- Thread starter
- #21
As per Birdies's request:
Chapter 8
The huge red bird swooped down from the sky. It screamed. I crowed, but the hen was too far away. I race towards her, knowing that Spike or one of his palsll find me later and probably beat me up. I don't care. She can't die. "Stay away from my chicks!" She screams. The hawk flies lower. I was almost there. It grabs her, but she fights. It drops her. She lands with a shout. The hawk targets her chicks. The four of them stand there.
"No!" I shout, and I attack the hawk. I was never an amazing fighter, but I can wrestle the hawk until it gives up. It flies away, bleeding from a wing. It will live, but think twice about attacking the chicks.
I turn back to the hen. She lies gasping on the ground. I rush to her side, but I can not save her.
"T-thanks." Every breath is a wheezing effort.
"No problem," I say. She looks at me, and smiles.
"Goodbye." Her breathing fades.
"Goodbye," I whisper. My only friend is gone. I must protect her chicks. How though, I don't know. I turn around to find them.
"Well, well, well." It's Spike.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"I told you to stay away from her," he says.
"T-th-the hawk would have killed the chicks." He doesn't acknowledge that I have said anything. To him, it's not about his flock, it's about him, where he stands, when he eats and when he sleeps. I resent him.
"Attack!" He yells, and I realize, too late, that I am surrounded by seven roosters. They fly at me, and I try to fight them off. It's no use; they are experienced fighters and I'm a 8-month-old Polish cockeral. They are merciless. Soon I bleed heavily.
"I think he's got it now, boys. Let's go."
I can't stay here, but I can't walk either. Slowly I crall away, into the woods and towards a stream. I take a drink, and all goes black.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I wake up in the dark. It is lucky that I did not pass out in the stream. I examine my wounds: along with several smaller cuts and bruises, I have two large gashes and my foot is twisted. Curling up to keep warm, I lie there. All my friends are gone. It hurts to think of my former life, now so distant, with Pumpkin and the chooks. Just as I'm about to fall asleep, the bushes rustle. I listen again: there is something there. I cannot fight off a racoon now. I do not even try to hide. The noises get closer and closer.
A voice calls out, "Hello? Mister?"
Chapter 8
The huge red bird swooped down from the sky. It screamed. I crowed, but the hen was too far away. I race towards her, knowing that Spike or one of his palsll find me later and probably beat me up. I don't care. She can't die. "Stay away from my chicks!" She screams. The hawk flies lower. I was almost there. It grabs her, but she fights. It drops her. She lands with a shout. The hawk targets her chicks. The four of them stand there.
"No!" I shout, and I attack the hawk. I was never an amazing fighter, but I can wrestle the hawk until it gives up. It flies away, bleeding from a wing. It will live, but think twice about attacking the chicks.
I turn back to the hen. She lies gasping on the ground. I rush to her side, but I can not save her.
"T-thanks." Every breath is a wheezing effort.
"No problem," I say. She looks at me, and smiles.
"Goodbye." Her breathing fades.
"Goodbye," I whisper. My only friend is gone. I must protect her chicks. How though, I don't know. I turn around to find them.
"Well, well, well." It's Spike.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"I told you to stay away from her," he says.
"T-th-the hawk would have killed the chicks." He doesn't acknowledge that I have said anything. To him, it's not about his flock, it's about him, where he stands, when he eats and when he sleeps. I resent him.
"Attack!" He yells, and I realize, too late, that I am surrounded by seven roosters. They fly at me, and I try to fight them off. It's no use; they are experienced fighters and I'm a 8-month-old Polish cockeral. They are merciless. Soon I bleed heavily.
"I think he's got it now, boys. Let's go."
I can't stay here, but I can't walk either. Slowly I crall away, into the woods and towards a stream. I take a drink, and all goes black.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I wake up in the dark. It is lucky that I did not pass out in the stream. I examine my wounds: along with several smaller cuts and bruises, I have two large gashes and my foot is twisted. Curling up to keep warm, I lie there. All my friends are gone. It hurts to think of my former life, now so distant, with Pumpkin and the chooks. Just as I'm about to fall asleep, the bushes rustle. I listen again: there is something there. I cannot fight off a racoon now. I do not even try to hide. The noises get closer and closer.
A voice calls out, "Hello? Mister?"
