Caged

The next day I found out I had gotten a weekend job to help other shifters do a neighborhood watch at night. They knew I was of high school age, so they told me that I was to only take the weekend shifts, starting at eight at night and ending at three in the morning. I was to do the job on Friday nights, and Saturday nights only, and to follow my boss' orders.

My parents were the ones wanting me to do the job, since it would be good for me to have a job and get some work experience. They knew the boss personally, and knew that I stayed up on weekends anyway.

They knew I was in good hands.

Mr. Bertrand was my boss, and I was to follow his orders while on duty. I met him at noon and shook his hand. My parents wanted me to get acquainted before I start my job the following weekend. He had dark hair and dark eyes, which fit his black mask that had an orange beak that we were all required to wear. He was a crow when he wasn't human, a bird like me. He was nice enough, and wasn't rude to me or talked me down because I was a teenager. I had a feeling we were going to get along fine.

"You're going to meet the rest of the team when you report to work next Friday," he informed me, smiling at me. I smiled back and nodded, showing I understood. He nodded back before leaving my living room, exiting through the front door.

Friday came quickly, and before I knew it I needed to go to work. Mr. Bertrand told me that who we were working with were neighbors, and even though they were so, that it was required to change into our animal before leaving the house. We were to change and meet at the beginning of the neighborhood where the welcome sign was located.

My mom suggested changing in the kitchen, and that she'd open the clear sliding door leading to our backyard so I could fly out that way. I nodded and stood next to the sink. I closed my eyes and thought of the falcon. How strong of a bird it was, how swift and fearless it was.

I was the falcon. I opened my sharpened eyes, my clothes and mask strewn around me. I cawed, and flapped my wings, flying out the opened screen door. I flew over the neighborhood, looking for the welcome sign. I found it within minutes, and swooped down, landing on the sign. As soon as I landed I heard a caw to my left. I turned my head to see Mr. Bertrand's crow form calling me over. He was up on a boulder nearer to the forest of trees surrounding our neighborhood. I flew over, landing next to him.

"Welcome to the Neighborhood Watch, kid," he cawed, his wings flapped slightly.

"Where is everyone?" I asked, trying not to cause too much noise. You didn't want anyone running at you with a broom trying to get you away.

"They're here, but in hiding. We watch for anyone suspicious coming into the neighborhood. Plus, we have different posts in the sections of the neighborhood. People as well as animals can get in anywhere." He flew to a low-lying tree branch, beckoning me to follow him. "Stay quiet and watch."

I flew to a higher branch, settling in to watch for anyone coming. I was perched there for half the night, just watching the occasional homeless person walk by. I perked up when a hooded figure came into view, walking at a brisk pace. I was about to ask Mr. Bertrand if we needed to watch the hooded man closer when he flew and landed on the neighborhood sign. The hooded man turned into the neighborhood, Mr. Bertrand giving out a sharp caw, startling the hooded figure into a run. His hood flew back to reveal no one that I knew. He looked to be in his early twenties, his blonde hair cut short.

I flew after them, Mr. Bertrand pecking at his head. "Get away from me!" the young man shouted, clearly aggravated that he was being attacked. Mr. Bertrand continued pecking at him, trying to direct him towards the outer perimeter of the neighborhood. He gave me a look that said, Help me! It's what you're here for. I flew towards the boy and pecked at his shoulder, trying to get him near the forest.

He did as we hoped and moved towards the outer perimeter of the neighborhood. We continued pecking him even when we moved through the first few feet of trees. It grew darker, since the forest didn't have light posts to show you where you were going. Soon it was pitch black, at least for a human. I noticed movement on the ground around me; animals moving on the forest floor. A red fox grinned in the darkness. A skunk ran to keep up with the young man's tripping feet. A snake slithered under the leaves and roots of the trees. Even a opossum was running along side us.

The young man kept shouting, "Get away from me! What is wrong with you, you flying ball of feathers?" I cackled. That was the best he could come up with? I pecked him particularly hard in the neck, which caused him to yell out in pain and stumble. He fell onto some tree roots and I winced. His knees must be hurting terribly from that. He groaned in pain and balled up into the fetal position.

"Good job, kid," Mr. Bertrand cawed quietly. We all crowded around the man, some of the animals on edge, wondering what he'd do next. Another figure moved near all of us, a woman. I narrowed my eyes at her, wondering what she was doing here. "That's my wife Molly. She speaks to any of the offenders so we don't have to blow our cover."

Mrs. Bertrand knelt down near the groaning man, his eyes closed in pain. "What's your name?" she asked him, shaking his shoulder slightly.

"Nick," he mumbled. "Nick Holly. Who're you?" He turned towards her, opening his eyes slightly. They were a bright blue, like the ocean. They were tossing emotion like the ocean too.

"That's not important. What were you doing sneaking into the neighborhood?" She asked, her voice laced with authority.

"Why do you want to know? I was going to a friend's house, " he said defensively, trying to hold back a groan as his legs constricted with pain from tripping onto the tree roots.

"What's your friend's name? I know everyone in the neighborhood."

He stumbled on his words, coming up with, "Andy Birdshaw."

She narrowed her eyes at him, causing him to squirm under her gaze. "There's not a Birdshaw family in this neighborhood. Or anywhere else in this area, for that matter." She sat him up against the tree, the action causing him to groan in agony and clutch his knees. "Now, I'm going to ask again. What were you doing sneaking into the neighborhood?"

"I, um..." He tried to find his words, but none would come up. He sighed, running his hand through his hair. "I was actually going to go to that house over there in hopes of finding something valuable." His tone was defeated, and then it built up steam, his blue eyes moving over to me and Mr. Bertrand. "But then those birds started pecking all over me, and they wouldn't stop. What the hell is wrong with them?"

"Oh, they were just trying to help with watching the neighborhood from hooligans like yourself," she said dismissively, waving her hand. "Now get up."

He stood up slowly, grimacing at the strain on his knees. Once he reached his full height, she slapped handcuffs on his wrists. "What in the hell?" he said, shocked. "What is this?"

"This is handcuffs, Nick. I'm taking you down to the police station," she said, speaking to him as if he were a toddler.

"You're not a cop."

"No I'm not, but I can still own handcuffs and still take you down to the station," she grabbed his wrist and pulled him towards the street, all of us moving out of the way.

Mr. Bertrand shook his head, and then looked at me, his black feathers concealing him into the forest. All I could really see was his beady eyes and his orange beak. "Your first day on the job was an exciting one, huh, Connor?"

I nodded, my blue feathers ruffling. "It's nearly sunrise. Can I go home now?"

He nodded, and off I flew, back home to change back to my human self and tell my parents what I did.