The Untold Story

“Daaaadddyy please please tell us what happened! We can’t take it anymore!”

“Yeah dad, you said you would tell us if we won the game.”

“Okay okay let's clean up first, you guys are getting way too smart for me!” I said.

My two little girls are standing right in front of me, begging to tell them something I have never told anyone, not even their mom. I don’t know what I got myself into.. As I was thinking this, I caught a glimpse of what seemed like an owl flying right by my girl's bedroom window. Huh that was weird, then I just got this feeling that I couldn’t shake off until I realized why I was feeling this way. The perfect story I could tell my girls, a story I have never told anyone, afraid they might think I was crazy.

My girls and I gather around and I begin the story. “So it all started with a family, but not any old family, a family of owls.”

“Woooowww” my littlest girl Sammy said.

“This family of owls had a father like me, a mother like mommy, and two baby girl owls like you both.” as I tickle them, “Daddyyyy stopppp” Sammy says while laughing.

“Okay okay. Where was I?”

“The owl family!” Sammy shouted.

“Oh yea, thank you. So as I was saying, there was this family of owls but this particular family wasn't like other owls, they could talk!” I said.

“Dad! We said a REAL story!” my eldest daughter Emily said.

“Oh but sweetheart, this was a REAL story, let me finish.” I replied.

It began when I was a little boy. My parents were the sweetest people you could imagine but my dad was always struggling with work. No one would hire him because he had a reputation of showing up late which was true but only because we couldn’t afford to buy a car and he had to always take the bus. Regardless, I had so much fun. My friends and I walked everywhere. We would always play basketball with my neighbors and when we weren’t, we would be playing video games at my friends house. It was super awesome.

Well my dad eventually got a job offer, but it was in the countryside. The thing about this was we lived right in the middle of a big city. My grandparents were even born in this city so we all were definitely not accustomed to that countryside lifestyle but being short on money, my dad was willing to do anything to provide. He finally convinced my mom that this would be a great opportunity and mom hesitatingly agreed due to being short on money. The job was simple, we would live on this farm and my dad would help take care of all the farm animals. When we did have to go, I was very sad to leave my friends, school, and games but we didn’t have an option so I accepted it. We packed up our things and left the city life behind us.

When we first moved, I’ll admit that it was pretty cool. There were cows, pigs, chickens, horses, and more! I think I had only seen a chicken once before and that was because it had jumped out of the bed of a farmer's truck back in the city. Everyone saw him chasing the chicken around, it was super funny!

Well.. I soon learned that chickens aren’t as cool as I thought. They are loud and for some reason they love to chase me around. The pigs are big and scary and soooo dirty, I can’t believe this is where we get our bacon from! Don’t even get me started with the cows! You wouldn’t believe how many piles of cow poop I had stepped in, and we just moved in!

I had a hard bed, there was not one building in sight for hours, and I had to wait weeks to get a letter from my friends. As months and months went by, my parents would hear me complain about this place every SINGLE day. I hate it here! I always told them “please let's just move back, I will do anything. I’ll even get a job” but it was the same old story, “yOuR FAtHeR HaS tO sUpPorT uS and blah blah blah” I was so sick and tired of this place. I want to move back to the city, back where things were nice, simpler, and we didn’t have to live on a farm.

One day, my father told me the most beautiful words I have ever heard in my life. “Hey son, I guess you got your wish, we are moving back! I got a job offer doing…” I was too excited to listen to whatever else my dad had to say because he had said the exact words that I have been wanting to hear for the past 10 months!

“When are we moving??? When are we moving???” I interrupted and eagerly asked.

“Okay! We are leaving in about a month, I have already told your mother and she is almost as excited as you are. My boss is…” as my dad continued but I didn’t listen again. Wow we are really leaving. What is one more month? I can put up with that if it means being back in my soft bed without having to wake up to the smell of manure every morning. I was so excited that I had already packed up my belongings just in case we were going to leave earlier.

As I am counting down day after day I realize “wow this is going by sooo sloowww.”

My dad then calls me from outside the house one day “Hey Charlie, the days aren’t going to go any faster by counting, come outside and do something productive.”

“Okay I guess I'll feed the horses” I said annoyed because he was definitely right.

I headed to the barn in the back of the house, dodging those poop piles that I am definitely not going to miss. It’s a little dim in the barn because there are no lights on, but because it’s daytime I am able to see with the light shining through the windows just enough to gather the haystacks.

