Chapter 692: "Beautiful, All Alone?
Chapter 692: Chapter 692: "Beautiful, All Alone?
The dark clouds scattered, and the moon’s cool light spilled down, blanketing the entire city.
Phoebe Sawyer didn’t know how long she had been walking, only that her legs were growing weaker and weaker.
She collapsed to the ground, curling up and hugging her knees as she wept in silence.
Inky, out playing with a flock of crow friends, spotted the scene from high above and took note.
"Hold on, everyone. I feel like something’s strange."
His crow friends were all confused. "What’s strange?"
Inky explained, "There’s a human on the ground."
A crow asked, "Isn’t it normal to see a human? What’s so strange about it?"
Another crow said, "That human isn’t hurting one of us, is she?"
A third crow chimed in, "Don’t scare me! I’m easily frightened."
Inky said with a sigh, "No, it’s not that. It’s just... there are no buildings around here. It’s odd for a human to be sitting on the ground."
"Humans are just willful creatures," said the first crow. "They sit wherever they please."
"That’s right! I’ve even seen a human try to fight us for a spot on a branch!" added the second.
"Inky, human business is none of our business," said the third. "Let’s go!"
The other two crows also chimed in, urging him on.
"Just leave it, Inky."
"Yeah, let’s get going!"
But Inky shook his little head, insisting, "No. I have to fly down and check, just to be sure."
’If something bad is happening, I can tell Renee.’
Inky flapped his wings and told his crow friends, "You guys go on ahead."
His crow friends shook their heads, a shared feeling of resignation passing between them.
"See you later," Inky said, bidding them farewell before beating his wings and gliding toward the ground.
The moment he landed, however, Inky sensed an unusual presence.
He slowly turned his head and met a pair of sharp, round eyes.
A peregrine falcon—
Inky’s mind went completely blank.
’I’m a goner. I’m so, so a goner.’
’Am I going to die here today?’
The peregrine falcon stared, sizing him up for a moment before speaking. "I’ve seen you before."
Inky’s beady eyes darted. "You... Where have you seen me?" he asked in surprise.
The falcon replied, "At Renee’s place."
When it was perched outside spying, it had often seen this little swallow coming and going.
Hearing the mention of Renee, Inky instantly relaxed.
"You know Renee, too?"
The falcon, Zephyr, gave a haughty nod. "I do. She’s very fond of me."
Inky blinked his beady eyes. "Oh, I see."
Pleased that the little swallow believed him, Zephyr continued with satisfaction, "That’s right. I’ve found something suspicious, and I’m helping to keep an eye on it. Did you know? I helped solve two cases last time."
Knowing what was good for him, Inky said, "You’re amazing!"
Zephyr, thoroughly enjoying the praise, replied, "I suppose I am."
Inky quickly added, "I was flying around up there, too, and thought it was strange for this human to be in such a dark place all alone."
Zephyr said, "I noticed her a while ago. She was running and crying at the same time."
"Why?" Inky asked. "Did something happen to her?"
Zephyr was unwilling to share too many details. "I’ll tell Renee about it in a bit."
Inky had no intention of pressing the matter and simply nodded. "All right."
"Here’s the plan." Zephyr immediately started giving orders. "You stay here and watch this human. I’ll go tell Renee what’s happening."
"No problem," Inky chirped.
’Whatever Zephyr says, goes.’
’When you’re a small fry in front of a raptor, all you can do is obey.’
Seeing his quick agreement, Zephyr grew even more pleased. "Good. I’m off, then."
With that, he spread his wings, and with a powerful flap that kicked up a gust of wind, he launched himself nimbly into the sky.
After Zephyr left, the crow friends who had been hiding in the shadows immediately emerged.
"Heavens, Inky, that was terrifying!"
"That was a peregrine falcon! We were so scared you were going to be eaten!"
"Inky, do you know that peregrine falcon?"
Inky shook his small head. "No, today was the first time I’ve ever seen him."
"Huh? We heard him talking to you just now, so we thought you two were friends!"
"You’re so lucky he didn’t eat you!"
"Inky, let’s hurry and get out of here."
But Inky said, "I can’t go yet. Zephyr told me to wait here for him."
The crows stared, wide-eyed.
"Wait for him to do what? Come back and eat you?"
"Don’t be an idiot! Let’s go!"
"Inky, I don’t even know what to say to you anymore! You’re infuriating!"
Inky knew his friends were just concerned, so he explained, "Don’t worry, everyone. I’ll be fine. Zephyr is going to find my human friend to tell her about the strange human here."
A crow asked, "Your human friend? Is it that Renee person?"
Inky nodded. "Yes, that’s her. Do you know her, too?"
Another crow spoke up, "I’ve chatted with her before."
Inky immediately asked, "She’s really nice, isn’t she?"
"She’s okay!" replied the crow.
The most timid of the crows, worried that Zephyr might suddenly reappear, urged the others, "Since Inky isn’t leaving, let’s just go by ourselves. That falcon might not eat Inky, but there’s no guarantee he won’t eat us!"
His companions agreed that this made a lot of sense, and so they bid Inky farewell.
Inky watched his crow friends fly off into the distance before turning his gaze back to the human.
’She seems so sad.’
Every now and then, Inky could hear her sobs.
’What could have possibly happened to make her this miserable?’
’I really wish I could comfort her, but I can’t speak her language.’
’What a shame.’
Inky scanned the surroundings, praying that no bad people would appear. He wouldn’t be able to protect her otherwise.
After a little while, a black sedan sped past Phoebe Sawyer.
Inky’s gaze followed the car, and he saw it come to a stop.
A moment later, it began to reverse.
Inky’s feathers seemed to prickle. He had a bad feeling about this.
The black sedan stopped a short distance from Phoebe Sawyer. The rear door opened, and a man in a black shirt stepped out.
"Hey beautiful, all alone?" The man let out a wolf whistle as he stopped beside Phoebe Sawyer.
Phoebe Sawyer looked up, her face streaked with tears. Her wet, blurry eyes stared at the man before her.
"Well, if it isn’t you." The man raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Get dumped or something? To be crying this hard?"
Phoebe Sawyer recognized him too. A flicker of disgust entered her eyes as two words escaped her lips: "Get lost."
Sidney Gomez let out an exasperated laugh. "What’s the matter? Scared I’d see you looking so pathetic?"
Phoebe Sawyer was already in a foul mood, and the sight of this scumbag only made her more agitated. She shrieked hysterically, her voice raw, "I said, get lost! Didn’t you hear me?"
"You’ve cried your voice hoarse," Sidney Gomez taunted. "Life’s been that rough without me, huh? I guess other men don’t know how to take care of a woman like I do, do they?"
Phoebe Sawyer trembled with rage. Clenching her fist, she shoved him away with all her might. "Don’t disgust me! Get lost!"
Caught off guard, Sidney Gomez stumbled and fell to the ground. "Phoebe Sawyer," he snarled, furious, "you’re really asking for it!"