The Bird V1

The Bird

We was walkin' down the old dirt road when a bird stop and sit on the post of the fence. At first I think he just a regular bird, but then he open his mouth and out come this horrible squawk. My sister, Morgan, she thinks the bird is pretty, but me, well, I don't really think he is. After all, a black bird with a small red spot and red eyes ain't nothin' special. So we just stop and stare at him as he sung his song.

Morgan say he is sad, I thought he is more or less pissed off. What kind of bird make a sound like that when he is sad? It wasn't like he were crying. He was angry. And before we know it, he done flew up off the post and come flyin' right at my head. I screamed, I ain't gonna' lie, that damned bird looks like it was gonna' kill me right there.

I run. Like some kind of little sissy. I tucked my tail between my legs, and I ran. I don't know why Morgan didn't run, or why that damned bird didn't chase her, but she just stands there with this huge smile on her stupid face while that thing chases me down the road, all the way home.

Morgan got there after me, and the little brat was still laughin' at me. Like something is funny. She pointed out the window of our little blue house, and sure enough, that freaky bird was sittin'' on our front porch. Just starin' at me in the window like I am his next meal.

I am afraid to go outside now. I don't know why that bird has it in for me so bad, but I am not about to go outside and let it peck my eyes out. Grams says them birds will peck out your eyes, and then eat them.

For the next three days all I do is sit at home, readin' my sex magazines, and hittin' on the pipe. And that bird just sits there on the porch. I think if maybe I sit here long enough it will just get bored with me and fly away. But it don't.

On the fourth day, I am sick and tired of that damned bird. So I start thinkin'' about ways I can make him go away. Grams always said if you used salt around the door, then the evil spirits would run far away. Why it's gotta be salt I don't know. But I didn't think I should be messing with some old-wives tale, especially since my Grams believed it so bad. I wondered then if that was why she always sprinkle a little bit of that salt on me? But it didn't matter. Right now all I gotta worry about is getting that bird off my porch.

Maw and Paw didn't really think much about it, but it don't chase after them. It just sits there and watches them as they get in their piece of shit truck and drive off, or pull up in the same piece of shit. They come up to the porch, holding hands and laughin' as if there ain't some killer bird sittin' on the porch, just waitin' to kill their only son.

Morgan asks me yesterday why I wouldn't go to school, and when I told her the killer bird was waitin' for me, she laughed at me. And she laughed at me again when I started throwin' salt out the window; I only cracked it a little. After two pounds of Maw's expensive salt, that damn bird is still sittin' there; still lookin' at me with them beady red eyes; still waitin' to peck my eyes out.

After that, I decided that I should wait until late at night and see if it go to sleep. Maybe if it do, I can get out of the house and it won't know I leave. So I wait until almost three in the morning, but when I open the front door it came rushin' at me, squawkin' like the devil himself was standin' there. I go back inside, sit down with the weed my Paw left on the counter, and stared out the window.

Maw woke me up when Morgan got ready to get on the bus. She wants to know why I ain't goin' to school today. "Yesterday you had a headache, the day before a sore throat, and the day before an upset stomach." She glared at me over them silver wire rimmed glasses, "What is it today Joe?"

I didn't want to answer, after all, I couldn't think fast enough and I don't have a good excuse. So I look at the floor and whisper that I think I have the flu. She just rolls her eyes and walked into the kitchen as she mumbles some shit about getting some sleep.

Morgan stuck her tongue out at me before she opened the door up wide to leave. "Here Birdy, Birdy. Joe wants ya to come in." She grinned at me as I rushed across the room and shoved her out the door, slamming it behind her. She is laughin' so hard there are tears runnin' down her face; maybe I ought to throw some of that salt on her.

Today, after Maw leaves, I am gonna get Paw's rifle and shoot the damn thing. I don't know why I didn't think of it before, but I thought of it now. So I waited. I sat patiently on the couch, waited as Maw took my temperature and decided that I might have a little bit of a fever. Then, after she left for her job at the little café down the road, I ran up to Paw's study and grabbed his gun.

Of course when I got down there, the bird was gone. I laugh to myself, after all, if I had been smart enough to just go get the gun days ago, then I wouldn't have to sit here all this time. But no, I don't think of it. Thinkin' maybe he was hangin' out in the trees, I opened the door and stepped out on the porch. And I be damned, here come that bird, screamin' at the top of his lungs, divin' at me from the rafters.

I get one shot off, and it don't hit the bird. Instead it hitted Maw's favorite pot of dirt. I say dirt because it didn't hold anything except dirt. A long time ago it used to hold these really pretty yellow flowers Maw said would always bring us luck. But they didn't live very long. I thinked Morgan poisoned 'em somehow.

