Written by: Sayuri Shrestha - 28017, Grade VIII
Posted on: 24 November, 2023
I was flying faster than I could remember. Regret and guilt ran down my throat. The feeling of leaving the people you truly cared about, behind, the guilt of selfishness.
It was a normal morning in the forest, with noises of other animals, their small complaints, and the roaring for food. The only thing pleasant was the waterfall, which would always look at me whenever I went to bed or when I woke up. It wished me good morning and good night.
My younger brother, who had just independently started flying, was arguing with my youngest sister about who would eat the worms for breakfast. Their arguments over small things were a part of my daily life. Not a day went by without their arguments. I went to my mother who had some freshly baked nuts for me, I took them up to my nest and started eating them. The nuts always tasted the best when they were freshly baked for me. I was eating it while looking at the great big waterfall.
When I was abruptly interrupted by my elder brother. Just a few months older since he hatched in autumn and I hatched in the winter. I saw some people today, they didn't look the best, he yelled outside my door. I knew he wanted me to come with him to see what people were doing in our forest. I ignored him and continued my breakfast while enjoying the view. They looked deadly, he said again with a louder voice than before. They were ferocious and might have had some weapons, he said. Now that sparked my interest, people with weapons in our forest meant danger. Many people did come with weapons before but we and the other animals managed to chase them off.
I willingly came out of my room and then, we both flew away. He took me to the place where he saw the people, it was the entrance to the forest, we birds never went that far unless it was an emergency. He told me the description of the people and we tried to find them but couldn't. I asked my brother again if he had seen them or if he was just fooling around with me. He swore he saw people, but we couldn't find any. Eventually, we both returned home.
After going home I had to go look for food with Father for the upcoming bird festival, it was an annual festival for all the birds in the forest. So I hurried and went to Father who was waiting for me, in the tall oak tree that was near the waterfall. We were going to look for fish. It was a beautiful day to look for fish, we both dived into the water and brought out the fish one by one. I was having so much fun that I lost count of how many dishes I caught. When going into the water I heard a loud noise. I quickly came out and didn't see anything, however, I didn't see Father anywhere. I went high up to look at him and saw him lying on the one field nearby. I went closer to take a look and then my whole world stopped, he was lying on the ground covered in blood. He was shot. I didn't know what to do. I froze in the air. I started looking around panicking crying for help, but nothing. It was hopeless. I flew back home, scared, with tears falling down my face. No one was home, they had left with their mother to get fruits for the festival. I heard another loud noise, everything was quiet, and then suddenly noises rose from every part of the jungle, animals screaming and crying for help. I froze again, my mind blank, I couldn't think of anything. All the screams made me think something bad was happening, but what? I quickly went outside to see. Everyone was screaming and running over places, at a far distance I saw some birds coming in my direction, they were the doctors. My mother and sister were injured during the shooting and my brothers were helping each other. I also found out that the hunters had shot two elephants and a few gazels. I couldn't hear anything after that, still thinking about my father's death. My mother asked me where he was, I couldn't say anything, tears flowed back again, I couldn't think, I went outside and flew back to the place where my father's body lay. He was gone, his body wasn't there. They must have taken them I thought, the hunters must have taken them. I crashed on the ground, I saw his feathers and blood stains, nothing else was remaining there. It's my fault I said to myself, if only I stopped and helped him up if only I asked for help, if only I wasn't scared, if only I didn't run. I fell down and cried, I lost my greatest strength, my father who had taught me everything I knew, who always showed me and the forest its right path, I killed my father.
I opened my eyes slowly and I saw my elder brother beside me, he slowly said everything was alright, he told me everyone else was in the field trying to help each other, the ones who lost their family were in grief, but everyone was there to help. He slowly lifted me up and took me outside. As soon as I stepped out I saw the dark faces of my family. I couldn't help but blame myself for everything. When Mother saw me she rushed and hugged me tight, she cried on my arm. I couldn't hold back my tears either, I asked for forgiveness and told myself that it was going to be alright.