I enter the barn like any other day but for some reason on this particular day, I hear what almost sounded like whispering. I instantly look up and around. I don’t see anything unusual. I only see the two barn owls that are always here.

“Eh, maybe I'm just hearing things” I say to myself. I continue trying to gather the hay.

“Just do it, we are desperate” “No this won’t work.” I look up fast again and see no one.

“Uhhhh okay, the poop is definitely getting to my head now. I am so happy we are finally getting out of here.” I say to myself again but trying to hurry this time.

Just as I was about to leave, I all of a sudden heard a woman's voice clearly say “Wait! Little boy!” I freak out, turn around swiftly, and see the two barn owls flying towards me.

“Please we need your help!” That voice again, except it seems like it is coming from one of the owls?

“Hello?” I hesitatingly responded.

“Please you need to help us, we…” Before the owl could finish I screamed “AHHHHHH WHAT THE.”

Just then my dad ran over as soon as he heard my screams. “What? What? What happened? Are you okay?” He worriedly asked.

“ONE OF THOSE OWLS JUST TALKED!!” I said scared, confused, not sure what to think or feel. My dad just started laughing his butt off, he thought it was hilarious while I was standing there shaking.

“Wheeew haha you really had me, good one son!”

“NO DAD I AM BEING SERIOUS!”

“Okay woah son, we really need to get you out of here. The manure is really getting to your head” dad said laughingly while walking away.

Maybe he’s right? Maybe it was all in my head, I think to myself while staring at the owls. “Huh, well okay then.. I am just going to walk away now?..” I say loudly, expecting to hear some kind of response. I don’t hear anything.

“Man, I am crazy.” As I am walking away, I hear a man’s voice now say “I told you he wouldn’t help, this was a waste of time.”

I immediately turn around and start marching towards the owls, “I just heard you talk.”

“Yeah, so what?” the male owl says.

“What the- How are you able to do that?” I was right but still very shocked.

“Uh hello? we could always talk, we just didn’t say anything because we knew humans wouldn’t be able to handle it. Well, that was until my wife here decided it was such a great idea trying to talk to you” He said sarcastically.

“Me? Why me? Talk to me about what? What is happening?”

“Sweetheart, listen, the farm is being sold to a businessman from the city, he wants to tear this whole farm down, including our home and build buildings all over this place” said the female owl.

“What? I didn’t hear about any of this? Why not just find a different place?” After thinking about it, maybe that was what my dad was going on about.

“Well, first you can’t fly for a long time while being pregnant” The male owl said while looking at the female owl.

The female owl continues “And second it is almost winter time, we weren’t prepared at all to leave. We thought we would stay here for all of winter and now we are scared we won’t have a home to stay in.. Please, this barn has also been through generations of family and we want to raise our girls here, just like how their father was.”

“Bell, please don’t spread false information. Sorry boy, we don’t know what the babies are going to be yet. I mean I personally think they are going to be boys just like their owl dad here.” The male owl says.

“Jim, I am not lying! I know it's going to be girls! I can feel it” Bell replies.

“Okay honey, whatever you say” Jim says rolling his eyes.

“Anyway, please kid, we need your help! We can’t do anything about it by ourselves. We are so desperate! and if anyone finds out we talked, we will be captured and experimented on!”

Still unsure about everything, all that came out was “w-what would I need to do exactly?”

“Please convince old farmer Steve to not sell the farm, the deal is going to be sealed by the end of month. Your father is being hired by this businessman. Your dad is going to be one of the main workers knocking this place down and helping build those horrible buildings! Please, we don’t have enough time.”

Wow, this is too much to process. All I know right now is that I hate it here… Yea… I really do hate it here! Wow, I actually can’t believe this. How dare they ask me to do this!! If I convince Mr. Steve to not sell the farm then my dad won’t get that job and we won’t be able to move back to the city. We will be forced to stay here and I will not spend another second here if we don’t have to!

“No” I muttered.

“Wait what?” Jim said.

“NO!” I said louder this time.

“Please we need your help, we can’t do this on our own. Think of our babie-” Bell begged but I cut her off

“I SAID NO!! I AM NOT GOING TO DO ANY OF THAT. I HOPE THIS PLACE BURNS TO THE GROUND. I HATE IT HERE!!” I then stormed out of the barn.

