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Diego's Big Escape

Trinity and Tamara Adventure to Rescue Diego

By Jessica C.Published 2 years ago 21 min read
1

“This is Diego!” a small voice suddenly chirped.

Serena turned around, surprised to suddenly have a child tugging on her shirt. While unexpected, Serena internally shrugged and decided to learn more; life was always more fun with surprises. She turned around and saw two girls. One was holding a Macaw Beanie Baby up, as if to show it off. “Oh, nice to meet you, Diego.”

The other girl, the younger of the two, announced, “He broke his wing.”

“Oh, will he be okay? That must hurt.”

“Diego will be fine because we gave him a cast!” the girls answered with a smile, revealing their handiwork.

The Scarlet Macaw plush had its right wing wrapped in a series of white pipe cleaners, creating a “cast.” While Serena didn’t think it would make the cut for a real bird, but the girls had obviously put immense care into crafting the cast; she could see the meticulous detail used in ensuring the pipe cleaners wrapped around the toy wing securely but not too tightly with no gaps. Serena had witnessed many children’s doctoring of toys previously, and more often than not the patients ended up with crushed limbs in their bindings. These girls prioritized the wellbeing of others, even their toys; that much was clear.

The younger girl stroked Diego’s head, declaring, “He’s a really brave bird! Do you want to hear how it happened? Trinity, tell her the story!”

Trinity glanced at Serena, gauging her interest in the tale. Serena grinned, giving a nod and thumbs up. Trinity’s eyes lit up, and she prepared her narration. She handed Diego to her sister, remarking, “Tamara, hold on to Diego. Here’s the epic saga of Diego’s latest adventure.”

____________________________________________________

Diego strolled along, admiring the fresh air. The morning breeze ruffled his feathers. Sunshine rained down from above, blanketing the world in a soothing warmth. He roamed around without a care while he waited for his sisters to get back from school.

Suddenly, Diego found himself surrounded. The group of larger birds sneered at Diego. Diego was confused, wondering what issue they had with him; he’d never even met them before.

Cocking his head to the side, Diego inquired, “Can I help you with something?”

A green bird (Diego thought it might have been a Yellow-Naped Amazon, but he knew more about his human sisters) snickered, “Sure you can, small fry.”

Diego was baffled by the emphasis on the nickname; he knew that friends often had nicknames for each other, but this one was wrapped in an air of hostility. He couldn’t understand what caused the ill-will.

Noticing his confusion, the other birds’ grins took on a predacious nature. Diego experienced a sinking feeling in his gut.

The African Grey approached him slowly with a twisted, mocking smile. “We’d love for you to help us,” he sneered, shoving Diego to the ground. The rest of the group tittered at Diego’s expense.

A deep chuckled resounded, booming much like the nefarious villains portrayed in cartoons. “There’s no place for shrimpy birds like you, runt. You can help us by getting your miniscule self out of here and never coming back,” the Cockatoo scoffed, yellow crest on his head bobbing in disdain.

The rest of the birds began to harass Diego in agreement with their leader, the Sulfur-Crested Cockatoo. Diego willed himself not to tremble. He was outnumbered, and these birds were filled with animosity. If he didn’t escape soon, he knew their antagonism would escalate. The other birds began closing in, looming overhead with malice oozing from their pores. Before they could ensnare him, Diego slipped away, fleeing their torment.

Diego didn’t know how long he fled, but once he was certain they were no longer tailing him he breathed a sigh of relief. Those bird bullies seemed to merely want to persecute him based off his size. He couldn’t comprehend what their problem was; he couldn’t control how small he was. Even if he was a bit small, that didn’t mean being small was inherently bad, nor did it make it okay to bully others. Diego huffed.

He was grateful to escape their malevolent auras; they were toxic birds, and Diego missed his sisters. He longed to return home, where he belonged and was accepted unconditionally with love. His sisters, Trinity and Tamara, never called him nasty nicknames or harassed him like those other birds. Those bullies were just so frustrating!

Diego sighed before looking around, taking stock of his surroundings. He had wandered quite a far distance from home; he didn’t recognize this place at all. He slowly wandered the area, trying to piece together his current location.

Crystalline, turquoise waves crashed upon the shoreline of white sands. Diego cautiously approached the waters, cocking his head to the side. The sight was absolutely beautiful, and he wished he could share it with his sisters. The salty sea breeze gently caressed his rainbow-colored feathers. This tranquil beach starkly contrasted with his prior encounter with the birds; it almost washed the whole brutal experience away as if it never even happened. Diego took a deep breath, the gentle air soothing his weary soul.

