my face in it, the icy cold water stinging on my face. I grunt and shake out my wings, and notice a feather falls to the ground slowly with grace as it swiftly twirls and sinks.

A shrill wail coming repetitively from the building catches my attention and I fling my head upward to see. I strain my neck and am in shock as I hear the squealing still continue. I watch the people flood out of the building, screaming and crying with utter terror and despair.

What happened?

I notice the burning glare out of one of the windows, near the top. I reach into my head and am barely able to recover the layout of the building.

But how? How can I remember this building with a passion? How can I remember all of the layout, where the kitchen lay on the fifth floor, where the dark green couch is sleeping in the conference room, the sweet secretary greeting me with a bright, cheesy smile?

I don’t know.

I slip down the steeple quietly, landing on the roof of the church with a tiny grunt. I back away, until I stand on the edge of the roof. I take a deep breath and start at a sprint before leaping off almost as soon as I started running. My wings beat heavily as they struggle against the wind. The smell of fire overwhelms me and smoke starts to rise from the building.

Did it catch fire? Assumingly it has, with the people rushing out with many squeals and screaming. I fly faster, the smoke getting up in my face as I ascend. The fire starts to burn through the top and middle of the building now.

Frantically, I rush through the layout in my head.

Where could it have started? Why? I rack my brain for an answer. Then it hits me like a sack of wet mice. The kitchen has caught fire. The kitchen is right near the stairs leading upstairs. My heart is pulling in both ways. Stay away. Or help. I take a deep breath and dive towards a window. (Really proving my bird like point) I slam into it, hoping the fire would have make it easier to break. I protect my neck with my wings as I form a bullet like shape. It works. The window shatters in a loud crash, sending glass shards all around me. I let out a hiss of pain as one digs into my leg but I suck it up.

Gotta go upstairs.

Gotta go upstairs.

I keep repeating this to myself as I make my way past the burning blaze, hoping it doesn’t hurt me too badly.

“Why am I doing this?” I snarl as a flame nips at my heel. I yip like a small dog as I jump and sprint up the stairs. Ashes are scattered everywhere, the heat unbearable. I cough as I breathe in a lot of smoke, and my eyes water. Still, I push on.

There’s people up there still. I know there are. That’s why I got to get up there. I inhale deeply, and race up the steps. When I get to the top, I quickly scan each room, calling out.

“Anyone here?” I shout.

No answer.

I’m trusting that nobody was here, as I turn and go up the next step of stairs, the sharp smoke burning in my throat and nose. My eyes water and I blink frantically, trying to see out of the water and smoke. I repeat this for two more floors.

“Hello?” I holler. I hear a whine from someone, and start running towards the sound. There are two people huddled up in the corner. They look at me with terror and I realize who they are.

Those were my coworkers.

_Were_.

I sigh and start to quickly claw at the window. They whimper in pain as the smoke has burned their throats enough to make it hard to talk or breathe. I spin around and I notice a hammer on the desk, laying on top of a blue painting with a cat on it. I pick up the hammer and swing into the window with it. It shatters with a loud crash and I peer out at the glass shards falling.

“Come on!” I hiss, picking up someone and putting her on my back.

Jill Taylor. Used to be the secretary, moved to sales.

She shivers with terror and stares at the other young woman, hidden away.

“Come on! We don’t have all day!” I snap, and I stare at the door. Fire waits patiently behind it as it figures out how to get through the door.

She continues to look at me like I’m crazy.

Kyla Shrew. Just joined as soon as I left, is an expert in sales.

“KYLA SHREW, GET OVER HERE. WOULD YOU RATHER BURN TO DEATH?” I scream at her, and she scurries over to me. Jill helps her onto my back, and they both whimper in fear. Kyla shoves her face into my back as I leap out the broken window. I sink down a little, and Jill screeches.

“We- We’re going to die!” She wails.

I grunt and soar upward, my wingbeats even stronger than ever. I tilt my head a tiny bit to see the building, and shake my hand out. The room is now being engulfed in fire.

I land onto the ground, and sniffle as I set them down.

“Y-You aren’t really a monster,” Kyla coughs. “Are you? Why did you s-save us?” She stares at me, her bright brown eyes shining and red.

Jill shakes her head. “I know what you are. Aren’t you.” She whispers.

My eyes widen in terror as I realize why she looked so familiar.

Her face is the same one peering over me as she shoved the needle into my throat, the same one who smoothed down my wings after they were attached, the same one who drug a knife through the back of my spine, all the way down through my spine.

The same one who kissed my forehead and told me I was going to be dead soon.

I snap back and my eyes narrow into dark slits.

“Of course you do.” I snarl. Jill stares back at me, emotionless. Her face hasn’t aged a bit, and she looks even more horrific as I remember the things she did to me.

Kyla scratches at her head in puzzlement. “Uhm. Details? Who is this?” She asks.

Jill whirls on her. “Shut up, Kyla.”

“Uhm. Wow.” Kyla rolls her eyes and sinks back onto her knees.

Jill takes a step towards me, her eyes filled with joy and despair. “Lorenzo.” She says my name so softly. With a gentleness that makes me want to rip her face out.

I stare at her. “Don’t ever say that name again. You have ruined the Lorenzo I once was. You destroyed my life.”

Jill smiles a bright teethy smile. “Oh, Lorenzo, you’re practically a son to me. How could you not be?”

Something inside me roars and I feel something crack, like a thin sheet of ice.

“A son? Excuse you? Do you know what you did?” I growled at her. I lunged forward and smacked her across her face. I don’t care if my claws were out. They should have been.

Kyla and Jill stared up at me in shock.

Yet I felt no remorse.

“Lorenzo.” Jill whispered as she clutched her face and gave me a glare that dug into my heart.

I can’t feel bad for her now.

“Jill. It was you.” I say with anger burning in my throat. My stomach aches and I feel nauseous, but I have to put that feeling away.

“The way that I could care less for you. Anything you did to me? I still remember it. You talk a lot of nonsense but I know how your mind works.” I lower my jaw to the side of her head. “Might as well light a candle for the you that I knew.”

As I swing my claws into the side of her neck, I can see the regret. But it’s too late.

Better pray, I hope you’re ready for death.

A strangled whine escaped her and blood gently leaks out of her throat slashes. It drips down the sides of her neck and onto her shoulder.

I turn around.

My eyes narrow back to slits and I see Kyla standing there in front of me, covering her mouth with her hands.

She backs away as I walk next to her, but she’s not the least of my worries. I take off at a run away from Kyla, and beat my wings. I launch myself into the air and start flying. I know what I must do.

I must leave this world behind.

help why is this story so long lol??