Over the next couple weeks, every night without a miss, I see that same female owl fly by my window. It only enrages my anger and wanting to leave more so. The next day I decide to go outside and get some fresh air since I have been cooped up in the house angry at those insensitive owls. As I am outside, I kick and throw rocks while thinking. “I mean how could those owls even think to ask me that? They don’t know me or my life, It’s not like I asked for my dad to take this stupid job at this stupid farm! It’s not like I wanted to deal with these stupid animals! It’s not like I asked for my parents to be poor!” I think to myself as I throw a rock really high this time. It almost hits Mr. Steve.

“Woah buddy” Mr. Steve says as he dodges the rock.

“Oh my, I am so sorry Mr. Steve!” I said embarrassed “Are you okay?”

He replied laughing “Yea sonny boy, it’s gonna take a whole lot more to take down ol uncle steve here.”

I chuckle a little while walking towards him. “Well I am sorry Mr. Steve… You must be really happy you don’t have to take care of any of these animals anymore huh” I say.

“What? I am miserable. These animals were my life, I know it ain’t seem like much coming from a city boy like ya self but I would take this over anything.” Mr. Steve says, trying to hide his sadness.

Miserable? Meaning he is sad about leaving these farm animals? Well that’s stupid.. right? I think, questioning myself.

“You.. actually like these animals?” I said while being confused.

Steve laughs and replies “Come. Let’s take a walk.”

Mr. Steve starts walking straight to the back towards the barn, I hesitatingly followed. We walk inside the cool dim barn.

“Ya know, this was where I proposed to my wife. She was also from the city. When I saw her, I ain’t ever seen someone so beautiful. It was almost like we instantly both knew that we were going to marry each other one day. Well, she eventually moved over here with me one day and let me tell you, she haaated this place with every inch of her body.” Steve chuckles “Rosemary had no idea what she got herself into... It was also her first time seeing a chicken too! Can you believe that?”

“Well it was my second time” I said proud of myself.

“Haha wow, good for you kid.” Steve sighs. “Rosemary eventually adjusted and actually ended up loving the countryside more than I did! She actually sat inside this very barn every night and swore she could hear the animals talking! Haha… I don’t doubt it though. Rose had this warming aura that makes you drawn to her and spill all your deepest secrets. Hmmmm.. she was definitely one of a kind.”

“If you don’t mind me asking, what happened to her?”

“Well.. it was the very thing that she loved the most that killed her... We didn’t know what happened to her horse at the time but he just started acting up and her being the sweetest, ran up to him trying to calm him but like I said, he just wasn’t himself. So, he… he just kicked her, real hard, and she didn’t make it.” He says broken heartedly while petting a horse.

“WHAT?? Why are you taking care of these horses?? They killed your wife! You need to get even and get rid of them!!! Who cares what happens to them!” I said angrily. As I was about to say more, Mr. Steve cut me off.

“Son, please..…” Steve sighs again while also trying to hold back his tears

“As she was laying on the ground, dying in my arms, I wanted nothing more but to kill that horse... However even in her last moments, she made me promise to not hate her horse, and that it wasn’t his fault! I was scared, confused, and angry, so very angry. She told me she loved me more than anything and to take care of her horse, the same horse that killed her!, as if I was taking care of her. How could I? How could I ever look at that horse ever the same?” Steve stops and takes another deep breath. “When she passed, I didn’t look at that horse the same. I looked at him as if I was looking right into her eyes. Every single day since, I have loved that horse as if it was her. I even talked to him. I had no hate or anger towards that horse because I knew she wouldn't have wanted it that way. Sadly he passed right before you guys came here and that’s why I asked your father for help. I just felt alone and sad, I wasn’t providing the best care for the remaining animals….. But next thing you know, there's a businessman offering to buy my farm and I thought there's no way I would sell it at first but now, I realize I have nothing left here.”

“Wow. I am so sorry, I had no idea…”

“It’s okay sonny boy, just remember that life ain’t always going to go your way and that’s okay, appreciate what you have now” Steve says smiling with tears in his eyes, leaving me alone in the barn.

I am speechless. Those words really got to me. I remember looking back on how I treated my parents, giving them such a hard time when all they wanted was the best for me. Complaining all day and all night while my dad was working hard at a job he doesn’t even like, all day and all night, just trying to put food in our mouths! ooooo and the owls, I think to myself shamefully. Oh the owls!

