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Urban Fantasy Friendship Horror

This story contains themes or mentions of physical violence, gore, or abuse.

A Little Birdie Told Me...

Two long time neighbors met over the backyard fence.

“So how's things down at the mill?”

“Oh, you know how we millers are. We keep grinding them down and spitting them out. What about at the winery? Any good news there?”

“Heard some good ones through the grapevine just yesterday.”

“I can't wait to hear but I'll let you tell all of us at once when we get together over at the park. We plan on meeting between the telephone poles. We'll have a bird's eye view of the lay of the land and won't get our wires crossed.”

“Sure, everyone can listen closely the first time so no unnecessary repeating.”

“Oh, hey, can you see that second to the lowest branch in the tree there? Some little hummers are feathering their nest. It's no bigger than half a walnut shell.”

“They sure are cute little buggers but they can be so annoying with that constant buzzing.”

“That helps them protect what's theirs. Notice the buzz chases all the bigger birds away.”

“Buzz, buzz, buzz, buzz, buzz, buzz, buzz, buzz.”

“Did you hear what that little birdie told me?”

“Yeah, that's a good one, all right. We'll have to remember to tell the others. Let's go before they start without us.”

=>=>=>

“Look, they are already here. There are a couple of openings at the end. Can't wait to tell them what we heard.”

“You are never gonna believe this! A little birdie told us 'buzz, buzz, buzz, buzz, buzz, buzz, buzz, buzz'!”

“Oh, you don't say!”

“Hey, I couldn't hear. What did that neighbor just say?”

“'Cheep, cheep, cheep, cheep, cheep, cheep, cheep, cheep'. Can you believe it?”

“No, I don't believe it! Who does that old coot think he is?”

“A fox in the hen house, I guess.”

“He'll be a sitting duck if the rooster finds him there.”

“More likely a lame duck.”

“He'll be singing a swan song to be sure.”

“What's all this tweeting about over here?”

“Tweet, tweet, tweet, tweet, tweet, tweet, tweet, tweet!”

“Well, I'll be! Sounds like a wild goose chase.”

“What's good for the goose is good for the gander. I always say.”

“He'll have his goose cooked if those birds of a feather stick together. Let me tell Wren. She is the twitter expert.”

“Twit, twit, twit, twit, twit, twit, twit, twit.”

“When did you hear that? Somebody better eat crow if that's true. Bet someone's only having a lark.”

“Someone calling for me?”

“Hi, Lark. Just heard it through the grapevine. Chirp, chirp, chirp, chirp, chirp, chirp, chirp, chirp.”

“But she was always such a home bird. You telling me she really did fly the coop? Hey, Lovey Dovey, listen to this. Coo, coo, coo, coo, coo, coo, coo, coo.”

“Do, tell. That's a little coo-coo! He'll be sick as a parrot when he finds out. Squawk, squawk, squawk, squawk, squawk, squawk, squawk, squawk.”

“No, that's nothing to squawk about! He's always the early bird that gets the worm.”

“Well, if he doesn't get all his ducks in a row it will be like killing two birds with one stone.”

“Quack, quack, quack, quack, quack, quack, quack, quack.”

“Now that's nothing but a box of quackers. We're talking about him feeling like an ugly duckling and looking like a rare bird.”

“He's becoming more of a night owl anyway. Hoot, hoot, hoot, hoot, hoot, hoot, hoot, hoot.”

“Yeah, she thinks he hung the moon.”

“Now who you talking about? Caw, caw, caw, caw, caw, caw, caw, caw.”

“It's kind of a May-December romance after-all. She's just a young chicken. And he could put legs under a chicken. Cluck, cluck, cluck, cluck, cluck, cluck, cluck, cluck.”

“What's that supposed to mean? They have been head over heels forever. Try to keep your eagle-eye focused and maybe you can find love at first sight like them. Eagle eye? Oh, you're...”

“Yep, I'm him, my Little Chickadee. And you are the little birdie that's been spreading nasty rumors about me all over the airways. I've come to put a stop to it. Cancel your twitter account, if you know what I mean. Keep you from spewing misinformation. I've got a regal reputation to uphold, don't ya know.”

