text: I’m just a bird. I can’t do much. I like to make sounds at other sounds. I don’t go hunting for food like relatives of mine. My little protector feeds me every day, as soon as he walks through the big blue door at the front of the house. My silver cage is in the living room next to the blue door, in the corner between two couches. It’s hung up low, so that my little protector can sort of reach me. The two loud people that live with my protector aren’t so nice. They don’t bring food, they barely even look in my direction. It must have something to do with their size. I’m small, and I get along with my small protector swimmingly. They are big and they are not that nice to small things. The blue door swings open slowly, and I feel a drive to let out my beautiful song! But I cannot. If this is a loud person, they will only return with angry loudness at my song. I do not like their loudness. Before I was brought here, I heard many many beautiful loud sounds from birds just like me. I sometimes try to mimic them myself - but not these kinds of sounds. The loud people here only sing about anger and redness. Red like their faces, or red like their hands. A blonde head pokes through the doorway. Small protector! It has been so long since I’ve seen you - oh you look just the same! How wonderful. I let out a small chime to let him know how excited I am to see him. “Hello Angel I hope you had a good sleep today!” the small protector picks up a bag from under the kitchen sink and walks over with a scoop of food. Oh right! He calls me Angel - how pretty. It must be because of my white feathers - yes that's it. Wait what's that smell... Oh! There is food behind me now! I cock my head around and look at small protector. He’s standing on the tips of his toes to be able to see me in my cage. Did you put that food there? Well I’m going to eat it anyway. The blue door is thrown open with a loud slam and my feathers ruffle up. Wow I hate when that happens! Small protector, you look worried. I am okay - let me just clean myself and make sure I’m pretty. Then I will eat my lunch. The biggest and loudest walks through the doorway and slams the door behind him. Darn it! My feathers ruffled again! Small protector please watch out for me while I fix this. “You’re home early today daddy.” small protector has a shake in his voice now. I wish I could put a shake on my voice. “I got fired... “ as soon as his sound reaches me so does his musty smell. Why does he smell so... sour? Has he been eating too many treats? The big person lets out a cackle, and takes a small metal flask out from his jacket pocket. “Or should I say... laid off...” he takes a quick swig and puts it back into his pocket. My small protector looks conflicted, his eyes dart from one side to the other. “Daddy what does laid off mean?” The loud person stomps his way to the kitchen before slugging his shoes off in the middle of the floor. Now his voice is loud again. “Laid off is when your boss is too much of a pussy to say you’re fired!” He takes off his jacket aggressively and throws it on the floor. A soft clang is heard and a look of utter horror is plastered on the loud person’s face. His eyebrows lower as he kneels and moves his jacket. Oh! A puddle is there now! Someone isn’t potty trained - I remember small protector trying so hard to train me so he wouldn’t get screamed at by the loud people. I got so many treats I learned pretty fast but apparently the loud people have to go back to basics. “You just made me forget about my booze! Your stupid and dumb questions just cost me half a mickey.” I don’t think me or small protector know what measurement “half a mickey” is, but the loud person has a red face now so it must be very important to him. This usually means something loud is about to happen. I really wish I could cover my ears like small protector does. That looks safe. “I... I’m sorry daddy.” “You just always gotta have your mouth open yeah? You never know when to just SHUT UP.” He shouted the last two words so loud! Wow! I don’t think I’ve ever been that loud. Small protector looks really scared now... maybe he wants treats? I don’t have any near me to give him though... well now I feel sad for small protector! He has helped me so much but now he needs my help! The loud person has stepped closer to me and small protector. He is stood right beside him, towering over like a big oak tree. “Remember last thanksgiving? AH?!” “I... I’m sorry daddy! I said I was sorry already - “ “ALREADY? You think thats ENOUGH? Do you think you really learned your lesson?” Yes! Yes he has! Small protector got yelled at for ruining thanksgiving last year even I can remember that and I have a bird brain! “I... I said I was sorry to mo - “ “Mom is not here right now!” the loud person raises his arm high into the air and small protector shrieks. “NO!” I shout. The loud man puts his back up straight and looks at me. Small protector turns to look at me, with watery eyes and sweaty palms. It worked! My song stopped him! “NO!!!” I sing. “Tell your stupid bird to be qui - “ I don’t like that tone! “NO!!!!” Small protector crawls his way into the corner, behing my silver cage. He grips my stand until his knuckles go white and he sobs for the loud person to leave him alone. The loud person doesn’t listen to small protector... but maybe he will listen to me! “NO!!!” The loud person points a finger directly at me. “I will eat you for dinner tonight if you do not shut up right now.” Ha! He’s starting to repeat himself... maybe he’s related to the parrots. Parrots are so annoying! It all makes sense now. Well my only option is to be even MORE annoying. “No! No! No! No! No! No!” I can keep this up all day, how long can YOU be loud for? The pointed finger comes closer to my cage and I peak my beak out, getting a tiny nip on his skin. “Ow!” He backs up, taken by surprise. He sticks his finger into his mouth and turns to the kitchen mess. “I want you to clean up your mess and then bring a beer to me upstairs, got it?” Small protector puts on a very brave face. “Got it.” The loud person grunts and starts his walk up the stairs, away from small protector. Small protector rushes to the kitchen, hops over the puddle, and onto the countertop. Oh! He’s looking for treats! How many do I get now?! 3 or maybe even 4!! Small protector runs over with the entire box, half a smile glued to his face. “I don’t know how many you should get so... “ He pours a big pile into my cage and I can’t help but tweet and do a fast twirl! All of this for just scaring away the really loud people! I could get used to this. ---------------------------------- If you made it this far - thank you! I really appreciate the time it took to read this. Hopefully you enjoyed reading the story as much as I had fun writing from the POV of a bird. Go easy on me in the comments since it’s my first time posting. Or don’t. Whichever is more fun.