I look up and I see the owls. They heard everything.

“Hey… I am so sorry.. I am so ashamed of myself. I was selfish and I put my wants first instead of others who were actually in need.. Please let me help you….” I say as I start tearing up.

The female owl comes down “Hey Charlie, sh sh it’s okay baby” she says comforting me. “We understand. I know you're a good kid, that’s why I chose to talk to you and ask for your help. I just knew you would come around so thank you.”

Bell is a lot smaller now. She must have laid her eggs already. I definitely need to help them now or the babies won’t survive.

“You know, when I was a little boy, I fell out of the nest in this very barn and broke my wing. Rosemary was luckily there for the rescue, she patched up my wing and watched over me until I got better… Old man Steve was not wrong, there was something about her that made me feel warm and want to talk to her. Ever since Rose helped me, I talked to her every night before she passed. I remember even telling her about Bell and being so nervous.” Jim sighs “She was definitely one of a kind...”

“I am so sorry. She sounds amazing, I wish I could have met her… I will do everything I can to make sure you guys keep your home, I promise!” I say to the owls while walking out of the barn.

As I left the barn, I didn’t realize how late it was getting. I ran inside the house and my mom had just finished making dinner. Perfect! I can talk to my dad. We all sit down and my parents start eating.

“Dad, you can’t tear down this farm!” I blurted out.

“Huh? I thought you hated this place?” Dad chuckles.

“Well… I don’t anymore... I did some thinking and it was wrong of me. These animals are beautiful and actually have a mind of their own.”

“What are you talking about? Mind of their own?” Dad questioned.

“Nevermind. Dad, we can’t tear down this farm no matter what! I mean where are the animals gonna stay?”

“Charlie, I know you might be a little scared that I won’t keep this new job but I promise you son, everything will work out. The guy hiring me is really nice and understandable, all he needs is for me and the team to knock this place down. He even told me Mr. Steve and he is okay with all of this.” Dad tried to reassure me.

“What?! You are wrong! Old man Steve loves this place, he would never approve of this if he actually knew what was going to happen!” I said, raising my voice a little.

“Stop calling him that! You will address him as MR. STEVE. He knows what is happening and he is signing the deal tomorrow!”

“What? I thought we had another week?!”

Dad sighs and lowers his voice “We found out last week that the businessman was super eager to have this place already and he just kept pushing, so Mr. Steve finally agreed to push the signing up. We wanted to surprise you tonight, we knew how you just couldn’t wait to get out of here. We are leaving tomorrow for the city.”

“NO! HE CAN’T! I need to find old man Steve and let him know, this isn’t righ-” before I could finish, my mom intervenes and yells.

“STOP! THAT’S IT! You will NOT disrespect us, especially your father! He has worked very hard for the both of us. Go to your room AND DON’T COME OUT UNTIL WE ARE LEAVING FOR THE CITY!”

I start crying, feeling betrayed and defeated. I ran to my room and cried my eyes out. My mom has never yelled at me. Could I have been doing something wrong? NO! I can’t be. Those owls are depending on me.. But I failed them. I was so stupid thinking I could make an actual difference. I am just a stupid little city boy. I cried the hardest I have ever cried before, I went to sleep that night due to the exhaustion of crying. I woke up to the sounds of roosters like any other morning. I just laid there in bed. I would do anything to hear that sound again in the morning, I would do anything to wake up to the sun barely over the horizon, I would even do anything to smell that disgusting manure all day again if it meant the owls could keep their home.

Just as I was laying in bed feeling defeated and accepting what was going to happen, the owls came knocking on my bedroom window.

Out of breath, Jim says “Charlie, what are you doing?? The businessman is here! He and old man Steve are talking!”

“So what? They are going to make the deal no matter what. I’m just a stupid city boy and there is nothing I can do. I’m sorry I couldn’t help you” I said with tears in my eyes.

“What are you talking about Charlie? You are not stupid. Look Charlie, you are brave and kind. You stick up for what you believe in. I know you don’t mean this right now. You are just scared you might fail and will regret what happened but Charlie, you will 100% fail if you don’t try! Please stick up for what feels right and in the end if it doesn’t work, at least you tried your hardest!” Bell said, trying to encourage me.

