Contagion
Written By: Sierra [WriterAnimated ]

It spreads by contact.

The words were a haunting reminder as I stared at the city below.

There is nothing to be done.

I pushed my winds out, felling the brush of air as they spread. The feather tips brushed against the dirt underneath me.

If you go, they will die.

Why couldn't I break free from his words? Why couldn't I break free of the bonds that hold me and the chains that continue to chock me?

Don't you understand? You will kill the humans and anything else the disease you carry infects.

I got that, but what care could I hold for the humans who betrayed me? What care could I hold for the elves that sides with the pale weak creatures?

It was not my fault, was it?

As my wings beat against the scorched ground underneath me and the tree leaves fell from the death that consumed them, I continued to look at the city. The skyscrapers reached to the skies, built by the simple swiftness of a wand, or so the scientists said. The river that ran through it was as pure as the lake it came from.

Why did the humans think that they could claim the magic that wasn't theirs?

Promise that you won't go outside. That you won't go to the city.

Why couldn't he understand that I couldn't make that promise? I had to go to the city to achieve my one dream. If I didn't, then I would never really belong to my race.

I would never truly be a Wyvern.

Good. Now that it's settled you won't leave, how about I clean your horn. Even if it's on your forehead, it should still sparkle.

He was a strange human. We never agreed to anything. He simply assumed that I would listen. He was wrong.

As I moved through the air, the wind whistling through my fur, I watched as the city grew closer. The miles that separated me from it became smaller as my long body lowered itself. My wings beat, the sound steady, but in the rhythm in my heart.

I was greeted by screams and hands gesturing towards me as I landed in a square by a pool of water. It wasn't only humans that gathered around me, crowding together to point and stare, but elves and others I did not know what to call.

They looked different from the ones that had betrayed be me.

Not as threatening. There were no white coats.

"Look."

"What is it?"

"The fur looks so white."

I searched for my reasoning of coming to this place. My eyes fell from the green children with their pointy ears, to the tall adults whose skin was like his. Dark like the ground, but warm and inviting.

They all had one thing in common.

They wore something to cover their mouths.

"Is it really here? The Unicorn?"

"Are we cured?"

"Will it save us?"

Past the humans, I found what I wanted. What would make me the Wynven that I was and what could allow me to return back to my family. The family who were forced to leave me when I could still barely stand on my four legs.

I walked forward, the crowd gasping. They moved apart as I approached, some being pulled with them.

Was he right?

Would they die because I was here?

Could they catch what I had? But what was it he said I said?

Was there something wrong with me?

Hands touched me, their fingers getting entangled in my fur. I froze, my muscles tensing as I looked at the human. His eyes were bright, reflecting in them a creature that I did not know.

Who was the white beast standing before the child?
I turned my head, but found nothing else but the rest of the crowd. No beast with white fur, a horn on their head, and red eyes stood there.

Could it be the child was using magic on me?

The child was pulled away from me, stings of pain rushing through the spot pieces of hair were taken from. I raised my head, staring at the woman before I continued towards the golden box.

If they touch you they die.

The words vibrated and I once more turned to look at the child. Would they die? No, no of course not.

There couldn't possibly be anything wrong with me.

Once more, I returned to the box. It was my purpose of being here. The reason I had came to the city.

It would be what proved that I was like my family and allow me to return. I would be able to see everyone once again. As I reached the box, I looked up at the building.

It was clear that the humans wasted wood. The windows had planks put on each window going up the building. He explained that windows gave light to homes, and helped someone survive, but that didn't appear to be the case here.

I hit the box with my front leg, watching as it opened the contents rolling to the ground. Lowering my head, I grabbed the golden apple between my teeth.

It was a rare delicacy for a Wyvern to have. Only by bringing one back, could I once more be taken in by my family.

If you go, they will die.

My eyes fell on a desert and empty street. The ground was cracked, the pool of water long since dried. Only the golden apple I had wanted so long ago, stayed with me.

You will kill the humans and anything else the disease you carry infects.

He was right about what he said.

Anyone who comes here, would catch what they had. Anyone who came to close to me would die.

The outside world would be better off if I didn't leave this place. Then, they would not be able to touch my white fur and get their hands tangled into it. Like the child that had become nothing but bones in the days, I had stayed.

Their gazes had been warm and hopeful. So different from the other humans I had known. Each day, there had always been new faces with that same look.

I lowered to the ground, wondering about the humans and the things they wore to cover their faces. I wondered why he had to be right about me and how I could fix my wrongdoing.

Even my tears that could heal anything, couldn't cure the disease that I had brought with me.