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Allen kept a perch for me in his bedroom. I had to learn to sleep on it, which was difficult, so I grew exhausted from lack of rest. At night, he would apologize but then either tie me to the perch or change himself into something indestructible so I couldn't attack him in his sleep. Yet we both knew I wouldn't risk harming him, because he was my only chance at regaining human form.
I considered time traveling to escape, but I'd still be a bird, so, other than flying over famous battles and exploring cities from the skies, it wouldn't help my situation much.
True to his word, Allen sometimes changed me back to clean and to cook for him. He kept a sharp eye on me in this state, warning me that any attempt to escape or bring him back would result in far worse than a bird transformation. He also threatened to go after the rest of my family, which successfully kept me in line.
Of course, my cooking hardly seemed necessary, as most of his meals were acquired by transforming random objects into food. It was fascin-ating, I had to admit, seeing him grab up a pen cap one night and turning it into a piece of pizza. Eating the steaming slice, he gave me a thumbs-up sign. I could only imagine where he'd picked that up.
“The best thing about the twenty-first century? Pizza! Simply brilliant!”
I watched him, my mouth watering. He passed the crust to me, and, holding it down with my foot, I pecked at it desperately. I hated his power over me, and how he didn't seem to feel the least bit bad over what he was doing.
As the days went on, I became used to our routine. I was a bird, and I did...bird things, which wasn't much. Allen was greatly amused by me, and I thought that he felt he was giving me a gift in a sense.
“You're free of humanity!” he exclaimed one afternoon. “You're free of all your cares! And you're a bird to boot! Don't you love it?”
I'm stuck here with you.
He threw the window open. “Oh, no you're not! Fly all you want! But just know that if you escape, you're stuck.”
You won't change me back anyway.
“Not necessarily true. Maybe one day I will, when you’re finally convinced I’m no danger.”
That means never, I thought to myself. I didn’t care if he heard me or not.
I was about to fly out when something occurred to me. If he was cruel enough to do this to me, had he done something to my brother?
Where's Daniel? I demanded.
He laughed. “Ah, my little bird. Go enjoy yourself, and be back for dinner. Maybe if you come back at a decent time, I'll let you be something else of your choice.”
Of course he had done something to my brother! Daniel probably listened to my parents and attempted to take Allen back!
I flew off, but there was no freedom now. I was imprisoned in a bird's body, and there was no one to run back to but Allen...Aldous...
I couldn't believe that Allen turned out to be the hard-hearted, legendary father I had despised in my childhood. And poor Hannah, who had fallen for Prince Andrew, had been forbidden to see her lover – by Allen.
My mind filled with rage and great bitterness that Allen, who had become such an exciting and important part of my life, had destroyed me by turning on me so quickly and viciously. My despair felt like a crushing weight on my soul, and I would have shed tears of hopelessness had my bird body been capable of crying. At some level I understood his dilemma – his actions came from his perceived need for self-preservation. After all, who would want to return to the 1300s after they'd experienced a future that contained such marvels – especially pizza? But his behavior was still inexcusable and cruel, and I’d have to work hard not to lose all faith and submit to my anguish.
One avenue I would have to explore was to keep quizzing Allen about Daniel. I was fairly certain that my brother had met a fate similar to mine when trying to return the changer to where he belonged. All that yelling from my parents had to have had some impact on him.
For at least an hour on this unknown day, I flew aimlessly through the clouds. Was everyone now out looking for me in addition to searching for my brother? Even if they chanced upon me, they'd never know the bird before them was really their own child.
Corinne...
Hearing my name echo through my mind gave me a start. Had Allen followed me? I was pretty sure I hadn’t imagined the sound, yet there were no other creatures to be seen. I’d also traveled pretty far.
I was in a newer part of the woods, a bright place jammed with saplings. I had no idea why I’d ended up here, except for some reason, it felt safe. I came down on the top of a smaller oak, shaking my feathers out. As the days had gone on, I had found myself performing more and more birdlike actions. I began to preen myself, listening intently to a slight wind that whispered through the boughs.
A leaf fell off of a particularly robust young tree before me. The shrub shone in the sun, and its foliage glistened.
Corinne.
Another leaf toppled from the sapling.
I stared for a moment. Was I dreaming? Is someone talking to me? I said in my mind.
Can you hear me? it replied.
The voice in my head was Daniel's, and I saw the tree shudder slightly and drop another leaf.
Daniel! I flapped up to the tree's top branch. Is that really you?
Oof! I felt you grab onto my branch there...Corinne, is it really you? he imitated me in his sarcastic big-brother voice, and I nearly sobbed.
Oh, no, Daniel! You tried to take him back and he did this to you! I tapped at a cluster of leaves in horror, trying to accept that this plant was really my brother. It wasn't that I couldn't believe it. I just didn't want to believe it.
Look what he did to you, Daniel! Look what he did! I was able to generate a wailing sound, which was not as good as human crying, unfortunately.
Corinne, what happened to you?
He made me a bird, I pushed myself to answer him. I found out who he was, and I said I'd take him back. Now I'm a prisoner, just like you. I sighed hopelessly. Oh, look at you... I'm so sorry. Are you okay?
Sure! Absolutely spectacular!
I don't know how my idiot brother could fool around at a time like this. I couldn't understand it. I'll force him to change you back, or at least, into an animal or something so you're not stuck like that. It must be horrible!
Horrible? I've never felt better! It's wonderful!
Now I was confused. He wasn't joking? How could he feel wonderful being rooted to the ground, unable to move?
Corinne, being a plant is so amazingly relaxing, and calming! He never did it to you?
God, no. My mind shot back to a happier time, when Allen had mentioned being a vine while waiting for me in the woods...
You don't know what you're missing! There's nothing to worry about as a plant! You just sit and...exist! The sun provides you with food, you drink up the water with your roots...
I couldn't listen to any more of this. My brother was happy being held captive – and as a plant, no less! If it wasn't so awful, it would have sounded ridiculously silly. What was it called when the victim of a kidnapping falls in love with the kidnapper? Stockholm Syndrome?
Daniel, I have to get back to him to help you.
He won't help. Go to Mom and Julian!
And then came a new voice.
“She's not going anywhere. We're done here.”
A fly that had buzzed past grew into Allen. He placed hands on his hips and looked up at me, intrigued. “Well, I'm impressed you found him, Corinne, although I didn't really hide him. Keep your friends close and, well, you know what they say.” He knocked on Daniel's trunk. “Are you still comfortable like this, my friend?”
Turn him back, Allen! I demanded.
He waved his fingers at me. “Get back on my arm, Corinne.”
I obeyed, sinking my claws into his flesh as I landed. He hardly flinched, and he pretended that I hadn’t hurt him. “I can't turn him back. We'll have the same problem with him that I would have with you. I will not go back to my own time.”
Can't you make him something mobile, at least? I mean, a tree?
“He's very happy as a tree, aren't you, Daniel?”
Daniel must have been back in his own plant world, because a dreamy “Yes” was his only response.
“Once I kept Daniel as an orchid for a week. He loved it so much that he was upset when I turned him back, but I didn't want him to fail out of school. At least he's on vacation now.”
Why do you care about him failing or anything?
“You might be my relatives or even my progeny! I only want the best for you!” he answered, grinning.
This is the best?
“Well, I'm afraid that I want the best for me more. Now get back home and let your brother grow.”
***
THAT NIGHT AS I SLEPT, I thought I heard ghostly voices calling my name and Daniel's. I figured I must have been dreaming.