Expectations

“We’re running out of time.”

1 hour ago:

“Ok mum,” I sigh as I go down to get Billy who is playing in the fields with his friends. 

“Billy, mum says to go back up cos’ dinner’s ready.”

“But…wh.wh.why…No,” Billy whines, which makes his friends giggle quietly(you don’t want to get on the bad side of Billy).

“I will tell mum,” I reply quite sternly.

Billy finally agrees and comes back up to our small nest where mum has worms ready. In an instant Billy complains that we always have worms (we do not). In the end Billy finishes all his food quite quickly. I guessed he was quite ravenous after playing with his friends.

“Help me Ben with cleaning our nest Billy you can play a bit and please come back in ten minutes,” Mum calls to us.

10 minutes later: 

“Billy?Billy! Ben go down and find Billy,” Mum says with a scared tone.

As I go down our tree, to find Billy, I think, why do I have so many expectations?... Just because I am older. Anyways, after around 25 minutes of searching, my mum gets worried. She comes down and asks what is taking so long. I then say that I cannot find him.

Out of the blue, I see some smoke.

“We’re running out of time.”

“You can use your wings,” Mum just told me.

It is something beyond belief. Mum never lets us use our wings because she is worried about our safety. But now. I can finally stretch my wings. Immediately, I start to fly over to the fire. My mother tells me to slow down because my wings will eventually suffer from the furious flapping. Once we made it, a distance that we could see what was going on, but also a distance far enough that if there was someone threatening there, they would not see us. 

“Billy,” I whispered, then I took a step forward, and another one, and another, one mo- 

“Ben stop,” My mum calls in an angry whisper voice. 

It took a lot of courage but I told my mum.

“No.”

I started running to the fire, then I saw something blue. It was just one…feather, Billy. 

This cannot be. No…

“BEN,” Mum shouts full of anger like a volcano exploding, interrupting the sight of the bejewelled-brilliance, the night sky. 

“THAT IS IT. You are a disgrace to me and you didn’t find Billy! I was expecting more from you,” My mum was mad. But when she said she expected more from me, I told her that it is fine I will find him on my own. And at that moment, my mum looked me in the eyes, I knew she was worried but her anger overtook her.

“Fine,” Mum told me.

I continued hither, through the nether like polluted sky. I had to be wary though, in case of something or someone ominous.

Approximately 30 min later:

Tired, that’s all I feel. I know though, that I’m running out of time. 

“HELP.Someo-,” 

“Shush!” A gruff voice from the mist exclaimed.

Now I knew I was close. Very close. I started running, but the pain in my legs was not enough to stifle me. 

“Billy!” I exclaimed, bad move Ben. 

That creature comes charging at me, now I realise, it is a human. Let me tell you one thing… I have no fear.

I charge with confidence.

I charge with audacity.

I charge with the thought of my brother.

I fly up, swing my wing at his bearded face, which shocks him, but he does not let go of Billy. I bite him on the hand, where Billy looks like he is about to suffocate. Yes! That did the trick, Billy jumps down, I tell him to run for a bit, and then you can use your wings, he starts running. For me though, I attack the quiet dazed man, I use my wings and claws, because I believe the beaks are a bit too much. 

After a minute, I believe he would be dazed for quite a while, so I use my wings, lightly, to get a good birds-eye view to find Billy, any moment. Ah! There he is, I swoop down.

“Billy, trust me you can use your wings.” I tell Billy with confidence.

“I believe you Ben, but I am just so tired.” Billy tells me softly.

“Ok then have a short rest.” I tell Billy quietly, as I am a bit puffed out too.

After a few seconds, I tell Billy to stretch his wings out and start flapping. Once he is up in the air, we both hear a clear ARGH sound.

“GO!” I exclaimed to Billy.

Billy flew off yonder, for me though, I flew straight at the man.

“Oh you little bird!” The man shouted at me.

I ignored his claim and bit him on the arms and legs, because now it was not too far, he screamed the loudest scream I have ever heard. I began to fly away, but the man grabbed one of my wings and tore off a few feathers. I was still in flight, but I was in agony. Bam…

Death…

“HAHA!” The man said.

Back at the nest:

“Billy,” Mum said.

“Yes mum,” 

“Are you alright, and where is Ben,” mum said with a concerned look on her face.

“I am alright mum, but I heard a gunshot, around one minute after Ben told me to use my wings to fly back to the nest, so I think he is…you know,” Billy told mum.

“Ben…” Both mum and Billy said with a tear in their eye.

9 years later:

Everyday, I think about Ben, he saved me, he was very valiant. My mum and I look at the sunset in memory of Ben. For today was the day he saved me. And for my mum, alas she did not have the chance of saying goodbye to Ben. You were a great brother.