Write about someone who is given a bird for the holidays but doesn’t know how to take care of it.

Posted in Holiday on Jul 27, 2021

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✍️ 200 stories

“Metamorphosis” by Jenn O'neil

Submitted to Contest #73

Edrie looked around at the guest bedroom in disgust. Baskets of half finished knitting projects, paint supplies, tins full of buttons, and so many books… She hadn’t expected visitors, but her ability to say no under pressure was sorely lacking. Marge from the office slid into her cubicle this morning, with desperation in her eyes. “Ed, I need a favor. I know, I KNOW, the timing is bad.” Edrie had sighed and put down her coffee. She immediately picked it back up and took a huge gulp. Whatever this was would require energy, she could tell. “It...

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“Cookie Bird” by Jimmy Irons

Submitted to Contest #73

"He gave you a bird?!?" Trice yelled from the kitchen. Flour accented every part of her face, arms, and blouse. She was elbow deep in a bowl of dough, making her famous chocolate chip cookies. She always made baked goods for the room-tenants on the holidays, made avoiding going home that much easier."Yeah..." I held up the small cage, "Said it would be good for me."The small bird of yellow and white hopped about on the newspaper clad bottom, chirping incessantly. It was really starting to get on my nerves. I sighed and placed the cage on the...

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“June and the Budgie” by Sim Simas

Submitted to Contest #73

June Denton was thinking about her father, Ronald Denton, again. How he had died from a long battle with colon cancer, and how all of the money and fame she had amassed did not do anything to save him. She put so much time, effort, energy, and love into finding a way to save her daddy. All of the doctors, specialists, oncologists, physical therapists, nor her huge donations mattered. She had all but begged her fans to donate to the foundation she started in his name. She had taken so much time ...

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“Yardstick” by Inkstained Introvert

Submitted to Contest #73

Topaz looked through the peephole. There was no one there, despite the door having been knocked on seconds earlier. He pushed open the door--and pushed something over. Down the steps of his front porch rolled a little wire cage with something small and green inside of it. It was cheeping. “Oh my God,” he muttered. “Andy! You did not!” “Mom doesn’t want it anymore!” screamed Andy’s voice from the driveway. “That’s not my problem! What the heck am I supposed to--” “I don’t know; it’s a green-cheek conure!”“What?”A pause, and then:“The green-ch...

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“For Those About To Roc” by Christopher Rothschild

Submitted to Contest #73

Dennis peeked outside his cabin and then dialed up his friend Tybalt. His front garden was getting destroyed, and he did not appreciate it. “Hello?” “Hey, Tybalt, it’s Dennis.” “Hi! Happy birthday, Dennys! Did you get my gift?” Tybalt asked, bursting with enthusiasm. A spray of crimson splashed across his window followed by screams of the deliverymen. “I think so.” Dennis said. &nbs...

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“Carlos The Eagle” by Alejandra Flores-Jimenez

Submitted to Contest #73

A...an eagle? How on Earth was he, a ninety-five-year old retired mafiosi man to take care of an eagle of all things? Couldn’t Anthony have gotten him a parrot or something? A cat? Anything but an eagle. How was he even meant to start taking care of this thing!? Awkwardly, Feliciano tried to set the animal down into a cage. It wouldn’t budge. Its talons dug into the leather glove that had come with it and it stayed put, eyes narrowed, challenging Feli. After a few more failed attempts, Felciano gave up on trying to get the eagle off th...

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“The Bird Who Was Tied” by Soumya Garg

Submitted to Contest #73

This is the last thing my mother gives to me before I leave. A bird, to be specific a pigeon, who was perched in a small, elegant but frightening cage. I ask her why but she nods her head and says “You will get to know if you look for it and understand.” I don’t argue with her or look for the meaning behind her little riddle. I just stick my lips and then put my head slightly to one side. I am way too exhausted now. Last week, had been the worst days of my life. I had cried all the days while I sniffed in the nights until my mother came and ...

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“The bird swap” by Joanna Palaganas

Submitted to Contest #73

A bird? Seriously? Among all of my sister’s relatives, she lets me take care of her bird for the holiday. “Please Jade! It’ll be just for a week. I’ll pick her right up as soon as I get home.” my sister begged “Just give her 2 teaspoons of the seeds I gave you every day” she said as she walked out carrying 2 suitcases. Great, now I’m stuck with this bird I don’t even know what to do with, while she’s going to some posh hotels in London to spend Christmas. I placed the bird's cage on our kitchen table. Jackie, my sister, didn’t even tell me w...

