FirstLineFiction beta

from Contest #5

A boy with a parrot on his shoulder was walking along the railway tracks. It was a surreal moment when I saw him; I almost ended up swerving into the median. The car behind me honked their horn, as I pulled off onto the side of the road. I could already feel my face becoming hot, while my hands gripped the steering wheel in a clammy frenzy. I tried to blink and rub and erase the image from my mind, but with no success. At least 10 minutes passed, and then I finally decided to get out of the car. He was about 20 yards away from where I had pulled over, so I had plenty of time to think, before I reached him. There was plenty of time for my thoughts to bounce around inside my head, causing even more damage than I believed to be possible. I finally was within a few feet, so I called out to the boy, in a panicked voice, “Are….are you o…okay?” No reply. “Umm…b….boy. Do you need….help?” No reply. “Hello? Boy?” The boy continued to walk with his back to me, so I began to get closer, and went to place my hand on his shoulder to make sure he was alright. “SQUAWK! LIAR! SQUAK!” The parrot on his opposite shoulder began to flap wildly as I jumped back a few feet. The boy reached into one of his pockets, removed what appeared to be a cracker, and use it to sooth the parrot’s unknown ailment. But…although he may have calmed down, I swore that I heard the bird still quietly murmuring those words. “Don’t mind him,” the boy said so calmly, “he just becomes…strange sometimes. But why don’t you walk with me for a little bit. Is that okay with you? Do you have somewhere to go? Do you have any plans?” “No…I…I think I can do that. I’ll just…It’ll be fine.” “Good. Make sure you stay a few feet behind me, okay? I wouldn’t want Petey to become started again.” We walked down the tracks in silence at first, but then that intuitive but childlike voice rang out again. “Why did you stop, and come see me? Most often, people will just scream obscenities, or throw trash. What made you into such a kind and courteous citizen this afternoon?” “You reminded me of…someone I know. That’s all. You seemed much too young to be out here like this, and I thought I’d try to help.” “You want to help me? Robert Blackstowe wants to help me. What a world we live in.” “How…how do you know me? How do you know my name? What else do you know?” “I know everything Robert. Petey and I know everything, isn’t that right Petey?” “EVERYTHING! SQUAWK! KNOW IT ALL! SQUAWK!” “Who are you, and what do you want with me? I was just trying to be a “Good Samaritan” and help you out, because you reminded me of my son, alright? I wasn’t trying to abduct you, or mistreat you. Okay?” “I know Robert. You aren’t the type to abuse anyone, or kidnap. That’s not your forte. It’s not in your book of tricks, is it? Petey and I know what you do.” At that moment, the boy began to dart off alongside the railroad tracks, with that parrot on his shoulder. I chased behind me, just out of arms length. He laughed and snickered as I tried to reach out. Finally, with every ounce of confused strength I had, I leaped forward and tackled him to the ground. The parrot squawked one last time as he bounced off of the ground in a flurry of feathers, and took off into the sky. The boy, however, would not fly again. I tackled him to the ground, and had him subdued on his stomach. As I held him down, I yelled at him, “Tell me! Tell me what you want!” At that moment, I turned the boy over to a look of fear and disgust. I saw his face, and my expression must have been the same. It was my son. “Go home Daddy. Why would you do all of those things? Mommy needs you. Daddy…go home Daddy.” I could only run. I ran down those railroad tracks, away from the boy with the parrot on his shoulder. I knew that he was gone, and that he was never there in the first place, but I didn’t want to be wrong. I ran to my car, and drove home to my son, and to my wife.

back to Contest #5