An Nimh Milse
The Little Bird
The sun was bright as she opened her eyes. Around her the tall grass of the meadow her family frequented swayed in the wind as it towered to the sky. She could hear the giggles of her family a few feet away as they played tag. She sat up from her bed of grass and watched them for a moment. Momma was chasing Daddy around the tree, she was it. Sheila was standing a few feet away watching. She was still too little to really play but she had the biggest smile on her face anyway. Fallon had climbed the tree to get away from being tagged but now that Daddy was it he easily reached up and tagged his foot.
Darcy watched them for a few more moments before lying back down in the grass. Above her the clouds made shapes and as she watched them, the shapes seemed to make a story. The story of a little blue bird that’s feathers weren’t as bright as the rest. The other blue birds made fun of her and then left her out of the games they played. Soon the blue bird stopped caring about what games the others played, she was happy in her solitude. Eventually her feathers turned brighter and the other birds started to invite her to play with them but they were too late.
The little bird had stopped caring.
~*~
“Have a good first day at school,” her mother kissed Sheila on the forehead and turned to Fallon. “Do you even brush your hair?” She sighed trying to tame his orange locks.
Fallon grinned, “Nope.”
She rolled her eyes before turning to Darcy and the look appeared on her face. The- I'm sorry for moving for the fifth time since you were four-look. The- Please don’t hide away inside your shell this time -look. The- I'm afraid you’ll never make friends –look. Even at nine Darcy understood the look and it made her stomach turn.
“How are you feeling?” she asked crouching down in front of her eldest daughter.
Darcy shrugged, “Fine.”
“You’ll do great,” she said pushing the dark red strands of hair from the little girls face. “You’ll have tones of friends and be really happy here.”
Until we move again, Darcy thought but gave her mom a smile. “Okay Momma.”
“THE BUS!” Sheila squealed next to them. “Momma, Momma! Look the bus!” their mother turned her attention to her youngest child and began celebrating with her. Darcy looked up the block where the bus approached like an evil dragon coming to swallow the little blue bird whole.
And so it began. Another year she would sit alone on the bus. No one approached her and she didn’t reach out. Another year she would eat alone in the corner of the lunch room. Another yes she would sit in class and kept her head down and tried not to be noticed. Another year she would spend recess in the library with her nose in a book, many of which should have been years beyond her understanding, instead of outside in the sunshine.
It was better this way, she thought. Around her they chatted happily amongst themselves, dozens of kids whose names she didn’t know or care to know. We’re only going to move again, she told herself, I can’t have friends because I’ll move. If I have friends it’ll only be harder. I can’t afford the attachment.
The little bird couldn’t care.
~*~
Darcy watched them for a few more moments before lying back down in the grass. Above her the clouds made shapes and as she watched them, the shapes seemed to make a story. The story of a little blue bird that’s feathers weren’t as bright as the rest. The other blue birds made fun of her and then left her out of the games they played. Soon the blue bird stopped caring about what games the others played, she was happy in her solitude. Eventually her feathers turned brighter and the other birds started to invite her to play with them but they were too late.
The little bird had stopped caring.
~*~
“Have a good first day at school,” her mother kissed Sheila on the forehead and turned to Fallon. “Do you even brush your hair?” She sighed trying to tame his orange locks.
Fallon grinned, “Nope.”
She rolled her eyes before turning to Darcy and the look appeared on her face. The- I'm sorry for moving for the fifth time since you were four-look. The- Please don’t hide away inside your shell this time -look. The- I'm afraid you’ll never make friends –look. Even at nine Darcy understood the look and it made her stomach turn.
“How are you feeling?” she asked crouching down in front of her eldest daughter.
Darcy shrugged, “Fine.”
“You’ll do great,” she said pushing the dark red strands of hair from the little girls face. “You’ll have tones of friends and be really happy here.”
Until we move again, Darcy thought but gave her mom a smile. “Okay Momma.”
“THE BUS!” Sheila squealed next to them. “Momma, Momma! Look the bus!” their mother turned her attention to her youngest child and began celebrating with her. Darcy looked up the block where the bus approached like an evil dragon coming to swallow the little blue bird whole.
And so it began. Another year she would sit alone on the bus. No one approached her and she didn’t reach out. Another year she would eat alone in the corner of the lunch room. Another yes she would sit in class and kept her head down and tried not to be noticed. Another year she would spend recess in the library with her nose in a book, many of which should have been years beyond her understanding, instead of outside in the sunshine.
It was better this way, she thought. Around her they chatted happily amongst themselves, dozens of kids whose names she didn’t know or care to know. We’re only going to move again, she told herself, I can’t have friends because I’ll move. If I have friends it’ll only be harder. I can’t afford the attachment.
The little bird couldn’t care.
~*~