Flight of the Golden Harpy by Susan Klaus

“Wait, Lea. I’ll come with you.” Kari ran to the vehicles and approached Lea.
    “You should stay here,” Lea said, watching Carol come toward them.
    “Kari,” Carol said, smiling. “I don’t know why we’re arguing over something so silly. I do want us to be good friends.” Carol was obviously sucking up since Kari was the wealthiest girl in Westend. “And Jake rarely gets a harpy. Even if he did, he strips their wings on the islands. Most harpies don’t survive the trip. I’ve only seen one live harpy that they hung on the pole here and dressed out.”
    Kari gasped. “You watched?”
    “It was no big deal. The thing was in shock and never made a sound. It squirmed a little when Jake cut off its wings.”
    Kari covered her mouth and mumbled, “It was still alive when they took its wings?”
    “Yes, Kari. Most hunters prefer to dress them alive. The blood flows out without soiling too many feathers. After the wing is drained and hacked off, the harpy is gutted. But I doubt if Jake got one. Please, stay.”
    Kari looked around for Lea, but she had disappeared into the darkness. The sound of a motor came from the docks, and she saw the boat lights as it pulled into an empty slot.
    “They’re here,” said Carol, taking Kari’s arm “You can lecture Jake on the evils of harpy hunting.” She led Kari toward the boat of hunters.
    It was like a bad dream, Kari thought, but she had to know the outcome. She was hardly aware of walking alongside Carol toward the bright boat lights. On the dock, a young man jogged to them.
    “Baby, you’re not going to believe it,” he yelled. He reached Carol and picked her up in his arms. “I’m taking you to Hampton for a trip you won’t forget.”
    “What, Jake?” Carol asked.
    “I got him. I finally nailed the golden. Been after him for years,” Jake said.
    Kari couldn’t breathe and felt that her heart had been ripped out. She stumbled past Carol and Jake and approached the large boat. A small hovercraft was strapped to the cabin, and a man was securing a line. He smiled as she looked on the deck.
    “You want to see the harpy?” he asked.
    Kari could only nod, climbing on board. “Is he dead?” she asked.
    “Not yet, but we’ll string him up soon,” he said. “Jake figured you girls would want to see a live golden rather than just its wings. Most Dorians have never seen one. He’s tied over here.” The man led Kari around some boxes on the deck.
    Kari swallowed hard and stared at the yellow feathers partially stained with dried blood. The wings were attached to a lifeless slender frame resting against the boat side. His bound wrists were lashed to a cleat, forcing him to sit up, and his tied ankles were fastened to a wooden beam. The lower half of one wing was twisted and broken from a laser gun blast. The golden’s head hung low, his face concealed by his long hair and buried against his arms.
    Kari knelt down in a pool of his blood and pushed back the locks, exposing his face. It was Shail. “No,” she murmured, tears running down her cheeks. His eyes were shut, and blood trickled from his full lips. She placed her hand against his chest and felt his shallow breath. She spotted another laser blast below his ribs. “This is why you didn’t come in my dreams last night,” she whispered. “And why you were so scared and said the spell would be broken. My poor Shail.” Kari now dwelled in a real nightmare.
    “Don’t get too close,” the man said. “He looks dead, but he can still hurt you.” He kicked the harpy’s side. The pain jarred the golden awake, and he breathed rapidly.
    “Don’t,” Kari screamed. She put her hand on Shail’s face.
    His drained eyes stared at her. Turning his head, he nuzzled and softly kissed the palm of her hand.
    Carol, Jake, and the other two girls had come on board and two more men emerged from the cabin. They stood around Kari and the harpy.
    Jake said, “We found him on an island two hundred miles out.