Dec 18, 2011

The Kite and the Bird


I thought we were the same.. when I saw him and I, both soaring high... riding the winds in the boundless blue sky.

As I flew higher and higher my frilly long tail fluttered like waves. He glided stretching his coffee brown wings.. and flapped from time to time to catch the current. But soon we parted our ways. 'That was the beginning of the end..' the kind northern wind whispered in my ears. But I simply ignored.

I never believed in the red thread of fate, for I was always attached to a fine white thread with utmost strength.  I was striving hard to escape the dictator at the other end. He knew I was trying to escape. So he tugged, real hard, and I swiftly drifted down.

I think I lost conscious.. though I do not know for how long. When I slowly opened my eyes, the glaring sun rays blinded my sight. I had to squint and look around. Oh but alas! Everything around me was upside down!

No... it didn't take me that long to figure out.. it was I who was upside down. Dangling like a teeny weeny spider on a fibril, I felt the weight of the gravity for the first time. I looked up again.. squinting my eyes. The fine white thread was glistening like a tinsel.. weaving itself in a messy tangle.

And then.. I saw a heartrending sight. The heartless white thread had captured my friend. He was wriggling in pain, on a bough few feet above me. His eyes were both swollen, from all the tears dripping like a fountain. And there it was... the vicious raven with those piercing eyes and razor sharp beak. It was attacking my friend. And all I could do was watch... in silence.

I opened my mouth and screamed at the top of my voice. 'Help him, please... somebody... anybody.. just help him. He's my friend. My very first and dear friend.'

Did anyone hear? I looked around. Not even a ghost was in sight. I tried to pull the glittering white thread, but it didn't budge. The raven was circling like an eagle fixed on its prey. It was a chilling sight.

Just then I heard a few footsteps. Was it the dictator who gave me life? No, it was someone else. He called others for help. He brought a long pole, a ladder and a bamboo. With the help of his allies he came to the rescue of my friend.

My friend.. he was in utter pain. Here and there white feathers popped out over the once neat coffee brown plumage. His yellow beak was partly opened, but no voice came out. He was totally worn out. The raven had left. His allies were steadily working hard.

Between my untimely slumbers.. I saw my friend soaring once again. He didn't glide nor flap his wings in grace.. it was all wobbly but he still managed to escape.. from the evil snare that my own white thread of fate had woven in despair. Just as he left out of my sight.. I heaved a long sigh.. and shut my eyes. At last I too was free.. when I slowly drifted and entered the eternal sleep.

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Sorry that I couldn't add a note to this post. Especially since this is a non-fiction, written as a flash fiction.
It was the end of last month.. I heard a commotion outside as I was getting ready to go for work. Our neighbors had gathered round the 'Tree of Life' (if you could still remember that very special tree I introduced in my oldest blog). They were using everything they could to save the life of a poor birdie, a mynah, who was caught up in a cord entangled on high branches. The cord had been broken off from a kite. There was a big crow attacking the mynah, and it was crying loudly in pain.

A couple of babblers tried to help it, but they were soon chased by the crow. It was a terrible sight. Just before I left home I heard the good news, that our neighbor finally was able to free the bird and it flew away with few injuries. This neighbor hardly talk with us but I really appreciate his relentless effort cause he actually came back without going for work to save this birdie, and he struggled with a long steel pole and a bamboo for over half an hour to loosen up the cords and save the birdie's life!