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The Birds

The Rising of the Chosen pt. 2

By Hailey Alexandria BaldwinPublished 3 years ago 6 min read
1
The Birds
Photo by Andreas on Unsplash

*Crack....Bammmm!*

What in the world was that?!

My bag was on my back, and my feet were up on the ground moving before I could wipe the sleep gunk out of my eyes. “Surely it was just a branch, hopefully it was just a branch.”

The early morning sun peeked through the overhanging tree limbs, and the warning songs of the birds filled the air. Oddly enough, their songs keep me safe. If the birds are silent, I know I am okay, but today... they were roaring. Their hastened tweets sounded like a sharp “run, run, run,” and a few soared significantly lower than usual. I ran as fast as my legs would carry me until the birds grew calm.

My mouth tasted like hot garbage, and I knew I was pretty rank too. I would kill for a hot shower and a toothbrush, but those things were few and far between now. I also had bigger things to worry about.

God, don’t tell me I’m lost. I looked at the map and my compass last night, but I’m not good with directions. That was always Micah’s job. “Micah, I need you now! You said you would be with me even when you’re gone, so where are you?!” I hollered and cursed like he could somehow hear me. The anxiety came creeping in, but I knew I needed to shut it down before I fell apart. I quickly pulled my map out of my bag, and went to work.

Unfortunately, my mapping skills were not up to par. Frustrated—doesn’t even begin to describe how I felt. I was about to give up on the whole thing and just walk until I found somewhere safe, when I heard a soft *chirp* above me. A baby yellow-breasted chat landed on my map. “Hello little guy, where did you come from?” He let out a few chirps and pecked at my map.

“What are you doing buddy?! I have to have this map!” He looked at me, chirped, and pecked the map again. I tried to pull the map out from underneath him, but he just landed on the thing again. He pecked the same spot each time. He can’t be telling me where to go....can he? That was too crazy for me to believe. He pecked the map once again, but this time he chirped louder over and over again. “Okay, okay!! I’ll take a look!” He quieted down, looking at me contently.

“What the..” The spot on the map actually matched the coordinates to the safe house that Micah’s mom set up for the family. “How in the world did you know that?” The baby bird almost grinned at me with the sides of his beak, and he flew away in the direction I needed to go. I put my stuff back in my bag and ran to find him, but he was already gone. Was that Micah?

Thoughts flooded my mind, but at least I knew where I was going now. I knew I wouldn’t reach my destination by nightfall, so I planned to go until I found a spot to camp. After three hours of walking through the beaming sun, I came upon a small, slow flowing creek. “I get to wash my boottyyyy!!” I did a little dance, stripped down naked, and jumped in. I was too eager to get into the water to even care to check for snakes or traps, I just wanted to cool off and clean myself.

I fully submerged myself and let my long, matted hair float behind me. Before half the population vanished, my hairdresser included, I kept my hair highlighted to a light blonde, despite the fact that I’m a natural brunette. My hair has long since grown out, and I kind of have a natural, funky ombré going on. Micah said it was beautiful, I just wish he was here now. He would love the water. I miss hi— *chirp!!! chirp!!!*

The yellow-breasted chat swooped and landed on a rock beside a giant water moccasin that had been watching me, waiting for me to get close. I jumped out of the water and threw my clothes back on, but the baby bird immediately flew away again. “Wait!!!” I ran after him, but he was too fast. He was completely unafraid of the snake, even though it could have easily killed him and swallowed him whole. He risked his life for me. Why would he do that?

I couldn’t comprehend how a bird would be willing to risk his life for me the same way that Micah always did, but at the same time, there was a lot in this new world that I couldn’t understand. Life had completely changed, and I was on my own. It hadn’t even been twenty four hours since I lost Micah, and I had become codependent on a bird. I’m losing my mind, definitely going crazy. I couldn’t let myself think like that long, I had to keep moving.

Four hours of pondering my life decisions and walking later, I found a rickety, old boat covered with a tarp. I checked for snakes and bugs, and decided it would be a good spot to rest for the night. It wouldn’t be dark for a few hours, but I didn’t want to keep walking and be stuck in a dark forest alone. I walked a few miles around the circumference of the boat to be sure that no one had a camp close by, and from the looks of it, I was safe.

I settled in with my bag, and looked for something to snack on. I had a squashed loaf of bread, some granola bars, and a bag of peanut mix. I opened the nuts, and started reading some of the love notes that Micah and I had written each other in case one of us had to make it alone. He wrote quite a few more than I did because I honestly thought the idea was morbid, but now I’m glad he left me tiny pieces of himself for me to hold on to.

“Dear Miranda,” I read. “If you’re reading this, I’m gone, but don’t be discouraged. You can do all things! There is nothing you cannot do, and no threat that you cannot face. I should’ve told you that I loved you more because I do very much.”

The tears started forming in my eyes, and my spit got incredibly thick. A lump formed in my throat that made it hard to swallow, but I continued reading anyways.

“I have kept something from you because I thought that you would judge me, but I listened to what your mom said. I started doing some research after the disappearances, and I think it might really be the rapture. I hope that I am in Heaven now, and that I will see you again one day. Hopefully not soon though! I want you to live a long life honey.”

I cannot believe he would keep something like this from me! I became infuriated, and the tears started pouring down my cheeks. We both agreed that my mother was a loon, one of those religious people who always wants to shove the Bible down your throat.

“Don’t be mad,” I read.....I’m not, I’m livid Micah...

“I am telling you this because you still have plenty of time to decide, but you have to decide before it’s too late. I can’t tell you what to believe, but I can encourage you to pray and see what happens.

I will love you all the time and every day.

Love,

Micah”

To be continued....

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