More from my fiction archives. This one as per Speedy’s request…

“Crossing”
by Dan C. Rinnert

From the relative security of the grassy mound, she watched the beast stagger down the smooth-worn path. She figured she could safely cross in front of it, unless it sped up, which these excitable creatures were prone to do. Better to wait, she thought. Birds of her size, easily overlooked by the lumbering giants, frequently became meals for the vultures and rats who would brave the traveling herds for fresh and tenderized flesh.

She watched as the animal crossed in front of her, its gray hide crackling and flaking from age. The bird poked her head out of the thin brush for a better look, but the ancient beast did not return her stare as it plodded along.

After the old creature had passed beyond a small hill, the bird inched toward the path, stepping carefully, and looking nervously about. She sensed something and paused. She sniffed the air and looked around. She could see nothing to her right, and the hill blocked the left side. She glanced down at her feet, as she felt a vibration through the ground. A herd! she realized, and ducked back into the brush.

She began to hear the roar of the pack as it drew closer. The sound grew louder and louder, until the first beast reached the crest of the hill and entered her sight, followed by many more. The bird recognized them as a younger lot.

A large black beast led the pack, followed by smaller animals with hides of purple or red. Amongst these puttered slightly smaller creatures with skins of orange or yellow.

They all looked similar, so she guessed the smaller ones were either women or children. She could see none that looked like babies, but perhaps they remained behind in nests.

The herd passed just as quickly as it had come. The path stood empty. The bird stepped cautiously across. She looked to either side, and studied the ground carefully with the soft-bottoms of her feet. No sound, no vibration and nothing in sight. She continued across.

Zoom! A thin animal, with a hide of yellow and black, zipped passed her at an incredible pace. The bird paused, questioning whether to continue or turn back. She opted to keep going and, disregarding her instinctual caution, scurried across the rest of the way as quickly as her feet could take her.

She reached the opposite side, and looked around for the treasure she sought. Damn! she thought. Never falls in the same place twice! Most days, she did not even need to cross the path to reach it. It could usually be found in the brush, or the plain, or sometimes the bushes on her side.

Her sharp eye caught a glimpse of its shiny blue surface. She scampered over to a rolled bunch of leaves wrapped in a semi-transparent, glossy blue husk. It meant nothing to her, but her master would give her a treat for bringing it to him. She grabbed it with her beak behind a small bulb at the end, and carried it back to the edge of the path.

She looked both ways, concentrated on her feet and, hearing no sound and sensing no vibration, darted across. Just as she reached her knoll, a lumbering monster rolled past, barely missing her. Surprised, she dropped the bundle. She turned and gave the monster a few disapproving squawks as it continued on. Once it reached a safe distance, she retrieved the husk and dragged it across the plain.

At the plain’s edge, she hopped up a few planks, struggling with the weight of the bundle. She skipped across the wooden floor, and proudly placed the treasure at her master’s feet.

He gently patted her head, and dropped some corn kernels to the ground.

She quickly gobbled them up. She heard him speak to the other ape creatures sitting around him. She could tell by the tone of his voice that he was pleased, even though she didn’t understand the words: “And, that, my friends, is why the genetically-enhanced chicken crossed the road!”

“Crossing” by Dan C. Rinnert. Copyright 2005. All rights reserved.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, January 13th, 2009 at 11:51 am and is filed under dcr Writes. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
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