She's right, I can’t let them take away their home.

“You are right! Thank you guys. I will make sure you get your home back.” I say, being more motivated now.

I ran out of my room, ignoring my parents and going straight up to the businessman and old man Steve outside the house.

“Mr. Steve, please you can’t sell the farm. The animals still need you!” I blurted out.

“Who is this boy?” The intimidating tall businessman says.

“I am Charlie. I am the son of the man you hired from this farm.” As I tried to say more, my parents caught up and my dad interrupted.

“Hello Mr. Bardin. Hello Mr. Steve. I am so sorry for my son's actions. Please forgive us.” My dad says this while grabbing on my arm and trying to pull me away.

“Please, Rosemary wouldn’t have wanted this.” I said looking at Steve.

“It’s okay, let me hear what Charlie has to say” Steve says.

“The businessman is going to tear down the farm and you can’t let him old man Steve.” Steve looks at the businessman.

“Yes I am but only to build a better place for the animals Mr. Steve.” Mr. Bardin responds.

“See Charlie, he is going to provide better care for the animals than I can. We need to do this.” Steve says while about to sign agreements.

My dad starts pulling me further.

In desperate need, without realizing what I said, I blurted out “Please! The owl Rosemary saved is still here!”

Steve pauses. “How do you know that?”

I just looked at him. He knows deep down how I know.

“Rosemary wasn’t crazy. Please old man Steve.” I say begging.

“I don’t know what you are talking about” Steve says and continues what he was about to do.

“Please! Mr. Bardin is going to tear the farm down and build buildings everywhere. The owl has a family and they won’t survive if he does this.” I begged and pleaded once more.

“What?” Steve looks at Mr. Bardin. “I thought you said you were building a better place for the animals.”

“Well yes... A butcher shop, to put them out of their misery.” Mr Bardin replies, with no emotions.

In disbelief, Steve turns to me. He goes on his knees and puts his hands on my arms. “Thank you for telling me this but as messed up as this is, I can’t take care of the animals anymore. There is nothing I can do. I am sorry Charlie” Steve says this brokenhearted. He just got up and walked back to the businessman.

I, I have failed.. There is nothing else I can do, I tried my best and I failed. I just started crying. The owls are going to die because I couldn’t do it. I cried even harder, I started to just break down. I turned to my dad and just hugged him as tight as I could. In the middle of my crying, I managed to say “Please dad, let's just go. You were right, I have failed.”

As I was trying to pull him away this time, he just stood there.

Steve looks at us then looks back at the paper and grabs the pen. “Where do I need to sign-”

“Wait, don't!” My dad yells out of nowhere. I look up at him.

“We will do anything, please. We’ll even buy the farm. We don’t have a lot of money but I can promise you, we will take care of these animals, especially the owls” he says looking down at me with tears in his eyes. I couldn’t believe it. My dad, the man who wanted to go back to the city so badly, is offering to buy the farm.

“No no Mr. Steve. I will double, no, triple my offer.” Mr. Bardin tried to say.

Steve just looks at us with tears in his eyes but also with the biggest smile. “Yes yes yes, sold.” as Steve is pointing at my dad jumping up and down like a kid. “Thank you for doing this for me.”

“Thank you for bringing our family closer together. I don’t care where we end up as long as we have each other and as long as my little boy is happy and healthy” my dad said while holding me and my mom.

“In the end, Steve sold the farm to my dad and he actually ended up living with us. We all called him “uncle Steve” because he was a part of our family now. I showed him the owl that Rosemary saved and his family. The babies hatched and well Bell was right, it was two baby girls. We all agreed to name one Rose and the other Mary. Uncle Steve LOVED them, he took good care of the babies like it was his own. Rosemary couldn’t get pregnant but that didn’t stop them loving every single animal as if they were their kids. Eventually after seeing how much uncle Steve loved and took care of the owls, they agreed to talk to him. They also knew how much Rosemary loved him.”

“Every night, I would hear uncle Steve laughing, crying, talking inside the barn until he passed. My parents thought he was going crazy and just imagined his wife was there but I knew he was talking to the owls. The end.”

I look back at my two little girls in their bed, already passed out. I just smiled and tucked them in. I kiss them on their foreheads and turn off the light. I guess the story of the talking owls will forever be untold.