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“A Bird and a Child for Christmas” by Morgan Douglas

Submitted to Contest #73

Although Clyde was a bit of an atheist, he still celebrated the more consumer parts of the holiday season. Complete with a big dinner feast in which he and his husband Larry invited their families to. It had taken a while for Clyde’s family to accept that he is gay and that he got married to a man. Never the less his parents and his sister were always looking forward to enjoying Larry’s cooking on Christmas Eve and the lovely breakfast that he prepared every time. Larry had tried to train Clyde in the ways of cooking and baking but he always...

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“Flipping The Bird” by Greg Gillis

Submitted to Contest #73

Fourteen-year-old, Chad was eager about the arrival of his grandparents Chuck and Louisa. Every year at Christmastime, they had been very generous with their gift-giving. On his fifth birthday, he received a television for his bedroom, (despite his parent’s disapproval), and on his twelfth birthday, they bought him a brand-new drum kit. This annoyed his parents even more than the television. Chad continued to wa...

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“Cocky” by Elise Callaghan

Submitted to Contest #73

I was enjoying my smoothest bowel movement in months when the doorbell rang. “Focus” I coached my intestines as they threatened to concertina in fright. “Aahhh” I breathed out, sighing loudly to drown out the continued buzzing. I surveyed the log that symbolised all the unwanted baggage of the year for a moment before pushing the flush. Feeling considerably lighter, I swung the front door briskly open. No-one. I was congratulating myself on having avoided some unwanted encounter when a loud screech startled me nearly out of my skin. Settling...

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“Nuts To You, Jennifer” by John Walsh

Submitted to Contest #73

On the evening of December 14, Greg rang Jennifer’s doorbell. “The company is transferring me north and I can’t take Cyril with me,” he said, thrusting a rather large cage with a sea-green cover topped with a big red bow into Jennifer’s reluctant arms. “I’d like you to have him.” He had taken off his mask and had the hangdog expression that made it hard for Jennifer to say “no” to him. He replaced his mask, shut the door, and walked away witho...

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“The White Bird ” by M. M.

Submitted to Contest #73

Shannon went up to open the door of her house, a quaint country home in the village where she lived, She worked at the retirement home all day, and wanted nothing more than to put her feet up, have supper, and go to bed, doing three long shifts in a row, the patients antsy and difficult, especially now the holidays were here. The entire village was ready, the trees decorated, the shops lit up with pretty lights in their windows and tinsel strung. "Another holiday, just like the one before." she smiled to herself, not complaining but exp...

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“Come in Peter, Bring back Paul” by DREW LANE

Submitted to Contest #73

Peter's eyes tracked her, to the left, to the right, up, down, and diagonal. Liv refused to surrender. She pointed a birthday candle back at the cage like a magic wand to threaten and tame the bird and, yet, it started to scream again.Peter's high-pitched cry only stopped when Liv shook the cage, through the frosted window, above the grease of the narrow street. The bird's hollow eyes darted at her and she forced her gaze deep into them - if Peter wanted to stay here for the holidays, it would have to accept her rules. The winter wind swung ...

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“Birds of a Fretter” by Asmaa Khan

Submitted to Contest #73

They know that I'm pedantic. I'm a neurotic, OCD, perfectionist and I live alone. They know that I hardly venture farther than the post boxes that lined the front of our apartment. They call me Sheldon Pooper for goodness sakes! They know that I over analyse every single move I make, or anyone else for that matter. They also know that I don't do pets. I don't pet them. I don't look at people with pets and say, Oh, what a cutie. What's his name?". And I certainly don't take care of them. So why on earth would my entire floor go for the long w...

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Write about someone who is given a bird for the holidays but doesn’t know how to take care of it.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 200 stories

“Metamorphosis” by Jenn O'neil

“Cookie Bird” by Jimmy Irons

“June and the Budgie” by Sim Simas

“Yardstick” by Inkstained Introvert

“For Those About To Roc” by Christopher Rothschild

“Carlos The Eagle” by Alejandra Flores-Jimenez

“The Bird Who Was Tied” by Soumya Garg

“The bird swap” by Joanna Palaganas

“A Bird and a Child for Christmas” by Morgan Douglas

“Flipping The Bird” by Greg Gillis

“Cocky” by Elise Callaghan

“Nuts To You, Jennifer” by John Walsh

“The White Bird ” by M. M.

“Come in Peter, Bring back Paul” by DREW LANE

“Birds of a Fretter” by Asmaa Khan

🌟 Similar prompts

Write about someone who gets proposed to five times on Christmas Eve.

Write about a drummer going to a Halloween party for musicians.

Write about a young nobleman whose greatest wish is to become an Olympic long jumper.

Write about a backup dancer who’s on tour and just wants some peace and quiet for the holidays.

Contest #73

Enter our weekly contest!

$50

Prize money

498

Contest entries

0

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

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