The Bird and The Boy

Once upon a time, there was a young boy named Allan.

Allan was seven years old and everyone ignored him.

His parents ignored him, at school his teachers ignored him, and he had no friends.

He was a very lonely boy.

One day on his way home from school, he found a small grey bird crying for its mother. Allan picked up the small bird with careful hands. The bird snuggled up in Allan’s hands for they were warm and it was the beginning of a harsh winter and soon, snow would come.

Allan decided to take it the little bird to his house and take care of it.

Months passed and no one knew about the slowly growing bird in Allan’s room. 

It was a secret that only Allan and the bird held. 

Everyday, when Allan would get home, he’d run up to his bedroom and lock the door behind him. His parents never paid any close attention to their son’s new behavior. They were too busy with their lives.  

But Allan didn’t care.

He was the happiest boy in the world.

After coming home one evening, Allan opened the door of his room like he always did and found the bird perched on Allan’s desk looking outside the window. Allan felt pain in his heart and all at once he knew that he had to let the bird go free.  He began to cry and the bird, feeling the boy’s sadness, hopped on his shoulder. 

The bird had grown bigger, his wings no longer puffy and gray, but instead a black as dark and glossy as the starry nights. His beak strong and black, ruffled Allan’s hair in loving comfort which only brought more tears to the boy’s eyes.

A silent moment passed between the bird before Allan broke it. He carefully took the bird in his hands and walked outside of the house. The bird stayed still in the boy’s small hands, watching his new surroundings with evident interest.

Allan kissed the top of the birds head then released it. He willed the bird to go, tears running down his face like a small stream before it dripping on the sidewalk.

The bird glanced at Allan then, with a flap of its wings, it flew. 

But after being confined in Allan’s room for so long, the bird had forgotten how to fly. 

It landed in the middle of the street exhausted from the small attempt to take flight.

Allan panicked, for he saw his mother’s car nearing. Without a second though, the boy crossed the street and held the bird close at the same time a sickening thud echoed, followed by screeching of tires...

Once upon a time, there was a young boy named Allan. 

Allan was seven years old and everyone ignored him. 

But then one day everything changed and everyone cared. 

Except Allan never lived to see it and the only reminder of what life had left behind was a beautiful black bird that survived.

Original Story by Lady Kumkuat

Pictures from Pinterest