On a corner of a quiet street and main, just far enough down the road that few people walk, sat a house with a white picket fence. Tulips and Forget-me-nots were in bloom around the yard, and the lilacs cast a heavy smell across the neighborhood. Two brothers, fighting the heat wave decided to brave it and go to the corner store. Along their path they would occasionally cut through the gardens of the blue house with all those flowers. Leon always told his little brother that it was quicker, and maybe it would have shaved a half second from a hot walk if it wasn't for Reggie always stopping to look at the butterflies or the birds in the feeders. Maybe Leon did this too, when he was younger, and he didn't have to worry about his reputation. Now all he would do was smack his little brother on the back of his head and spew out a string of curse words he heard his mom's boyfriend say all the time. When he wasn't hitting Reg', he'd use this opportunity to kick the stones out of the gardens or bat at flower heads. Today he saw the tall bird feeder that Reggie was dipping his fingers in, and thought it best to give it a kick for good measure. For which it promptly fell over, the soft earth of the garden saving it from destruction. Showing a smile that only could mean he thought his reputation just earned some points, he started walking, head a bit higher, off the property. Reggie looked as shocked as he was saddened by this. It wasn't till the boys turned and saw the old man owner sitting on his porch did they realize he was even there. The boys froze, Reggie hanging his head while Leon raised his, ready for the sounds, the shouting and cursing. Clenching his fist Leon was surprised that the man only stood looking calm. He wasn't smiling under the beard, nor frowning. Just calm. With the moment of silence Reggie blurted out the apologies, saying sorry that him and his brother were there and the bath fell over... At the exact moment, the silence caused Leon to run. He wasn't used to not having the shouting, and without thinking he just bolted like a scared deer... Leaving his little brother. "Great brother you seem to have there…" the man said. "My name is Eric, I see you two cut through the garden now and again..." At this Reggie began apologizing that much more, and was brought to a silence only by the big man's smile and slowly raising his hand as his laughingly dismissed the need. "Oh, you don't need to apologize, gardens are suppose to be walked through, and enjoyed. And You seem to like it." Thean said, Reggie quietly nodded. The man began walking down the steps, and his large broad shoulders finally could be realized. He was easily twice the height of the boy, and it appeared to be no effort to place the birdbath back up to it's normal position. "Nothing broken..." The man said with a genuine smile. He continued, "if you like gardens, have you seen the park and birds up near the bay?" Reggie had not, but heard about it from grandparents and people at the church. "Oh, it's cool. The birds feed right out of your hands!" "Really?!" Reggie was surprised to feel the big smile on his face. The nice man talked about donating some of his flowers to there, and how he built part of the garden and how he feeds the birds. It was right then than Reggie wanted to see it! He thanked the man and then continued on to the store. As he walked along the sidewalk, he saw Leon walking back. Soda in hand and the last few bites of candy in the wrapper. Having spent all of the boy's money on himself. He didn't say much, aside from how his little brother needs to keep his mouth shut. Reggie noticed that they didn't take the same way home. The very next day Reggie convinced his grandmother to take him to the park. And it was just like how the man said it was, flowers and birds and nature so strong it was overpowering to his starved senses. He saw a couple standing with outstretched hands, confused he watched as small birds burst from the thicket, landing on their hands to nibble the seeds offered. Life was so full here. He stayed till the day went to night, and the birds songs were replaced with frog chirps. It was instantly decided in his mind that this was his new favorite spot. Knowing the path, he decided to return the very next day. Though, the 20+ min car ride was simple compared to the time he walked. But it was worth it. He saw things he hadnt even noticed the day before. He picked through the small piles of left over seed and held the few kernels in his outstretched hands for the birds to land on. For which they did. Their tiny bodies felt like almost nothing on his fingertips. He returned throughout the season. It was a good destination to go to when his family were fighting. But he'd always stay too late, watching the twilight spill over the park. By the time he would get back it would be late, he'd have missed dinner and his mom would be upset, when