“Throw it,” says the burly man as he presses the baby chick into my hand.
It lay then in my open palm — newly hatched, innocent, and confused.
I furrow my brows as I turn to search the man’s face. He smirks at me through a bush of unkempt beard.
“Yes, yes, go on then. Down the mountain with the little fella, or if you’d like, I could let you take its place”.
I whispered underneath my breath, “Sorry, it’s you or me,” before heaving my arm back and launching the poor chick down the mountain. She chirps and flaps with her wings, no doubt in a state of absolute terror. Behind me echoes booming laughter.
The heartless man points at the chick “Look at that stupid bird, what’s it doing eh, can’t even fly, eh.”
I nod my head and smile at the man, but inside I am broken. The burly man pats my shoulder, leading me to stand before the rest of his lowlife comrades.
“Let’s give a round of applause for our newest member!”
Hands clatter as they applaud, a fake smile plastered to my face, and a fist clenched so hard that nails cut through my skin. Blood flowing in my pocket, blood flowing on the ground far beneath. Life for a life…
Benjamin Bratz 