The Black Bird

A man recalls the memories of his life all involving a little black bird.

I can feel the wind through my hair and the pull it has on my clothes. I am absolutely terrified right now. You’d think after all these times I’d be used to it by now. Use to the feel of that sinking pain that stabs my chest, the panic in my throat, and the splinters in my eyes.

I remember as a little boy, playing with my dad, being tossed into the air. That point right before you fall, when your kind of just floating there, excited and scared at the same time.  I remember a specific time when I was being thrown unusually high; I was more scared than I was having fun. I saw it for the first time. A black bird, I didn’t know what it was at the time but I learned later it was a crow. My dad didn’t catch me. He must have seen the bird too and gotten distracted. I can still feel the pain from slamming into the concrete beneath me and the snapping sound my arm made. My dad felt so bad. He took me out for ice cream and got me a brand new box of markers to write on my cool new cast.

Later when I was in high school my class took a trip to one of the biggest amusement parks in the state. I wasn’t particularly happy about it. I never got over that fall and developed a fear of heights because of it. There was a particular ride everyone was excited about. It was called “The Devastator” and it was brand new to the park. It was different from all the other rides in that it had three consecutive loops each growing in size beyond the last and it was said that you were going so fast that you finished all three loops in less than twenty-five seconds. I was horrified. Peer pressure though, it’s a b***h. So I got in line for this monstrosity and when I was escorted to my seat I saw it again. There it was, perched on a railing just next to the ride, the black bird.

I believe I began to cry a little from being scared so bad but it was too late. The ride took off and I was on my way. It began slowly at first as all rides do and I was okay with that. Then it sped up. I remember approaching the first loop when an unusually high-pitched scream came from somewhere closer to the front of car. The next thing I know the car I’m in is flying unguided through the sky; it wasn’t long from then, my eyes opened to reveal a dark room outlined with pale walls. Silhouettes of those I loved filled the room. There were twenty-two of us on the ride; only seven survivors.

You’d think that’d be enough but of course life goes on and so do our experiences with it. It was just a few years ago and I’m on spring break. I’m not partying like all the other kids though, nope, I’m going on my honeymoon. I’ve just married the love of my life and am the happiest man you could ever meet. To make things better, we’re honeymooning in the Bahamas. It helps that my parents are loaded. Only downside is, we’re taking a small private plane to get there. Although I’m absolutely panicked, the majority of the flight was great. Smooth sailings and clear skies ease my fears away. It helped to have my rock with me along for the flight. I could always look into her magnificent eyes and get lost. In fact I was lost in them, until that is, I noticed it again, the black bird soaring majestically next to our small aircraft.

I wasn’t granted enough time to panic before the impact. I was so lost in my loves eyes and she in mine that neither of us noticed the unconscious pilot. It wasn’t long before a rescue boat came to our aid. It turns out the pilot had a heart attack and almost died. We were the only passengers and were fine besides a few scrapes and bruises, alongside a shattered confidence in anything that flew. Needless to say we took a boat home.

This last week has been the worst of my life. Everyday, perched on my windowsill, there it is, the black bird. Haunting me, taunting me into a panicked state that I struggle to hide form my loved ones. I’ve hardly slept at all since I first saw it again. I wanted to hide in bed and wait for it to go away but I can’t. I have a job, a family to support. My wife spends her time interning as a nurse at the New York Downtown Hospital. I’m an investment lawyer, which is fine but they have me working in a building way too tall for any comfort and that’s not helping my fear at all. My little twin boys go to preschool and I pick them up after work. I’m surprising them with a trip to the ice cream parlor today. I know they’ll like that, and hopefully it’ll get my mind off the bird for a while.

Today I got dressed for work, kissed my wife and hugged my boys’ goodbye as they left for their respective destinations. Before I left, I notice yesterday’s paper on kitchen table next to a basket of fruit, which curiously has a little ceramic black bird perched on its rim. The paper reads: September 10^th 2001. 

Author's Note

I definitely want feedback on this piece. I'm not too sure about it myself. I feel like I could've run it more smoothly and finished it a little better. But I like it now though. It's bugging me. Let me know what you think and I hope you like it.

Reviews

[Mik Zeal]

I thought it was great, but I can't shake the feeling there is something missing, maybe it's details. Adding details to each part of the story (the plane, the rollercoaster, and the falling out of the air) helps a lot in a story, and brings the reader into the scene a little more. I thought it was great and a better ending than what I would have thought of, although, I am pretty sure only Americans will understand. You should probably edit it and change the date to September 11th not September 10th.

[Marie]

You did it very smoothly. I like the way the suspense builds andd builds with the black bird. However, I didn't understand the last line. What does the paper's date have to do with this?

[NotNobody]

It's meant to kind of seal his fate as you see it. I'm trying to lead the reader into realizing that he is going to work in one the twin towers on 9/11. Whether he survives or not is up to the reader to decide. I certainly have my opinion about what happens to him. I hope this cleared it up for you.

[Marie]

The reason I missed this is because the date was the l0th instead of the 11th. I little more thought, and I would have understood. Regardless, it's a very good story.