52
Throw a cover over a bird’s cage and it will believe it is nighttime, no matter what their minds tell them otherwise. Before long, the bird will fall asleep.
Of course, the thing about the human birds was that forcing them to sleep wasn’t so easy. They had more control over their reasoning and wouldn’t fall so quickly at the drop of a blanket. One had to be more clever if they were to cast the human bird into a deep slumber. Fortunately for Blake Wick, he was a master at this.
In truth, the hardest part had always been finding the birds among the crowds of the cities, bustling with their monsters and creatures of the night. After finding one, it was just nearly as hard to convince them to visit the house in the woods. Fate had been shining down on him today though, as this bird had simply wandered straight into his forest. His forest.
Now the beautiful woman sat before him, hands quivering. She didn’t want to be here; he knew it. How could he not when he could see the tears glistening in her eyes? How he wished he could reach out and wipe them away. For now, he held himself back.
” You look cold, so cold it’s freezing…What do you want…want… ” Blake momentarily lost his train of thought before it quickly returned, ” What do you want to drink? I have everything you could possibly want. All so good you could just…die for it. ” Blake couldn’t stop himself from laughing hysterically at the thought. The bird flinched at the laughter. With a motion of her head and that voice that barely rose above a whisper, she indicated water.
” No. I think cocoa. It’s far too cold for my beautiful b- you young women to be wandering about. Cocoa. Yes…Cocoa, miss…..? ” Rising to his feet quickly, Blake rushed over to the counter, nearly tripping in his excitement. Once again, the bird tried to correct him that a water would be fine, but he simply ignored her until she spoke again.
” Calondra. ” A mere whimper.
” What a beautiful name for a just beautiful bird. I’m so lucky, just so so so so lucky! ” Blake mumbled to himself as he fixed her the cocoa, subtly slipping in sedatives while Calondra’s eyes were turned elsewhere momentarily. As soon as he plopped the drink in front of her, grinning ear to ear, his heart was pounding in ecstasy. It was going to work! It had to.
She sipped. Once. Twice. Thrice. It took a while, but suddenly the look came over her eyes. Faint surprise and then nothing as she passed out, right then and there.
Birds need darkness. Human birds need a little more help.