Over the next two days, Daniel and Talia talked about Megabat constantly. In fact, Daniel’s mind was so busy with thoughts of his little friend that he nearly forgot about the first day of school.
“Daniel!” his mom called up the attic stairs, three mornings after Megabat had left. “You don’t want to be late.”
His new school was on the corner near his house, and by the time he’d laced up his running shoes, the street was filled with the familiar sounds of school bus engines and kids shouting—only, as familiar as it was, it seemed strange and scary too. Besides Talia and Jamie, Daniel didn’t know anyone.
Talia wasn’t in his class and the day dragged on. Daniel was relieved when the bell rang. He was hoping to hang out with Talia, but when he ran into her near the door, she was laughing with two other kids.
“Daniel, this is Nico and Ella,” she said. “They’re coming to play on my trampoline. You can come too if you want.”
“Yeah,” said the kid named Nico. “We’re playing popcorn.”
“You can be the popcorn first,” Ella added with a small smile.
Daniel didn’t know that game…or if being the first popcorn was good or bad. Truthfully, he’d been hoping to talk more about Megabat. And, anyway, Talia’s friends were probably only inviting him to be nice.
“Actually,” he said, “I think I’m just going to go home today. See you later.”
Talia frowned, but she didn’t argue.
“Okay,” she said. “See you later.”
That night, to celebrate his first day of school, Daniel’s mom made Japanese-style spare ribs and his dad cooked them on the BBQ. They’d just finished setting the table on the patio when—
“Hey!” Daniel jumped. A little piece of gravel had hit him on the head.
Daniel’s dad shielded his eyes and looked toward the sun. “Did that pigeon just drop rocks?” he asked.
More rocks fell. This time, a few landed in the salad bowl. Daniel wondered and hoped, then he squinted. Yes! The pigeon had an all-white head and brown wings. Birdgirl was back!
“So much for eating outside. Grab the food,” his mom said. “Bring the last two plates, will you, Daniel?” Daniel nodded then watched his parents go inside.
“Birdgirl!” he whispered loudly. She landed at his feet.
“Coo-woo.” She tilted her head from side to side. Then Daniel saw: attached to her back with Megabat’s juice-box-straw holster was a black lump with limp, leathery wings.
For a moment, Daniel’s heart seemed to stop, but then he saw that his friend was still breathing. He unstrapped the bat from the pigeon’s back and cradled him carefully in his palm.
“Are you coming?” His mom leaned out the back door.
“Just a minute,” he said. “I want to—uh—pick some flowers for the table.”
He walked across the yard, opened the shed and set Megabat on top of a ceiling beam where he’d be safe. The bat shivered slightly, so Daniel pulled off one of his socks and tucked Megabat inside it like a sleeping bag. It was stinky, but it would have to do.
Birdgirl flew onto the beam and wrapped one wing over the bat.
“I’ll be back soon, Megabat,” Daniel whispered.
