by Teresa Balin
Heart racing, he jerked awake and sat up in bed, the dream lingering in his mind and now fading. Only the glow from the light on his desk illuminated the room and brought him back to reality. Feeling lost and very alone, he lay back down, sleepless until the breaking dawn.
Still dressed in the outfit he wore yesterday, he begrudgingly climbed out of bed, walked past his desk and out the front door. The fresh air did nothing to improve his mood. Standing just outside the front door, he looked out into the distance with unseeing eyes.
The mother eagle flew out from the vent and into a tree branch, perched so she could watch him. Her eyes, looking just as human as his, stared back at him. He still stood quiet, oblivious. She started to beg with small squeals but to no avail. Her children were still tucked deep into their safety nest but they also started to chime in.
Finally, and with her chest rising with a heavy sigh, she asked, “why haven’t you fed us?”
Briefly startled from his reverie, he turned towards her soft and recognizable voice. Perhaps it was a side effect of his illness. With no future now ahead of him, he shrugged and thought it didn’t make a difference what people thought of him, talking to wild animals.
“I know I forgot to last night.” His reply was soft in return. “I’ll go get some bread now.”
She was smarter than most people thought as far as bird brains go. She knew something was wrong and out of the ordinary. Upon his return, she continued to question him. “It’s been days. We’ve come to rely on you.”
The words took a few seconds to sink in and once they did, he laughed to himself. “You are mistaken. I came home last night from my doctor’s appointment and went straight to bed. It has only been a day since I have fed you.”
Still concerned, she gobbled up the bread, storing it into her beak, and carried the crumbs to her nest, where her yearlings could eat in privacy.
The day progressively warmed up with the rise of the sun. Still he sat there, absorbed and lost in his own thoughts. He reviewed his past and was happy with the life that he was given, even though he had no one to share it with and no one memory stood out as the most memorable.
Sighing to himself, he gazed up into the tall oak tree that majestically rose before him. He drew strength from the tree’s wide trunk and finally stood, only to enter his small home that suddenly and impossibly seemed to be even more crowding and suffocating. As meticulously as he could, he began to gather the papers that had amassed onto the carpeted floor.
Sitting next to the pile, he began the tedious job of feeding five pages at a time through the shredder until all of his loose papers were shredded. Once finished, his desk was completely clutter-free. He put the garbage bag, full of shredded paper, next to the front door.
His next mission was to clean out his closet. Opening up the doors, there were only four shirts, four pants, and his winter coat clinging onto the sparse hangers. Feeling dejected, he strode back out into the living area.
His mind cleared of those tasks as he now sat in the chair by the window. Staring through the glass, the mother eagle sat perched in a tree limb, clearly discernable between the stark green leaves, perfectly normal looking except for in his mind. Gazing into those familiar eyes, she looked even more regal and intellectual.
Suddenly two majestically large birds flew to sit by her side. Facing away from him, they had the same gray and white feathers but were both twice her size. He was amazed by how much her offspring have grown.
Twisting its neck around, one of the eaglets looked directly at him. Gone were her hazel eyes as they were now bright blue with long lashes. Her short, sharp beak was now more rounded and had a softer appeal. Long sinewy arms now rested underneath her long wings. The feathers on her head were longer and more blonde. Half human, half eagle left him staring at them.
***
Years have gone by and the eaglets were now fully grown. The mother eagle has grown agile and spent most of her time sleeping in the nest. She knew her time was near.
Walking with a cane now, he slowly and carefully walked down the steps to stand before the majestic oak tree, where the family has relocated since spring. With poor eyesight, small-framed spectacles sat perched upon his nose, as he gazed up into the nest.
Nearly gasping with each breath, she slowly requested, “It won’t be long now. Only you know our secret. Please take care of them for me.”
Looking down to the ground with apparent sadness and grief, he looked back up to hold her steady gaze. “Haven’t I always?” He wasn’t hurt by request but bitterness came with his sorrow.
The two eaglets, which were perched on a nearby branch, flew down by his side. They both stood up, almost as tall as he. They both had long, blondish and grayish hair. Their features remained sharp and hawk-like, with big and glorious wings remained hidden, tucked under and behind their arms. Bright blue eyes looked up to him for comfort and trust.
They willingly followed him into his home, where he lay down pillows and blankets on the floor. Too large now to remain hidden within the tree, they would now reside with him. Now under his care, he purchased clothing for them and they looked very human. He even trusted to take them with him when he ventured out. But he knew he would have to wait until they were ready.
Early the next morning, he quietly snuck out of the house. As steadily as he could, he climbed the ladder as high as he was willing to go, next to the familiar tree. Cupping the nest with both hands, he was surprised at how light it was. She lay within the nest, both eyes closed, gone into another world.
Climbing back down, careful not to destroy the collapsing nest or the contents, he put it down peacefully. With shovel in hand, he proceeded to dig a hole right next to the tree. It was the only logical place he could think of to bury her plus it would remain even more symbolic and meaningful for him.
