It was a day like any other, once again I was out in the forest gathering wood to heat my cabin. Though it was small and out in the middle of nowhere, I loved every minute of it. Out here I did not have to worry about social encounters that would throw me into a panic attack. I wasn't good with talking to people. Well, I'm not good with people period. I am an extreme introvert. I work from my laptop in the cabin. I eat from my own garden. Fish from the river that runs through the back yard. I had built my own fortress of solitude. I never could have been happier. 

I smiled feeling the warm summer air comb through my hair as I picked up small sticks for kindling and placed them into my basket. It was that very moment when the slick black feathers of large wings caught my eyes. I ventured closer to see what could possibly have such large wings. Six young, black winged angels lay battered and bruised. Shallow cuts, deep gashes and burns covered their bodies. Their breathing was shallow, I could hardly see the rise and fall of their chests. Their wings expanded twice their body length. All I could do was gawk at them in amazement. "Who could have done this to them? Who could be that cruel?" I whispered. One of them had glass protruding from their skin, another had horrible burns covering his arms. I was positive that the others had more injuries than what I could see. 

One groaned and I jumped back, startled. Soon enough he settled again blood dripping from the corner of his lip. "They need help." Was all I could mutter. "It should be okay, right? They are angels so I shouldn't have anything to be afraid of. Or at least I think they are angels; humans don't have wings, and they don't look like birds. Plus they are knocked out cold, so I won't have to talk to them. But, what about if they wake up, they'll want answers, won't they? If they wake up I'll just hide, maybe they'll just leave then." I argued with myself. "I've made up my mind. I'm going to help them."

After the six trips back into the forest I finally had each of them in my cabin. Two were in the guest bed that was usually reserved for my mother when she visited. One was on the couch. Another two were in my bed and one was on a futon mattress on the floor. "Okay, first things first, the glass needs to go." I pulled on a face mask and put on my new dish gloves then grabbed the tweezers. With a bowl of warm water and a cloth in one hand and an empty bowl in the other I kneeled next to the one with glass embedded in to his skin. 

"Excuse me. I don't know if you can hear me but I'm going to take the glass out now." When no response came I pulled out my extensive collection of bandaids and tubes of anti-bacterial cream. With a deep breath and shaking hands, I pulled out the first piece of glass. It hit the bottom of the bowl with a small clank. Before I moved on to the next piece, I smeared the cream over the cut then applied a bandaid to hold it closed so it could heal. "One down..." I breathed holding up one of his arms while examining the rest of his body. "Seemingly six hundred to go. This is going to take a while, please bare with me." I told the unconscious angel.

When I had finished removing all of the visible glass, the bowl I was putting the pieces in was over flowing and he had turned into one big bandaid. "What happened to you?" I asked placing the now ruined cloth in the blood stained water. I pushed his bangs to the side and wiped the sweat from his brow. "Next patient." I said turning to the couch next to me. "Rope burns? You must have been tied up. But, this one doesn't look like the rest. Maybe it's a chemical burn. The only thing I can do is put cream and gauze on it." I squeezed on the tube of cream and blobbed some on the back of my hand then began to generously apply it to the angel’s burns. Once I had them all covered I taped gauze over each one to protect them from infection. "Um, try not to move too much, the tape might come undone." I said, fully knowing he could not hear me. "Two out of six. Not bad." I said rinsing out the bowl and filling it with warm water.

Pushing open the door to the guest room, I looked at the two men that laid in the bed. One's hair was long while the others was short. I approached the side where the long haired man lay first. He had open cuts covering his body. "Let's get these closed up." I said getting used to playing doctor. I squeezed some anti-bacterial cream on to my finger and went to smear it on. As soon as my finger touched his skin his arm shot up and caught me by the wrist. His fingers curled tightly around my limb, and his grip was getting tighter by the second. His eyes opened and he jerked up catching me by the throat with his other hand.

"What do you think you're doing?" He growled tightening his grip on my wind pipe. Tears filled my eyes as I gasped for the air my lungs were pleading for. I dropped the bowl and water spilled everywhere. I grabbed his hands with both of mine trying to loosen his fingers. He looked down at my hands in disgust. "Answer me!" He barked. 

"I-" I tried, attempting to inhale. Just then the two that were in the living room and one from my bedroom rushed in. The man with the long hair looked at them, studying their bandages.

"What did you do?" He said lifting me higher against the wall as my feet dangled.

"I just..." I tried to answer him again. 

"Leo," one began peeling one of the many bandaids from his skin, I held my hand out to him and shook my head trying to stop him. "Look." He said showing him the glass free cut. "The glass is gone. Hakyeon's burns seem to have been treated also." He eyed me up as I returned my hands to loosening the one making it hard for me to breath.

"Did you do this?" He asked still not loosening his grip. All I could do was nod. Spots started to dance in my vision then he let me go. I dropped to my knees and choked on the air I was coaxing into my lungs. I ripped off my face mask and gloves then wiped the tears from my eyes. One took a step towards me and I quickly backed up into the corner, shaking with fear.

"I-I didn't mean to. I thought I was helping. When I found you in the forest I knew I couldn't leave you there in the state that you were all in." I explained. The one called Leo stormed out of the room, his wings knocking over a vase as he did so. "I thought you were angels." I admitted. Then a chuckle came from the bed. I quickly looked over to see the short haired man rubbing his forehead before sitting up. 

"Angels." He mocked. The other two joined him with laughter then they all left the room together while I sat in the corner, still shaking with fear. 

"Ravi, I'm surprised you're up." The one that had glass in his arms said to the man that mocked me.

I stayed there in the corner for hours afraid to move. Scared that if I did, that I would have to experience their wrath once again. I pulled my knees up to my chest and wrapped my arms around them as I heard footsteps drawing closer. My heart began to race and I was already crying before I even realized it. The light flicked on and I buried my face into my lap.

"What experiments did you perform on us?" I recognized the voice as the one who had me by the throat. My body began to shake. Then he grabbed a fist full of my hair and yanked my head back. "You are really trying my patience. If you don't answer me in the next three seconds, I will rip out your heart with my bare hands. One...Two..."

"I-I didn't." I whimpered. "I didn't perform any experiments."

"Then why were you wearing gloves and a mask?" He pulled my hair harder in an assumption that I was lying.

"I was protecting myself." I quickly answered.

"From what?" He growled.

"Blood. I read that you are supposed to wear gloves to make sure not to spread infections. I wore the mask just in case blood squirted out. I was honestly just trying to help. All I could think about was how much pain you were all in. I don't think anyone should have to suffer." I explained. He let go of my hair with a jerk then sat on the side of the bed. "Who did this to you?" I mustered up the courage to ask.

"That's none of your business." He glowered then headed for the door again, just before he exited, he stopped. "Get up." He commanded. "Finished what you started then you can cook."