“Oh, oh, oooh!... But I never... I, I...”

“Ah, you're cute when you get your feathers ruffled. You want to be my main squeeze?”

“I've seen what happens when you sink your claws into someone. No thank you.”

“You got to put your heart and soul into it if you want a match made in heaven.”

“Well, I don't have the hots for you!”

“Still carrying the torch for your old flame? Talk about a cooked goose! Honk, honk, honk, honk, honk, honk, honk, honk.

“Don't worry. I'm not as bad as you think. Those ladies wanted to be liberated. They were getting themselves into hot water anyway cutting down on production as they were. What guy doesn't like a bit of succulent white chicken breast in his diet once in a while? Can't blame me.

“Come on, let's really give them something to talk about. I'd like to get you out of that plumage and see what you're made of. Not enough privacy here, though. Come on up to my place. Got a knock-out view of the lake. We could go fishing together. I've fallen for you hook, line and sinker.”

“Sorry, there's no love lost between us.”

“Not even a little puppy love, I've seen you strutting your tail feathers around. You tantalizing, teasing little titmouse. I bet that grape size brain of yours will be just as juicy as the lies you hear through the grape vine. Mm, mm, tit mouse between tongue and cheek. I'll savor the flavor, for sure. And you can experience a whole new side of me...The inside."

“Keep your talons off of me, you, you love rat!”

“I've got a crush on you and am quite smitten. I'm blinded by love and hungry for you. Let's kiss and make up. I promise you'll be my one and only... light snack tonight. Can't help myself, Kitten. We will become one. Let's talk turkey! Gobble, gobble, gobble, gobble, gobble, gobble, gobble gobble.”

Up and down the telephone line the others carry on not noticing the carnage at the end of the line. What hath their wanton rumor mongering wrought?


'Pick a little, talk a little, pick a little, talk a little,

cheep cheep cheep, talk a lot, pick a little more

Pick a little, talk a little, pick a little, talk a little,

cheep cheep cheep, talk a lot, pick a little more

Pick a little, talk a little, pick a little, talk a little,

Cheep cheep cheep cheep cheep cheep cheep cheep

Cheep cheep cheep cheep cheep cheep cheep cheep...'


“Who invited the tall, bald guy? Was he using a feather for a toothpick?”

“And what happened to little Tootsie, the titmouse? She must have left early. She always brings us the best tidbits of gossip. Saw the big guy whispering sweet nothings in her ear.”

“Yep, she's got him under her spell, all right. Wouldn't be surprised if they become an item. Maybe she left with him?”

“Oh, well, good to see you Wren, Lark, Oriole, Finch, and Cardinal, Jay and Woody, Robin and Dovey. Meet you all here tomorrow evening for another telephone party line. Come along, Sparrow and Swallow. We old crows gotta go.”

And they all rose up and flew away.



May 31, 2023 19:05

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29 comments

Wally Schmidt
17:14 Jun 03, 2023

Love how you worked the prompt with a' birds of a feather' take. Very clever!

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Michelle Oliver
09:23 Jun 02, 2023

Very funny and clever and a bit grim. Poor bird paid the ultimate price for gossiping and no one even noticed.

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Mary Bendickson
12:18 Jun 02, 2023

First time ever using horror tag.

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Michał Przywara
20:47 Jun 01, 2023

Amusing for sure :) But also quite a horror, with the flirty birdy murder. I think what really does it is that no one else even noticed, and for them it was just business as usual. Well, not that they could do much against an eagle. What goes around comes around, indeed :)

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Mary Bendickson
20:55 Jun 01, 2023

Thanks for the spot on analysis 🐦

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Amanda Lieser
13:27 Jun 20, 2023

Hi Mary, Wow! You buried the lead a bit. I confess, I imagined humans originally, but the explanation towards the middle was charming and worth the payout. I admire the way your language felt poetic and beautiful. This piece had a natural rhythm to it which made it an enjoyable read. Thank you very much for writing it!!

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Martin Ross
14:21 Jun 10, 2023

So clever and whimsical, and capsulizes the nattering, cheeping nature of gossip in a lightly dark, entertaining way! Great job!