she noticed. Walking to the store he found himself looking at the bird feeder in a familiar neighborhood. A hefty hello, followed by a laugh greeted him. The old man was there and the pleasant smile behind his beard was apparent. Without missing a beat, Reggie began blurting out words before his brain even knew what it was saying. He started telling about the trees and flowers. The birds that just showed up to eat. He hadn't had anyone to tell this to, and his brain jumped on the chance to share! He told about the times the birds stop singing and what it sounds like at night. The man laughed and told him the name of the types of birds, the flowers. Reggie began saying the names out loud trying to remember them. The man stopped, "actually, just a sec…" he said as he vanished back into his house. A min later he reemerged carrying not one but two books and a small empty plastic bag. He handed them to Reggie, the books looked like they had been carried in a book bag way too long. The edges dented, pages folded at the corners. He read their titles, and saw that it was books about native birds and field guide to flowers. The flower on the cover was one he had seen at the park! "You enjoy them, they were given to me, and hey should be used, not on a shelf" the man said. The boy was already flipping through pages and was lost in the books when he heard the sound of a garage door opening. He spun to see the man had walked away and vanished into an old garbage partially hidden by rose bushes and lilacs. After the sound of crashes and things being shuffled The man came out with an old bicycle. "Seems like today is clean out day..." The man laughed. "I've been meaning to donate it, but haven't had the chance. It's about your size right?" Reggie stared at the bike and didn't comprehend what was being said. "My size?" He managed to say. "Yeah, I don't want you getting in trouble with your mom getting home so late, figured this would help make the trip faster. Chain with a lock and key already on it." Reggie didn't know what to say, but realized you don't turn down a free bike! "See if it's the right height" he said as he pushed the bike into Reggie's hands. It was a bit big, Reggie had to stand on his tip toes... "Aww look at that, you'll grow right into that bike. Glad it will have a good home. Now, the that small plastic bag, take and scoop some of the birdseed in there to feed the birds next time." Overwhelmed he didn't know what to do next, he felt like it was all to good to be true, if he set the bike down it would vanish into thin air. He pushed the bike to the feeder and scooped enough to just close the bag. "You get yourself a helmet" the man said. Reggie promised he would, he felt bad knowing that he was lying, but he would try. He could never save enough since his brother Leon always would steal the little money he tried to save. "Leon!" Reggie said his name out loud without realizing it. "That your brother?" The man asked. Knowing what he was thinking... "Well, this is your bike and your bike alone. Don't let people take it from you! You can see the world much faster than walking on this thing. So lock it to strong things... Even at home if you think you need to." Reggie nodded, but knew that it would be gone the moment he got home. He felt his face where his brother had him him to steal the last bike he had. It was his old little bike and didn't even fit... But Leon wanted it, either just to take it or to sell it. Either way... He knew the outcome of this new bike. The man read the worry on his face. "Listen, here is something my grandfather would say his family would do when he was young...you know, old school mumbo jumbo" he said with a smile. The man took a small pocket knife and etched the boys name on the frame. He did it as quickly as if using a pen... He then etched the shape of a large beaked bird on there. "What's that?" Asked Reggie. "It's a raven. You know those big black birds? Well my family said that if you ask them they will look out for you. So, if it's stolen, the birds will tell you where its is to help you get it back. I forget exactly, but a bird is there to help." The man said with a smile. Reggie was unsure if the man believed it, but the old guy looked happy telling the story. The way he etched the bird and name so quickly Reggie guessed that he must have been an artist or something in the past. "The mark means that if someone takes this from you bad things might happen to them. Longer they ride it, more bad will happen. Only when you get it back does it stop... I guess maybe if you sell it or something it ends, but my grampa said that the raven's had our backs.." "Hah, birds got my back? That's crazy." Reggie said. He quickly shut his mouth the moments the words left him, he didn't want to upset the man or have him change his mind and not get the bike. "Well, they do now." The man laughed. Reggie thanked him so