His almost meditative state was broken by two fish. Diego’s heart clenched as he witnessed the smaller fish being chased by a much larger one. Flashbacks to the group of birds flooded his memory, paralyzing Diego in fear for the smaller fish. As the small fish fled, it appeared like it was at a disadvantage. Witnessing the scene, Diego’s heart plummeted in despair.

The smaller fish pulled an unexpected stunt, leaping into the air as the large fish followed as if blinded by its current course of chasing the small fish. The smaller fish winked at Diego, as if this was all going according to plan. Baffled, Diego blinked, stunningly watching the scene unfold. Miraculously, the smaller fish knocked the adversary back into the water. The larger fish was just as shocked as Diego. Horrified dismay appeared upon the larger fish’s face as it was soon swallowed whole by an even larger fish that had been lying in wait. The small fish cheerfully swam off into the distance.

Diego couldn’t believe his eyes but was quite happy for the smaller fish. It had defied the odds. In his stupor he was inattentive to his surroundings. Diego’s vision soon became shrouded in complete blackness as a bag engulfed him whole. Diego struggled, trying to claw his way to freedom, but it was to no avail. His captors, whoever they were, overpowered him, ensuring he stayed ensnared in his confinement. There was a thud as Diego was knocked out, slumping into unconsciousness.

The next thing he knew Diego awoke in a small cage of glistening, steel bars. Despair hung heavy in the air. Diego was trapped, far from home, with no means of escape. He curled up into a ball on the cage floor, wishing he were surrounded with warmth and love rather than this cold, metal prison. The swaying off the boat rocked Diego into a hopeless slumber.

Trinity and Tamara drummed their fingers on the desk, impatiently waiting for the lesson to end. It was always fun to see their friends, but the school day just dragged on sluggishly. Their textbooks droned on about grammar, mathematics, history of wars, and so on. They were bored out of their minds. Heaving a massive sigh, they slumped onto the desk and prayed for something to break the monotony of yet another school day.

A voice came over the intercom, but Trinity and Tamara were ensnared in the depths of their boredom to process what was said. If it kept up much longer, they’d probably start banging their heads on the desk. Ugh. A concerned look crossed their teacher’s face.

“Trinity, Tamara, you’re needed in the office, girls,” she informed them after clearing her throat at the front of the classroom.

“Alright,” the sisters answered, willing themselves not to reveal their excitement; if they weren’t careful, they’d end up merrily skipping out of the classroom, and it wouldn’t do to expose to their just how thrilled they were to escape the classroom.

Once the door closed behind them, they exclaimed a silent, “YEESSSS!!!” with a happy fist pump in the air. The sisters had no idea what they were needed for in the office, but, frankly, they didn’t care. Anything that allowed them to evade the dull repetitive nature of their classes was a Godsend. The girls strolled down the tiled hallways, reaching the office. With a knock they opened the door, peeking inside.

“Hello?” Tamara asked.

“You wanted to see us?” Trinity added.

The principal nodded from her seat at the mahogany desk, gesturing for them to come in. “Please, come in. We have a serious matter to discuss.”

Tamara and Trinity shared a confused look as they sat in the chairs across from the desk. A serious matter? Whatever could she mean?

Waiting for the girls to get settled, she folded her hands and began, “We received a rather disturbing letter. It raised alarm, and we needed to bring it to your awareness.”

“Okay?” Tamara interrupted. “I don’t see what’s so alarming about some letter.”

Trinity bit her lip, questioning, “What did it say?”

The principal paused, seeming unsettled with being the one to break the news. She took a deep breath, deciding to just rip the Band-Aid off. “It’s a ransom letter. Your pet bird has been kidnapped.”

The sisters gasped, losing some of the color in their faces. “But what would they want with Diego? He’s just a sweet bird,” Trinity lamented.

“From what we can gather, it’s because he’s an endangered species. The Macaw’s numbers are dwindling due to habitat destruction and capture for parrot trade. Once extinct, the birds will cease to exist,” the principal explained, handing over the ransom note for the girls to review. “Based off this letter, the kidnapper believed your bird’s plumage had luscious shine and vibrant colors—the supposed ‘crème de la crème of all Macaws.’”