By the time I got back in the house, the bird was back on the porch, still starin' at me. Still waitin' to eat my eyes. I wonder if I put a little hole in the screen of the window if he will notice if I stick the gun out? So I go to the kitchen and get the sharpest of Paw's carving knives and cuts me a little hole in the screen. I tried for two hours to hit the bird, but he always seemed to know when to move and all I accomplish is wastin' all of Paw's bullets. When I finally gived up, the bird still sat there.

When Maw got home I told her we ought to get a cat. When she asked me why, I tell her about the bird. She looked at me like I was crazy as a loon and tell me I need to get ready for bed. I overhear her later telling my Paw she think I done gone crazy. Morgan laughed. I heard her.

The next day Paw decided I needed to go for a ride with him. I told him I couldn't. Told him about the bird. He sighed like he was real tired and then asked me where the bird was. I took him to the window and showed him, pointed right at the bird, but he said, "Boy, I don't see no bird." But I know he was lyin'. Maybe Paw want me to get my eyes ate.

Then he told me that he knew how to get me outta this house, and he come out of the bedroom with a pretty blue sheet. He say that he can wrap me in it and we can go for a ride. My Paw ain't a big man, but I know that he could pick me up and carry me to the truck so I let him wrap me in the sheet and carry me out.

Wouldn't you know, that bird tried to attack me? I screamed and wiggled, but my Paw held onto me tight, and even though I couldn't see out of the sheet, I knew that he was after me. So I tried my best to get back in the house, but Paw had me in the truck real quick and shut the doors. Then he rubbed my head and told me it was ok. The bird couldn't get me any more.

We drove for a long time, and the bird sat on the hood all the way. When we got stopped, we were in front of this great big white house. I have to admit it was kind of pretty, something Morgan would like, but I didn't. It was a bad place. And the trees had lots of nests in'em. Lots of places for it to hide.

Paw tried to get me out, but I wouldn't. The bird was sittin' on the hood, and I knew he would get me, tear out my eyes right there in front of anybody watchin'. I could tell my paw was getting angry, but I don't care, I ain't getting out.

After a few minutes, he opened the door, stepped onto the grass, looked at me and shaked his head and then disappeared inside. When he came back, he had two men and a woman with him. She was real ugly, and them men looked mean enough to eat a rattlesnake raw. But I weren't as scared of them as that big black bird. So when they told me to get out of the truck I shaked my head; I ain't getting out. No way in hell.

In the end, I get out after all, only because them men was so big that they dragged me out, even when I kicked and screamed. I even bit the ugly lady. And all the while, that bird swooped and yelled, tryin' to claw at my eyes. But they got me inside before it got me good.

Then days goes by, don't know how many for sure. They got me in this damned white shirt that keeps my arms still and the ugly lady keeps putting stuff in me with needles big as my thumb. Half the time I couldn't think straight long enough to check and see if the bird is still there before I falled into the black hole again. But when I could, I looked out the window, and sure enough, there he sits, just starin' at me with unmovin' eyes and that beak of his half open, almost like he was laughin'.

Morgan didn't come to see me for a while, figure she was in school, but then she starts coming to see me again. Sometimes she tell me a story, sometimes she sing. But it don't matter, 'cause when she here, that damned bird make such a racket that I can't hear a thing she say. I wished I could cover my ears, but the damn shirt...

After a while, this man starts comin' to see me. He ain't real smart, I don't think. He try to tell me the bird ain't there, but I still know better; maybe he's like Paw, wants the bird to get at my eyes.

Most the time, when he come, he just sit in a chair and ask me questions. Did I know my name? What year is it? Why was I there? And sometime he just stare at me and take notes on his little notebook with his red pen.

Morgan never stayed when he came. She always say she have to go when he get close to my room. And when she leave, that damn bird shut up. Half the time I wish the bird wouldn't, I am starting to get used to his squawkin' more than the man. It wouldn't be so bad if he ain't treating me like I am stupid.

One day when he come in, he ask me why I think the bird come all the time. I try to tell him that he never leave, he just get quiet. That day, I didn't mind the man so much, he seem to be really listenin' to what I gots to say. So I try to be nice to him, thought maybe he take off this shirt. So when he asked me questions, I answered them.