much and collected his new treasures and peddled away. It was true. He could make it to the park and back in almost no time. It was so easy he ventured to new parks. Taking his books and bag of seed. He locked the bike to trees, fences, and lamp posts. It was easy at home, since Leon had more and more fights with everyone and would vanish for longer and longer sections of time. Weeks turned to months. Reggie and his bicycle travelled as far as he could to search out the different species in his books. He learned soon that there was an arboretum at a college about an hour bike ride away. And he made the trips frequently there. He saw even more and learned about the various environments out in the world, and what could survive in them. He loved chatting with the gardeners and professors. He helped plant and weed. He kept the bird feeders filled and always smiled when a large black bird would land and take command of the little feeders. Dispite their size, the big birds still only took one kernel at a time. Fall closed in, and Reggie saw the different flowers and leaves come into bloom and wilt. He managed to find almost every bird in the book as he biked to different parks and chatted with the people on the college lawns. He added a basket to the back to keep his books and plants secure... The bike and him were inseparable. It was a surprise when he came home to hear the once familiar shouts of the family. Leon had came back, and felt it best to help himself to everything in the house. He already had a DVD player and iPod in a bright pink backpack and was looking through closets for anything else to sell. It wasn't more than a few moments before Leon's eyes fell on the bike. It was over before it started. He descended on Reggie faster than a hungry lion on a wounded calf. Reggie tried to hold on, but the flurry of fists made him lose his grip. He didn't want to let it go, but it wasn't going to stop. The moment the bike was in Leon's hands he was already riding it as fast as he could away. He didn't turn back or utter a single thing as he spend of. Gone. All of his books. His drawings. His notes and maps. His bike. Devastated, and the sounds of shouting as his mother and her boyfriend tried to figure who to blame, Reggie decided to walk. To get a cool bottle of water to drink and press against his bruises. Staring down he saw his feet move slowly over the pavement. A block was so long. And he could have been a million miles away of he has that bike. He smelt what he thought was lilacs, but knew it wasn't the right time of year. When he looked up he had found himself surrounded by by leaves and wilted roses. A bird feeder broken on the ground and a blue house dark and empty. The old man wasn't there. He knocked, but didn't hear any response. He sat on the porch and waited. He listened. The birds were quiet, nothing made a sound. The flowers were gone. And so was the man. It was there he cried, which he hadn't done in years. Through all the beatings and insults he never once cried. He let it wash over him. And it was in that quiet emptiness that he fell asleep. The next morning he awoke to the sound of flapping wings. He opened his eye to see a large dark bird picking at the empty feeder. It held his gaze for a moment, Reggie wondered what it might be thinking. It then flew off towards the rising sun. The young man walked to the edge of the yard... He looked towards home and then away. He walked, not to the park but to the school and never looked back. His home was there. He met with counselors and they helped him find a place. It was here he went to school and graduated. It was where his degree started and where his love of nature lived. He moved to a bigger city. The university offering him a salary after he finished his degrees. You'd see him bike from one side of the campus to the other. Always looking up to see the birds. Every now and again a large black bird would land and you'd see a smile on the professor's face. . --------- author's note---- I offer this as a prequel to a movie never made. In this universe there is now a bike imbued with old school mumbo jumbo that says all who ride it that isn't the owner will come into danger. Where our character Reggie doesn't know what ever happened to the bike. But the bike and it's future is suppose to be with Reggie. I offer this as a starting point for other writers to pick up. What happens with the bike? What about Leon and even the old man? The universe is big and there is room to expand upon it. Creativity and sharing of stories is what makes us as a community stronger. I offer this story under creative open share licensing and would love to hear your short story continuation. I gave the name to offer you options to have fun. share this with others, let people know, and id love to read what you write! Thanks for reading -Magnus.
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