Leaves were placed over the gravesite, in any attempt to hide the remains. He then went inside as quietly as he went out. Sound asleep, the eaglets were not aware of his actions and he was happy about that.
Every morning he arose early, to watch them sleeping. They slept so soundly and were so beautiful. He couldn’t fathom why science created them nor did he care. He was only thankful to have them in his life. He felt powerful as he watched their chests slowly rise and fall with each breath they took.
Retired now, he stayed near them all of the time. They never seemed to grow curious and want to venture off, leaving him behind. Instead, they stayed near, trailing behind him, as they followed him out into the streets, beyond the only home they’ve ever known.
People curiously stared at them as they walked by; either from their unique appearances or from their clumsy walking style, he couldn’t tell. Nothing was a challenge when caring for them. They ate what he ate and slept when he slept. They were obsessed with the television but couldn’t discern where the flashing images were coming from.
As much as he wanted to see them fly, he knew he couldn’t risk it. So, sadly, they were detained from flying and were prohibited to spread their wings, unless they were within the confines of their small home. Even then the wingspan was so wide two of them had to cower in the kitchen while the other stretched, less be stifled to death.
They laughed; they talked and sung – minus the bonus of wings, they acted like any normal teenager. With age, they soon emerged from annoying squawks into two soft voices. Never inquiring about their mother, he knew they were more alike than just their physical appearances.
So as one night he was reading to them, they lay snuggled tightly against each other in avid interest, while he sat in front of the window, facing them.
“but you shall have your way ... Your tail will then disappear, and shrink up into what mankind calls legs, and you will feel great pain, as if a sword were passing through you.” (The Little Mermaid, Hans Christian Andersen).
“Wow, do those things actually exist?” the younger, Kylie asked in obvious excitement.
“Yes, they
do.” He was suddenly wishing he had picked out a picture book so he could show them what mermaids looked like. He would make that a priority with the next book. “Maybe one day I can show you a picture.”
“A picture?” repeated the oldest, named, Arianna, as he named her after his grandmother.
“Yes, it would be an image like…” Looking around the room, he pointed to a black and white print on the wall, now faded yellow with age. “that,” he said, pointing.
Both of the girls looked up, with their large blue eyes looking impossibly larger. He sensed they were getting tired so turning off the light; he shut the door behind him to his bedroom, leaving them in awe. They both were growing so fast and every day into more beautiful female frames. Their busts were becoming noticeably more rounded and he couldn’t help but notice.
***
Daily walks became more of a daily routine with them now. There was a park that was far but it became joyous and even an adventure to walk there every day. Easily influenced and entertained, their laughter was contagious and it seemed natural for them to be their own little family.
Taking a short cut through the woods, Arianna closed her hand around his. He glanced at her in interest, but she continued to walk in her sluggish stride as if nothing were amiss. Her hand was small and warm within his.
Once they reached the park, he noticed for the first time all the couples that were holding hands and understood that she must think it natural within their culture. He was intrigued by her studies. He watched her as she watched the children run around, yelling and climbing and sliding. Where she was curious, her sister was mildly interested. She stood by herself, alone but remaining cautiously close.
They continued to hold hands, his hand remaining firm while her hold remained relaxed. Every noise or distraction had her looking in almost every direction, staying alert, as it was her instinct. Walking past them, a young couple held onto a leash, led by a golden retriever. Stopping in its tracks, it stopped and started angrily barking at Arianna and Kylie.
Everyone in the park stopped what they were doing to watch the commotion. He held them both tightly in his arms, preventing them from spreading their wings and taking flight. The last thing he needed was for them to take immediate flight, not thinking about the consequences. Grabbing the girls hands, they raced back into the woods.
“That beast wanted to ravish us!”
Stopping in front of him, Arianna resolved, “we are not safe anywhere. We do not belong here.”
“Yes, you do. I promised your mother I would take care of you. We just have to take precautions wherever we go.”
“Everyone is so carefree but us.” Kylie took flight and perched on a branch in the oak tree. “This is where we belong.”
“You don’t understand if anyone finds you, you will be killed.”
Arianna gingerly stretched out her wings to join her. Stroking Kylie’s hair, she reassured her, “We have been safe thus far. It was just a bad day.”
With nightfall starting to descend, there were no passerby’s to see the two eaglets, as the branch struggled to remain composed under their weight. The leaves no longer could conceal them. He had no choice but to wait until they decided to come down.
“I don’t like it here anymore. I want to fly and discover the places over the hills.”
“Kylie, shhh, you mustn’t think it let alone say it. I don’t want to lose you. Please, please stay here with me.”
Kylie looked away, finalizing her decision. “I have no choice but to stay.”
***
Tossing about in bed, his dreams were a collage of contorted images from barking dogs, talking trees, and flying pictures with moving images. It was when he felt a warm body next to his that he woke up, disoriented and believing he was still dreaming. Wrapping his arm around her and pulling her closer to him, he instantly fell back into a restful sleep.
