About the Author: Cierra Mincher (Creative Writing, Class of 2017) writes all the time when inspiration takes hold, which could be found anywhere and everywhere. She writes short stories, poems, and creative fiction from observances of everyday life.  She is currently enrolled in SVC’s Shires Press Publishing Program to publish her first book through the Northshire Bookstore in May of 2017. She is hoping to continue on this path of writing and become a famous author someday.

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Rest Peacefully

Cierra Mincher

For most of my life, I spent it inside a home where I was provided with plenty of food and water, and perches to grasp my feet on whenever I wanted to move around or just fall into a comfortable sleep.

My brother and I spent some of our life in that home of ours. Our first family gave us up with our older brother to a new family. They took us into their home and welcomed us into their hearts. One warm day, we got to sit outside watching the world go by. I could hear the birds sing and the bubble of the creek as it flowed over the rocks in the creek. We were enjoying our day outside, communicating with the other birds as they flew by.

Shortly later, our world was disrupted. Our home was toppled onto its side with a giant creature hovering above us, meowing as it tried to paw at us. My brother flew out of the opening, and I never saw him again. I watched as he flew quickly across the lawn, crossed the creek and flew into the trees. I, myself stayed huddled into the corner where the creature couldn’t reach me. It was only seconds before my family came out and scared the creature off. My heart was beating as if it would come out of my chest, but they quickly picked up my home and even gave me a new one.

They would still set me outside, but no more creatures came to disturb my time. My family always kept me away from heaters and windows so that I wouldn’t catch a cold. We often talked to each other, and sometimes when I was being fussy, they would shut off the lights for me and let me go to bed. I would often sit to watch tv with them or watch as they cooked dinner.

Every once in awhile, they would bring me to another family member where I would spend some time with an older woman. Every morning and every night we had a custom of greeting each other. I would perch myself on the side of my house so she could gently rub my belly.

I spent many years with this family. They never got mad when I opened my wings and fluttered around my home. I had a large family with six other older brothers and sisters. Over the course of seven years, all but one of my brothers left or died. It was sad to see them all go, but I still had my family, which loved me very much.

My last year with my family, they had been busy moving to another home. At this point, I was staying with the older woman who would talk to me daily. My family came home for a holiday, I think they call it Thanksgiving. I was really excited to see them, but their home wasn’t ready for me yet, so I gladly stayed with the older woman.

I went to bed last night, she told me “goodnight Sky,” and I tweeted back to her before going to sleep. I couldn’t chirp my beautiful good morning to her, as was routine. I had grown old, and I was tired. I was happy when I went to bed that night, but at some point, my little heart stopped, and I fell to the bottom of my cage, where she would find me in the morning. It was time for me to flap my wings with my other fallen brothers and sisters.

Copyright © Cierra Mincher (2016) All Rights Reserved.