Taking calming breaths, the sister read the note. It was a stereotypical ransom letter with the mishmash of cut out letters. It read: “We’ve been eyeing your luxurious bird for some time now. Your negligence is our gain. We saw our chance and seized it. The supreme paragon of all Macaws is now ours! We’ll consider returning him to you for the sum of one billion dollars. Meet us at the rendezvous point with the money or you’ll never see your bird again. ~Los Prohibidos Trópicos.”

Tamara cocked her head to the side and furrowed her brow in thought. “What the heck—why’d they go and nab our Diego? Who the heck is ‘Los Prohibidos Tropicos’ supposed to be anyway?”

Nibbling her lip and wringing her hands, Trinity’s stomach was in knots. She eyed her sister warily, inquiring, “Do you think he’s okay? Do we really take such terrible care of Diego? They said we neglected him…” Her eyes began to water.

Handing Trinity some tissues, the principal did her best to calm the girls. “I know how much you girls adore your bird. I’m sure he’s fine; as part of an endangered species and considering how they seem to view him as the epitome of Macaws, it would do them no benefit to do him harm,” she explained, pausing in thought. “I believe there were rumors swirling about some group snatching up endangered birds in shadows… Something about selling the top specimens on the black market for a hefty sum. I do believe this shadow group, ‘Los Prohibidos Tropicos,’ was rumored to be led by Selestino Sanchez.”

Slamming her hands on the table, Tamara exclaimed, “We’ve got to stop them!”

“What can we do to help Diego?” Trinity asked. “We’ll do anything!”

“Well…” the principal began, rubbing her chin in thought as if weighing the options. She eyed the girls carefully and seemed to reach her decision, albeit cautiously. “None of us have the ransom money they demanded, leaving only one option… You’ll have to go get him back.”

“Oh yeah! We’ve got this! We’re going to kick some bad guy butt!” Tamara cheered, doing a victory dance.

“I want to rescue Diego, of course, but how are we going to go about saving him? Isn’t it dangerous? I don’t want to wait a second longer, but it’s risky…” Trinity murmured, dread gnawing at her nerves.

“Certainly, it’s a precarious situation. They’d never anticipate you going to rescue your bird, though. They’d believe you’re too frightened to do much of anything, willingly throwing money away for the return of your bird,” the principal noted. “You wouldn’t be going alone,” she added, pressing a secret button hidden in the drawer of her desk.

A secret passage revealed behind the bookcases. The sisters stared in awe. Who knew their school housed such a secret? School didn’t seem so boring any more.

The principal ushered the girls through the passage. “You’ll need to gather supplies and gear. Ms. Diana Anderson will assist you on this daring mission. Best of luck to you. I know you’ll save Diego.”

The secret door closed behind them. Trinity and Tamara shared a look of surprised wonder. It was like they were spies! Excitement crept under their skin before they shook their heads. They needed to focus. Diego was in danger, and it was up to them to rescue him! Well, with the help of Ms. Anderson.

They looked around the secret room. There were so many gadgets and supplies; they didn’t know where to start. Another secret door opened, and a lady entered. Probably Ms. Anderson.

“Greetings, girls. I’ll be assisting you with this imperative rescue mission,” Ms. Anderson announced, preparing several bags of supplies. “Gather your focus, wits, and courage. We’re going to need it.”

The group gathered the needed gear, packing their bags, and headed down the twisting pathways of the hidden corridors. Ms. Anderson guided the way, ensuring the girls didn’t get lost. Trinity and Tamara were amazed. These passages seemed to go on forever! They gazed at their surroundings, wide-eyed with wonder. School would never be boring again—they knew its secrets.

Ms. Anderson led them outside, and they found themselves in an underground cave system. Epic. Their friends would never believe them when they shared the tale of this grand rescue. Gesturing to the covert, black vehicle, Ms. Anderson took the wheel as Trinity and Tamara secured themselves in the backseat.

“When was the last time you saw your Macaw?” Ms. Anderson questioned as she navigated the road with complete ease.

“This morning right before school. Why?” the girls replied in unison.

Eyeing the clock that read 11:11, Ms. Anderson nodded to herself. “They only have a few hours at most then. We should be able to catch up to them fairly easily. Who knows where they would have wound up with more time,” she answered. “But, since we know they haven’t had him long, I have a good suspicion where we’ll find them.”

The girls nodded in excitement, perched on the edge of their seats, eagerly anticipating and envisioning Diego’s rescue. They would save him—no matter what.