Stretching as he finally woke up with the rising sun, he felt a presence staring at him. Arianna lay next to him, staring intently into his eyes. He stared back into the depths of her eyes, wondering what she was thinking.
“Good morning.”
“Good morning.” A small smile crept onto her face.
Feeling exposed and vulnerable, he didn’t know what to do. He wasn’t sure that she knew what she was doing either. He couldn’t imagine where she learned to do this. His heart raced in excitement as he returned her smile. Not usually the adventurous type, he took a chance and risked a kiss.
It was more of a peck on her cheek as she moved away with his advancement. Surprise and perhaps a little fear etched her face. She hopped out of bed.
“I’m sorry,” his words slurred as he sat up in bed. “I didn’t mean to scare you. It was just a morning kiss.”
He gazed over her body; void of any clothes though feathers masked her humanly features. She gingerly climbed back into bed, sitting next to him. Leaning toward him, she pressed her lips against his cheek and then leaned back again.
“No, like this.” He slowly leaned toward her again, and with puckered lips, kissed her on her lips. She calmly received.
Hopping out of bed again, she proclaimed, “I’m hungry.”
Pancakes drizzled with syrup and crispy bacon was served, as they all hungrily ate. Food devoured, they leaned back against the supporting pillows and blankets that covered the living room floor.
They confided one another, living in such a small place. They learned each other’s likes and dislikes and learned to joke with one another. The girls learned fast and though he wanted to share something special with Arianna, he knew it wasn’t to be. Everything he was showing her, she was showing her sister in return.
Arianna and Kylie were both wise to him growing frail and weary. Their daily walks were deduced to looking at picture books and sitting outside on the front steps. They were growing frail, too, as their confined wings grew weak and it was becoming harder to stretch and carry their own weight.
Several months flew by and when he could climb out of bed, he went to lie with them on the living room floor. It was on one of these mornings that he noticed them both cuddling, clinging to one another. They were close in life, and now they were close in death.
As they were both heavy, he had to drag them out of the house and near the oak tree. They were too large to bury near their mother, yet he didn’t have the strength to carry them further. He sat for hours on his front steps, looking up into the stars and back to the limp forms that lay beneath the sheltering tree. He had a mission that needed to be accomplished before sunrise.
On the opposite side of the tree, from where their mother was buried, he dug a hole until it was deeper than it was wider. His muscles strained and blisters formed and popped on his hands. Knowing this was the last physical challenge in his life helped to strengthen his willpower. Soon a large gaping hole was formed underneath the large tree, right next to the street curb. Amazingly, no tree roots stopped his passage. It was as if the tree welcomed them with open arms.
Gently the bodies were put into the grave, together. He said a prayer, praying for his mother and sister that he had never known, the wise eagle that re-energized his life and brought him hope, and to the two lives that he loved and protected. Despairingly, he blanketed them with the soft and warm earth.
***
Two men walked down the street, alert and armed. The street was depressing as old, worn down brownstones lined the streets with no sign of life or maintained gardens. Pot holes were common, a reason they parked their vehicle a few streets away. They were interested in the large oak tree that stood tall and broad.
Dart guns aimed, they searched within the thick branches, without any luck of finding anything. Observing the ground, they shuffled the dirt and fallen leaves with their feet. A discernible and single gray feather presented itself.
Instantly alert of their surroundings, they looked all around, not missing a single detail. Seeing the vent on the old building, that looked ready to c
ollapse, they nudged it off. Falling to the ground, they saw an empty hole, void of anything. Sighing in exasperation, they continued to look around.
Not wanting to waste too much time, they began to knock on all the doors. An elderly man came out of one of the doors next to the vent.
“Hi, Sir, sorry to bother you but have you seen any birds in your area?”
“Birds?” he asked, scratching his head. “Ain’t been no wildlife around here for awhile. Not that I get out much.”
Before closing the door on them, they posed another question, “How about any weird or unusual activity?”
“Well, now that I think about that there’s an old man that lives next door to me. Well, he’s not as old as I am. I think he’s retired now, too, though. He used to take daily walks with two women – they were attractive but weird looking, ya know? You might wanna check with him.”
Moving to the next door, they banged loudly, which arose suspicion from all the neighbors, who curiously peeked out from their windows. With no answer, they decided to try the door. To their delight, the door opened, unlocked.
Slowly walking in, there wasn’t much to see in the small room. A desk and chair leaned against the wall, piled high with empty beer cans and disregarded bills and invoices. Sneaking into the next room, the kitchen was even smaller, with dishes piled high on top of the cabinets and counters. The last of the obvious rooms, they opened a closed door, which revealed a larger room with two beds, only one of which was occupied. No evidence of any other life was evident.
Starving for answers, they gently shook the old man, in an effort to wake him from his nap. Questions would remain unanswered, though, as the old man would never wake up again.