I told him about Morgan. Bout how we used to do everything together. Told him how we had our adventures, and was always good and never got into trouble. I told him bout the day I first saw the bird; at least I told him what I remember. He kind of got mad at me when I say I don't remember nothing 'til we was walking down that road and seen the bird on the post, but I telled him the truth. And wouldn't ya know, he let me outta the shirt. The lady with the needle didn't came back that day neither.

That night, the bird got real mad. I don't know what got him all riled up that way, but he yelled at me through the big window all night long and I didn't get no sleep. The next night I watched him out the window, stood real quiet-like and stared right back at him. I think he can't come through the window here, but just to be sure, I always held the string that I am supposed to pull if I need something bad. The more I stare at him, the madder he get. And pretty soon, he start flying at the window. I give up being brave then, and I pulled the string hard as I could. The lady with the needle come give me a stick.

When I waked up, Morgan was sittin' on the bed. She looks at me like I done something really bad. I knowed I was in trouble when she told me real soft that she was disappointed in me. She say I ain't supposed to talk about her. That if I keeps on talking about her, she won't come back. I cried. I told her I wouldn't talk about her no more. Then she was happy and kissed me real sloppy on the cheek. One of those girl kisses that leaves their slobber and cooties all over your face. It was gross, but I missed her kisses so much I lets it stay there.

Then the damn bird really got noisy enough to shake the whole house. He got freaked out. When she kissed me, he flied at the window hard, and I thinks for sure he was goin' to come in. But Morgan hold my hand and tell me not to be afraid of the bird. I try to trust her, but I get scared and pull the string.

The lady with the needle didn't come. The man did. Morgan was gone fast as the wind and the bird stop screamin' and go back to his seat on the tree. I try to be good, try not to answer no questions. But the man is tricky. He come in and put his arm around me like my paw, and tell me that if I wanna get better, I gots to tell him the truth; tell him everything so he can make it all better. He gets me talking with all that mumbo jumbo, and this time I can't shut up. I tell him all about the bird, tell him how I try to shoot him, try the salt, try everything. I tell him how Morgan laugh at me. And then I mess up real big and tell him bout Morgan being there before he came.

He ask me to think real hard bout the day that the bird come. Tell me to look at the bird, and try real hard. But when I look, the bird done flew off somewhere. I tried anyhow. I try until my head feel like it was goin' to explode into a million little pieces. And then, just when I don't think I can try no harder, I remember something.

The day I seen the bird the first time, Maw was cryin' real hard. I remember that because that was why me and Morgan left. He ask me where we left, but I don't know that answer. He just pat me on the head and tell me to try harder before he get up and leave. Then he come back in and tell me that I done good, and I get to have candy with my dinner.

After he leave for good, I tried hard again to think about it. When I gived up and stop, the bird come back and sit at the window. He didn't seem quite so mad, but he still squawked at me. It was kind of soft, more like he was carryin' on a conversation with himself. But he didn't scare me so much.

I spend two days alone, thinkin' bout that day. And every time I think bout it, the bird leave me alone. He only come back when I didn't think.

Morgan come to see me once during them two days. But she got mad at me and tell me to stop thinkin' bout it. When I tell her I wants to remember, she yells at me, tells me what a stupid boy I was. I didn't cry this time though, I got mad instead. This time I yell at her back, tell her to stop tellin me what to do; I ain't no baby no more. In the end, she leave, and I sit and thinked about it all again.

When the man came back, I has lots to tell him. He sat and listened to me, and once he even smile at me. The bird didn't leave this time. He sat outside the window and sang a song. I remembered how Morgan said she thought he was pretty; that day I thought he was too.

I spent another few months in the white house before they lets me go home to Maw and Paw. They was real glad to see me. Paw didn't even yell at me for using up all his bullets. Instead he gave a big strong hug like he gived me when I was real little.

Yesterday, Maw and I went to the graveyard. We put bright red roses on her grave. I cried and Maw held me as I thinked about all the things that we had done before she got sick, me and Morgan. And then I thinked about the day that Morgan left me.

She made me promise her that I would never forget her. She seem so wise and tired as she lay in that bed, with wires and tubes all hooked up to funny beeping machines. And when she close her eyes for the last time, I was all alone with her. I held her hand until Maw come in and pull me away. And I promise that I wouldn't let her leave me. Then I ran. I run as fast as I could down the old dirt road that led home, where Morgan met me halfway. Where the old fence post sat.

As Maw and I left the grave, I looked back one more time, and sittin' there on the stone that said Morgan's name on it, was the most beautiful black bird with a little red spot and beady red eyes that I ever seen.


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ID: 1712135   (Rated: ASR) The Bird V2  The Bird... the boy... the girl by ShadowedHeart 32 wks Pregnant