A deep, maniacal chuckle resounded in the room, rousing Diego from his slumber. Lethargically blinking his eyes, he took stock of his surroundings. Still captured by cold, metal bars of the cage, Diego sighed and wearily tried to piece together a plan of escape, a plan of action—anything. Excluding himself, the cage was barren. His shoulders slumped in defeat.

A figure emerged from the shadows, stepping into the light. A victorious smirk cemented on his face, the man approached Diego. “How’s my exemplary, feathered friend doing?” he crooned.

Diego slinked off to the corner, trembling from the strange man; Diego didn’t trust him. He seemed… malevolent. Nothing good would come from this man.

The devious smile on the man’s face faltered. “Tsk, it won’t do you any good to cower. It’s beneath you. I shan’t harm you, my luxuriously beauty. You’re my honored guest, and hopefully,” he drawled, “my forever friend. First things first. We’ll need to see what ransom your owners managed to scrape together. I doubt they’ll be able to acquire the billion dollars, so we’ll take their money and keep you, too! Ahhh, what a wonderful day it is.”

Diego recoiled from the man’s wicked nature. He knew this man was bad news. How would he ever get back home to Trinity and Tamara? This cage was no home… It was cold and lifeless, much like his captor. Diego wracked his brain for any idea that would ensure his freedom. With no such luck, he sighed and opted to patiently bide his time. Some kind of opening would appear sooner or later. It had to. The man might make a mistake—he was human, after all. Or maybe he wasn’t. He could have been a devil; Diego had never encountered one of those before, so he couldn’t be certain.

Ms. Anderson parked the car by a discreet dock. Motioning for the girls to follow, she stated, “See that boat off in the distance?” Noticing the girls’ nods, she continued, “It’s rumored to be Selestino Sanchez’s private yacht. I bet you anything your bird is there. Selestino isn’t the type to let any prize out of his sights. We need to get in, secure the bird, and get out. Hopefully, with Selestino none the wiser.”

The sisters shared a look before Tamara voiced their question, “How are we gonna get to his yacht? Don’t tell me—your car can turn into a boat! Or better yet, a submarine!”

Ms. Anderson shot her an exasperated look, explaining, “No, of course not. We’re a public school, after all. We don’t have funds for that.” She gave a dignified huff before continuing, “We’ll need to be inconspicuous. A regular boat would be too noticeable. We’ll be taking a jet ski. You’ll find it down below at the docks.”

Trinity and Tamara accepted the course of action (although it did seem a little anticlimactic compared to spy cars that transform into other modes of transportation). Ensuring the sisters were secured, Ms. Anderson steered the jet ski and prepared for the imminent rescue.

Thankfully, the private yacht didn’t seem to have much in terms of security, and the three were able to board without issue. The rescue party wondered some about the lack of security, especially since Selestino was notorious for his wealth—maybe he was overconfident and didn’t believe anyone would discover his connection with Los Prohibidos Tropicos? Regardless, they weren’t going to look a gift horse in the mouth. Ms. Anderson helped the girls stealthily infiltrate the boat, ensuring the coast was clear. So far so good.

They noticed a stairwell that led below and prepared to investigate when they heard voices coming from the other side of the ship. They swiftly snuck down the stairs, holding their breath as they hid in the shadows. Footsteps passed overhead, and the voices grew faint, meaning whoever it was left. The trio heaved a sigh of relief. They were in the clear. Wishing for some illumination, they searched for a light switch at the bottom of the stairs.

Finding the switch, they turned on the lights; it revealed a spacious, voluptuous cabin that was decked to the nines with all manners of expensive relics, mementos, and decor. Eyes scanning for anything to help their search, the sisters gasped upon spotting a gilded cage.

“Dieg—” Tamara began before being silenced by an elbow prod in her stomach from Trinity.

“Shhhh!” Trinity whispered vehemently. “They might hear you! We have to be quiet and stealthy to rescue him!”

Tamara hit herself on the forehead, mouthing “Duh!” and nodding. Nothing would stop them now. They were too close.

The trio adeptly crept over to the cage housing Diego. It seemed Selestino spared no expense on the glistening cage, but it more resembled a display case rather than a home for a bird. The jerk didn’t even provide Diego food, water, toys, or any sort of comfort. Did Selestino think he was some kind of doll or keepsake? He was a living being, for Pete’s sake! The sisters silently fumed over the treatment of their precious Diego.

