After the party, she and three of her friends wandered outside, towards the woods. Isensi had her arm around the guy she�d been having sex with lately. But other than that periodic act of intimacy, she was really no closer to him than any of her other friends.

As soon as they reached a clearing in the woods, they immediately started making out, Isensi�s other two friends doing the same on the other side of the clearing.

Her agile hands began working mechanically on the small metal buttons clasping his pants.

He laughed softly, running his hand through his short black hair, "You�re so methodical about this, Isensi,"

Isensi�s black lips formed an indulgent smile as she casually removed her top, "What can I say? I�m efficient,"

He laughed again, then leant foreward to kiss her.

Suddenly, Isensi detected the familiar cawing sound.

She stiffened.

Her boyfriend sighed and pulled back, "Those blasted birds . . ."

Isensi didn�t say anything. Instead she slipped her hand into his open pants, silently asking him to ignore the sound.

But Isensi hadn�t started hanging around with him for his brains or sensitivity.

"Wait a sec�," he stood and picked up a large rock. Then he carefully eyed the cloth bird, sitting on a branch closer than Isensi had thought.

"What are you doing?" she asked tentatively.

He threw the rock.

It hit the cloth bird directly in it�s smooth breast, knocking it to the ground with a thump.

It didn�t move.

"Ha!" he laughed triumphantly. Isensi�s other two friends applauded from their side of the clearing.

Her boyfriend now turned his smug grin towards Isensi, only to find her face contorted in rage.

"Hey, what�s the matter?"

She ignored him and rushed to knell over the bird.

Much like an article of clothing, the cloth animal was torn through the middle. Isensi slowly slipped her hand under it�s delicate form and lifted it up. Still, it did not move.

Pain, sudden, unexpected, and unfamiliar welled up in Isensi�s chest. She couldn�t articulate it, even to herself. But the sight of this mangled animal effected her.

And suddenly the world was crisper. She couldn�t remember seeing the dark trees around her so clearly.

She stood up.

"Hey, look, I�m sorry about the bird�," her boyfriend started to apologize dumbly.

Isensi didn�t say a word. She just started walked, out of the clearing, out of her life.

"Hey! Isensi! Don�t you want your shirt back?!" he called after her.

Isensi just kept walking.