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Allen detected my presence long before I landed on his window sill. “Corinne, you've decided to come back? The avian lifestyle not working for you?”
The sound of his voice threw me into turmoil. First I felt that involuntary bolt of excitement I always experienced on meeting up with him. Then, his betrayal flashed into my thoughts, and I let my sadness and rage drown out any other feelings. I had to stop this man.
I banged my beak so forcefully against the screen of his open window that I poked a hole through. I hoped to solve this situation without anyone getting hurt, and I also didn't want to risk altering nearly a thousand years of human history.
“Corinne? I didn't make you a crow!” Allen exclaimed in surprise as he approached me. When he opened the screen to investigate, I flew at him, followed close behind by Jonas and Daniel.
Caught off guard, Allen staggered back. “What is this?”
Before he could act, we attacked. In a flurry of feathers, we dove from different angles, trying to get near enough to hurt him. He turned and batted at us, driving one of us away only so another could swoop in.
My small heart hammered in my chest as I fought to keep myself airborne. As Allen drove off Daniel and Jonas, I saw my chance. Squawking, I dived for Allen's eyes, my talons piercing whatever part of him I could reach. I wanted to tear all his flesh from his bones, to show my indignation at how he’d treated me.
I think I loved you! I believed in you, I trusted you, and you turned on me, Allen!
Holding his arm over his face, he began to laugh, solidifying himself into stone at the same time. His lips grew motionless, and the laugh echoed into silence. I didn't know if he had heard me yelling at him, and I wasn't sure I had wanted him to, anyway.
The perfect smirking statue was eerie to behold. Every part of him was smooth and lifelike, the stone preserving each wrinkle and mark in his skin. He would have been a great addition to any museum – except for that twisted look of victory on his marble face. That expression drove me to lunge at him even harder.
I hate you! I hate you, Allen! I shrieked. But my small bird-nails slid down his surface, leaving it untouched. You're an awful person! I added, but I think he was ignoring me.
Is all this tickling supposed to hurt me? he chuckled, as Jonas and Daniel joined me in a few more feeble attempts to mar his shiny figure. My own family is attacking me. Nice. But who are these others? I think we'll just be rid of you all...
Don’t you touch anyone! I warned, and darted out of reach. Looking back to check on Jonas and Daniel, I witnessed my uncle being reduced to a stuffed animal version of his avian self.
I yelped in outrage and flew out of the room, nearly missing the outer edge of the window sill as I attempted to land on it. The vision of my uncle transformed into a toy and falling ignominiously to the floor rankled my mind. Jonas! Uncle Jonas! I called to him in my thoughts, but there was no response.
I peeked back into the room to view the talented, mythical Uncle Jonas, now mere cotton and brown plush. Mute and unmoving, he stared through me with unseeing purple glass eyes.
What made matters worse was Allen's amusement at Jonas' predicament. He became flesh and blood once more in order to spout out, “Oh, I love those fake fluffy animals. I bet there are a million children out there who would love to play with him! Do you like him better this way, Corinne?” he directed toward the window where I sat. “I think he's great like this!”
Sputtering angrily, Daniel landed on the top of a bookshelf and glared down at Allen. “How could you?” he flapped his wings furiously. “After all I've done for you, I can't believe you’d do this to us!”
“Oh, Daniel, I haven't harmed you in the least. Hey! You know, we can donate your fuzzy friend to an orphanage!” Allen clapped his hands merrily. “We didn't have orphanages back where I come from. Children lived on the streets, filthy and starving–”
The self-satisfied grin on Allen's face enraged us even more, and Daniel began another attack. “That's my uncle!” he cried, plunging toward Allen and delivering several gashes across his face.
Where were Mom, Dad, and Grandpa Brian? Why weren't they doing anything? I hoped they were just waiting for the right opportunity.
Allen swatted my brother off. “I must correct you, Daniel. Your grandfather's uncle is your great-great uncle. I would think all time travelers would be excellent genealogists. But then again, you're so new at this.”
“You're some bastard, Allen,” Daniel spat, and threw himself at him yet again.
“Oh, Daniel, after you've done such wonderful things for me, why must you force me into doing things like this?”
Allen drew his hands into fists and gritted his teeth. With a cry, Daniel fell limply to the floor, bursting into light. In his place now lay a fish which began to flop around, desperately trying to breathe.
I was too shocked to yell out. Allen had said only seconds ago that he had never hurt Daniel. Yet now, if my brother didn't get placed in water, he would suffocate!
The terror I'd experienced myself as a fish haunted me. I could actually feel Daniel's fear. It was like a cold shiver, creeping across my body. I couldn't leave him this way, and I wasn’t sure anyone was going to act, so I attempted the first solution that came into my head.
Through my panic, I allowed the light to surround and engulf me. My body melted and lost any semblance of form. I became cool and shapeless.
I was now water, saturated with life-saving oxygen.
I knew I couldn't waste any time marveling at how weird this was. Almost instinctively, I poured over the sill and down the wall. I felt like I was tumbling down a large water slide – except that I was the liquid, and I definitely wasn't having fun.
I rippled to the floor and surrounded Daniel.
Allen tilted his head, staring down at us. “Well, now, will you look at this?”
He smashed his foot into me.
The impact jostled me into utter chaos. I wrenched apart, splashing everywhere. I spattered onto the wall, I stretched across the floor, and some of me remained protecting Daniel. Yet I could still feel every drop of myself, and I couldn't process the whole experience...
Too many points of view... I’m everywhere...
Corinne! someone called to me in my mind.
I wasn’t sure who it was, but hearing a human voice helped me focus myself out of my confused, scattered state. I somehow managed to pull the rest of myself together, enveloping my brother in a spherical formation that defied gravity. As incredible as it was that I could maintain this shape, I was more impressed that Allen hadn't crushed Daniel instead of me. My poor brother was a small, powerless creature, completely at our mercy. Allen could have killed him in an instant. So maybe there was some good in him still.
Yet now his suspicions were confirmed. He knew the truth about what I was. I could feel him delving into my mind, trying to learn more about me.
Why hadn't I simply teleported Daniel away from here? Allen would never have discovered my secret! Unfortunately, the quickest solution to spring to mind had not necessarily been the best.
Allen’s constant, nagging pressure ate at my brain, but I kept him out, focusing my mind solely on protecting my brother. I felt him stir and brighten, and if I could have sighed with relief, I would have. But his thoughts were jumbled and befuddled.
What's happening to me?
You're safe, Daniel. I'm taking care of you. Of course, I wasn’t sure how long I could continue to help...
Corinne, I'm changing again. I feel it.
I wasn't the one transforming him, and Allen was so intent on penetrating my thoughts that I didn't think it was him either. I had to assume that Mom and Grandpa Brian were at work, because suddenly Daniel erupted into a handsome, intimidating tiger. The change sent me splashing about once more, but this time I was able to gather myself back together fairly quickly.
Glancing down at himself momentarily, Daniel growled in delighted surprise. He was magnificent as a big cat. Snarling menacingly, he launched himself at Allen's neck.
My brother did give Allen a jolt, but his reaction was matter-of-fact. “You can't hurt me – but you are entertaining me! In fact, I'm really having fun with you all!” He changed to stone again, transforming Daniel into a bug at the same time.
Daniel! I cried out in my mind, attempting to follow the small creature while still in my aqueous form.
I could hear Allen's laugh echoing through my thoughts. Got a flyswatter handy? he quipped. He looked down at me, snickering. Or, we could take a refreshing dip in the waters of Lake Corinne here–
Dad materialized behind Allen's stone form, grabbed him, and they both vanished.