Red Bird

I tapped on the mahogany door.

"Anita?" I asked lightly, reading of the blocky words plastered on the door. The 't' hung on its side.

My words rang across the silent room to the girl, perched on the window sill. She turned, hair that stopped short of her bony shoulders swinging in her wake. Curtain bangs hung low across her eyes, but could not disguise her bright blue irises.

She remained kneeling on the window sill, a small nod inviting me in. I closed the door behind me.

As I joined her, she turned her attention back to the window. Or rather, the cardinals outside. On a lone tree, red spots darted along the branch. Up and up they chased each other, nipping and then jumping out of the way.

The girl's eyes followed them, unblinking, fingers curling as they flitted along the branch, nearer and nearer to the tip.

A snap of twigs, a small gasp, and the birds were gone, twirling away into the distance. The girl let out a breath, one she had been holding onto. She grinned sideways at me, and in the white light of winter, against the white glow of snow, her cheeks were red as the feathers of the scarlet dancers.

*

I took the girls out, some grasping onto my skirt, one perched on my shoulder. They romped and spun in the freshly fallen snow, squatting down and flinging it at each other with giggles that carried back to the only open window. I turned, spotting a small figure standing at it. Big doe eyes gazed at me. Something wistful hung in them.

A matron loomed behind her, pulling the window shut. The thick panes reflected the glare of the sun, rendering the window opaque. I held out a hand, hoping she would see.

*

"Is there any way Anita could join the other girls outside? Just a few minutes, I'll be right there with her."

"I'm sorry, her health won't allow it."

"Please, I'll watch her, I promise."

A sigh. The matron rubbed the bridge of her nose. "All right then."

I walked, half ran, to Anita's room.

*

Never had I seen such a smile. It could have melted the snow. She rushed forward, pulling at me.

"Slow down!" I laughed.

She stopped below the tree. Hands on hips, she pouted. "Where are they?"

"Soon they will be here. Come, let's join the others." I tugged her back, but she had rooted herself firmly. "No, I'll wait."

I glanced back at the other girls. They needed me.

"You can't be here by yourself. Come," I commanded.

Her eyes pleaded at me. "Please? It'll just be a while." Her cheeks flushed with anticipation, and her grin was entrancing.

I softened, chuckling. "Ok, I'll just be over there."

As I walked away, the chirping of cardinals and whooping of joy behind me was warmer than even the roaring fire back in the orphanage.

*

"Where is she?" The two women jerked up as I burst into the office. The matron looked away from me, while the nurse glowered. "She is in her room. Please, do not disturb her." Of course, I disregarded that. I closed the office door gently before spiriting down the corridor as lightly as I could.

She lay on the bed, a streak of white amid the pale pillows and blanket. She stirred was I neared her, a little smile inviting me closer as I wavered, half way there. She was excited, color returning to those blue lips. She put a finger to her lips, the raised the other arm from under the blanket. It was a divine wing, of a bold red, stark against everything in the room. I gasped.

"I'm going away! Soon, I can be free to fly!"

Giggling, I lifted her tiny body out of the bed. She was almost weightless. I swung her about the room, both our voices melting into one joyous chorus.

*

I walked up to the orphanage, scanning the playground. No Anita. I scanned the walls too. No open window, Each were shut tight.

There was one that took my breath away. It was barred. Iron bars slashed across the panes, and behind I could see a silhouette flitting at the glass.

I quickened my pace.

*

I turned to the last corridor, but there was already someone at the end of it. The matron had her hand on the door knob, a cage swinging from her arm.

I panicked, eyes growing wide. I charged at her. She turned just in time to see me slam into her, yowling and flailing as she fell backwards. I wrenched the door open and sprinted inside, registering a bright red cardinal hovering by the window, frantically pecking at the pane. The bed was empty.

A rustling of a skirt behind me propelled me forward. I lunged for the latch of the window, while a hand behind me grasped the cardinal. With a shriek and a puff of feathers, it was stuffed into the cage. The matron straightened her glasses, holding the cage aloft. The cardinal slammed onto the hatch again and again, feathers flying off left and right.

The matron glanced down at me over her glasses. "The girls are safe here. Out there, they will only suffer."

She regarded me coldly. Smoothing her grey hair, she turned from me, evidently having decided that I was helpless and useless after all. "You're fired," she said dismissively.

I seethed. With a cry, I reached out and grabbed her wiry hair. She screamed and dropped the cage, which sprung open upon impact. The cardinal leapt out and took flight instantly, charging at the window. I half dragged the shrill woman to the window, not willing to let go. With the other hand I pushed the window open, and the bird streaked out into the open sky.

Up and up she went, her friends from the leafless tree fluttering along beside, buoying her up when she threatened to droop down.

Away, into the thicket of trees, then gone.