Mila awoke screaming.

There were feathers sprouting out of her deformed arms and hands. When she tried to stand, she collapsed on backward-bent legs. By the time her parents reached Mila’s bedroom, screams had devolved into squawks.

Before blowing out yesterday’s birthday candles, she’d thought: I wish I could fly.

Tim Boiteau lives in Michigan, is the author of the dark fantasy novel The Drummer Girl, and a Writers of the Future winner. See more at timboiteau.com.