I’m a bird. I live near an orange building on a shady tree. Today is a bright day after a heavy rain last night. I’m out to seek for wormy breakfast this misty morning. So refreshing!.
My wing spread freely in the air. I push them as far as I can, and repeatedly thrusting them downward, propelling me further and further. I cruised from one tree to another, keeping my eyes on the ground. If I’m lucky, some lonely worms might just peak out of their worm holes. Then, breakfast is ready!
Just then, I heard a shriek so loud that it pained my ear. Fear struck me. I know this sound. I looked upward. There, high above - the dark, mean and deadly eagle soared. My heart gushed with blood. IT is tailing me. I need to dodge, I need to fly away, I need to survive.
I flapped my wing as hard as I could, trying to gain speed. Hopefully I can outrun IT – the ferocious enemy. Its talon can rip my wing badly. Its beak will then cling to my neck, break it and clamp on until I’m absolutely dead.
I flew randomly. If I can confuse IT long enough, I might get myself to land back to my nest, to the safety of the narrow branches. But I can’t. IT was fast too. In fact, with wing span twice the length of mine, IT is twice as fast.
I panicked. I fly so random in a zig-zag pattern I don’t even realize that I’m too close to the orange building. Still, I fear IT more then I fear hitting the network of pillars and metal frames of the building.
Then, I see an opening. A cave-like open space that leads into the building. I can take refuge there. Oh wait. It is even better. I see a human sitting on a chair inside!
IT will surely be afraid of the human and IT won’t hunt me down there. If only I can fly fast enough to that opening.I closed my wings and dived. I placed my hope that IT is still far behind and IT would not follow we near the human.
I dived so fast that the wind around me ‘whisper’ and hissed violently. I must get there fast..very fast..perhaps too fast for my own good..
Then my world went black.
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My name is Ashraf. I was studying under this magnificent orange building called Pocket C. The room was bright as the clear glass wall allows morning sunrays to penetrate. It is a lovely and chilly morning.
I was so into my books until I heard a loud “thud” just a few paces to my front.
I looked up from the books. I saw feathers flying around outside the room’s front glass wall– so many of them as if it was raining feathers. Then, I saw a black-green object fall to the ground. It didn’t moved. I knew instantly that is must be a bird. Poor creature must have taught the transparent glass wall was passable. It actually don’t.
I stumbled on my feet and get out to the bird immediately – perhaps it is still alive and need help . The University’s clinic is jut a few paces away. But my heart sank as soon as I arrived. Its face was soaked in blood. Some came out from the eyes, and some from the nose and beak.
Pitiful scene. I grab the bird firmly trying to seek if any form of life remain. I opened the wing, sensed the pulse, checked for breathing. Nothing.
Life has just gone out. And the body was left in shock. Its body is still hot though, but it is not moving. Instant death upon impact. I thought it must have been internal bleeding – which explains the blood on its face. The degree of skull or brain damage – I don’t dare to even think of it.
I carry it over to my desk inside the building – thinking it can also be unconsciousness. Often due to high velocity impact that cause concussion. So, I planned to wait – a part of my heart still denies the bird is dead. Perhaps I don’t want it to be dead. After an hour, I lost my hope.
I brought the body to a nearby undergrowth - a strip of forest left intact during the construction of the university. Using a stick, I dug a hole on the ground. Luckily the soil was wet because of the rain – or else the hill soil would be hard, typical for all hilly earth. Judging the hole is just enough, I stopped digging and places the poor bird into it. Beautiful bird it was. Green wings and sleek but plump body. So sad that it has to die early.
I put the sand and soil back to into the hole, burying the dead bird. I poke a stick into the ground at the edge of the ‘grave’ as a simple marking. If it was a person, name, lifespan, and prayers would have been on the stick. Now, the stick is nameless. I can only wish that the bird is alright; somewhere in heaven. Animals will always go to heaven – we human are the one uncertain of our afterlife.
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I made this story in the memory of the bird – it did died. I just want to remember later in my future life. I was thinking of these phrases over the whole ordeal. A quote from the movie Kingdom of Heaven.