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Mary Bendickson
15:54 Jun 10, 2023

Thanks so much.

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11:18 Jun 08, 2023

This was really fun: you should be proud as a peacock. Any comments to the contrary should be water off a ducks back. I do like the idea that the others are so into their gossip that they miss the biggest news of all unfolding right in front of them!

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Mary Bendickson
12:52 Jun 08, 2023

Thanks for thinking of ones I missed. Glad you enjoyed it.

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Evelyn Griffith
19:27 Jun 07, 2023

Super interesting way to play with the prompt! I really liked that it was only dialogue and we had to sort of puzzle everything together ourselves! Great work!

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Mary Bendickson
20:35 Jun 07, 2023

Great compliment coming from someone with your bio. Thank you!

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Susan Catucci
22:19 Jun 06, 2023

Mary! Bird of a feather! The puns, the birds, the chatter, the patter, what else on earth could possibly matter? You made my heart sing, what else can I say, the way you speak bird-talk, I know you're okay! We speak the same language, yet please don't dismay, for those who know bird-speak, we hear what they say! oxo

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Mary Bendickson
23:37 Jun 06, 2023

Got the inspiration from watching the birds in my backyard including the hummingbird nest second branch from the bottom in tree in front of my deck. Sorry about the fate of little bird. First time using horror tag.

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Susan Catucci
23:42 Jun 06, 2023

Nice work, Mary, is not always pretty, but what you have here is a good thing.

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Rebecca Miles
09:34 Jun 06, 2023

I bet this was a whole lot of fun to write; a real hoot to play with all those idioms. Didn't realise there were so many birdie ones.

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Mary Bendickson
13:30 Jun 06, 2023

Had two serious ones had to do a lighter one but first time I used horror tag! It was fun. Even thought of adding more but it was approved earlier than any others of mine. Don't know if that means anything in judging but suspect it was quickly disregarded. Oh, well, back to the mill.

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Ellen Neuborne
01:54 Jun 06, 2023

Very clever work. I don't think I'll read "tongue in cheek" the same way ever again.

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09:30 Jun 05, 2023

Love all the playing on words, tweet tweet! Too bad if you ran it through a writing site and clicked cliches. I can think of another bird saying. "Madder than a wet hen." On a serious note, you did it so cleverly the entertainment side made up for the gory bits. Well done. As for the Horror genre. (sounds extreme) I don't think there are enough genres to sometimes get it right. But I suppose you had to warn the fainthearted bird/animal lovers.

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Mary Bendickson
12:54 Jun 05, 2023

Didn't, use a cliches site and wondered if I got a little too violent against the poor birdie. I almost added another footnote about how the eagle relieved himself with a little tit for tat but the piece was already approved. Thanks for the like and comment. Record time on approval for one of mine so assuming no longer in running for prize-- as if that was going to happen on this one 😏

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05:21 Jun 06, 2023

It must have been fun to write. What the heck.

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Mary Bendickson
05:52 Jun 06, 2023

Did two serious personal ones. Needed a little levity.

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J. D. Lair
21:10 Jun 04, 2023

Loved all the bird related stuff in this! Not sure I could have come up with as many idioms as you so masterfully did. Well woven story!

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Mary Bendickson
23:20 Jun 04, 2023

Thanks. First time I tried horror as a tag. What do you think?

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J. D. Lair
01:40 Jun 05, 2023

It was my first time using the tag this week too. Definitely a different mindset to get into lol. I thought it was great. Subtly horrific, but a good way to portray you get what’s coming to you when you run your mouth a bunch.

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Ian James
12:22 Jun 01, 2023

LOVE this! Had me grinning from ear to ear the whole time I was reading. I'm seriously considering throwing this into one of my lessons with my students. It'd be a killer way to school 'em on birdy sounds and all that jazz! 😁

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Mary Bendickson
13:10 Jun 01, 2023

Never thought of it as educational 😂

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Joe Smallwood
01:14 Jun 01, 2023

I had a smile the whole time! But I was trying to predict your ending, you know with Chicken Little where the sky falls for real!

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Mary Bendickson
01:23 Jun 01, 2023

I have a few words left. Um, 🤔

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