Ms. Anderson began to try to unlock the cage, but it was intricate and complex. She furrowed her brow, immersed in her task. Trinity and Tamara bit their lips, praying for success. Selestino and his crew could appear at any time now—

“Well, well, well. What have we here? Some interlopers and thieves, eh?” The booming voice of Selestino filled the room. “Trying to snatch my perfect prize of a Macaw? I don’t think so.”

“Hurry, Ms. Anderson!!” the girls pled.

“Hold on, I’ve almost got it,” she murmured, trying to get the final component unlatched.

Selestino chuckled, presuming he’d won. “It’s too late for a rescue. Too late for the bird, and now, too late for you. With a snap of my fingers you’ll be done for.” He proceeded to approach the trio, looming as if he were an unstoppable god.

“Ah-ha!” Ms. Anderson celebrated as the cage unlocked, “I did it!”

“Not so fast!” Selestino interrupted, trying to snatch the cage.

Diego refused to be locked away again, however, and flew out of the cage. A plan formed as he assessed the situation. Course set, he sprung into action, swooping overhead and bashing the glittering cage on top of Selestino’s head. Trinity and Tamara cheered; he was unconscious, ensuring their escape.

“Come on, girls,” Ms. Anderson demanded. “He won’t be unconscious forever, and we need to escape now—all that commotion could have alerted his goons!”

Ms. Anderson grabbed the girls, preparing to drag them off the boat, when Trinity cried out, “Oh no! Diego’s hurt!”

Tears in her eyes, she picked up Diego as he favored his wing. “Poor baby,” she crooned. “Don’t worry. We’ll take you home and fix you up. We’ll never be separated again,” Trinity promised.

Cradling Diego in her arms, she joined the others as they made their escape. They stealthily made their way back to the jet ski and headed back to shore.

They were a decent distance away from the yacht when they heard Selestino shout, “Don’t think you’ve escaped with my prize yet! I have a secret weapon!”

Tamara looked over her shoulder, witnessing Selestino hold his aching head and preparing to press a big, red button. Dread knotted in her gut. Whatever that button was, it was bad news. “Guys, can this thing go any faster? He’s going to push that dastardly button!”

Selestino chuckled as he unleashed his ultimate weapon. He smirked, convinced he was victorious. If he couldn’t have the bird, no one could.

The group had almost made it to shore. Warily, Tamara eyed the water. She grew pale. Was that a fin she just saw? A massive jaw of infinite teeth broke the water’s surface.

Tamara gripped her arms around her sister tighter. “Oh Lord, he sent out a shark! Why’d it have to be a Great White?!”

The Great White had almost ensnared them in its sharp jaw when they skidded across the sandy shore. They were safe. They breathed a sigh of relief. So much for Selestino’s ultimate weapon—it couldn’t do them any harm on the beach. Selestino cursed upon his yacht—his plans were foiled. Those brats!

Trinity and Tamara enveloped Diego in a group hug, mindful of his injury, and breathed a sigh of relief. Diego was back. He was safe and sound, and nothing would separate them again. Ms. Anderson made a call, and Selestino Sanchez was soon arrested for kidnapping. He’d never be terrorizing Diego and his family ever again.

____________________________________________________

“And that’s how Diego broke his wing. It was rather intense and arduous, but we saved him!” Trinity exclaimed.

“It’s a true story, too!” Tamara added, cuddling Diego. “We’d do anything to keep him safe; he’s family!”

Serena blinked. “That was quite the thrilling tale. I’m sure Diego appreciates all your efforts.”

Serena smiled. Whether or not there was any truth to the story or if it was merely a tall tale, it was great to see kids so excited about the Macaw. If nothing else, they were incredibly imaginative and passionate, and the world could use more individuals like them.

Unfortunately, the tropical birds were endangered and in need of serious protection. Humanity contained great potential for good and harm; humanity held within itself the light and the dark. Mother Earth had suffered great losses due to humanity’s corruption and greed, many species going extinct and losing their natural habitats to deforestation. All living creatures called Mother Earth their home, and they have just as much right to live here as humans; they needed protection from the darker side of humanity and advocation for conservation of their habitats. It warmed Serena’s heart, knowing that these two would raise awareness for the endangered Macaws.

Series
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About the Creator

Jessica C.

I've always enjoyed creating, whether it be art or stories. I've enjoyed creating art from a young age and have worked in a variety of schools. I adore anime & cats. Over the summer we adopted baby Tsuki/Tsukihime, my moon princess kitten.

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