Parrot

The parrot sat on the edge of her world, teetering between one reality and the next. She could taste the freedom in front of her. The small apartment, with painfully old fashioned decor, was an entire other world; beyond that, who knew. She’d lived in bondage her whole life. The zoo, the pet shop, this old man’s flat. Now it was time to spread her wings.

Guests and visitors had come to her cage. “What a smart parrot” they would remark, “She’s a beautiful creature”, as they gawked at her through the metal bars. Those people had no idea how smart she was. Those people were now dead, and her owner was being whisked away by police for crimes she committed. Smart parrot? Or dumb humans. The police tape still covered the doorway, and the body bags were still on the floor. Filled with bodies, of course. Bodies she had made. No more ‘Pretty Polly’.

The cage door still hung loosely off its hinges from where she’d pried it open. The small square of sky that had been tempting her all this time was more appetising now it was within her reach. Wings spread. Head down. She pushed away from the suspended prison, it squeaked slightly as it swung. The forensic investigator below fumbled with his zip. Fucking idiot. She was the smartest creature in this whole building. She glided above the room, the outside world drew closer and grew larger, taking over her field of vision. She was the smartest parrot ever. She was going to rule the fucking world. She understood how the system worked. She would play those oversized monkeys and send them back to being subservient apes. Sky and clouds were mere inches away from her. Soon she would have dominion over them. She would, if only she understood the existence of glass.

Gary fumbled with his zip. There was a small thud and a parrot bounced onto the floor next to him. Fucking idiot, he thought.