The blank canvases that had been marked by stories began to change. Their surfaces quivered, the edges bending and folding, before reshaping themselves. They molded, reformed, shifted, turning not into parchment but into life. From each written surface emerged shapes translucent and fragile, glowing faintly with a soft blue radiance.

  Birds.

  They bloomed from the pages like song given form, their wings shimmering with faint lines of text that faded and reappeared as they moved. Soft tweets escaped their beaks as they lifted into the air, their bodies glowing like fragments of the sky had taken flight.

  Some hovered around the flower, circling the bloom. Others curved down gently, wings brushing against the air near Jett, Ron, Liz, Dan, and Emma.

  They lingered close, tilting their small heads, their glowing eyes fixed with curious interest, as though the children themselves were stories worth reading.

  Ron stood stiffly as five of the creatures chose him for their perch. Two clung to his left shoulder, two to his right, and the smallest nestled boldly atop his head. He let out a long, weary sigh, his pale gray eyes rolling upward as though he might glimpse the daring little intruder without moving his head. His coat, thick and gray like beast pelt, shifted slightly with the weight of their tiny bodies, though he remained as still as stone, resigned to their presence.

  Nearby, Liz cupped both hands together as though holding water. One of the glowing birds fluttered down into her palms, tilting its translucent head to study her face. Around her twin buns, seven others darted and circled, tugging and pecking as if fascinated by the shape of her hair. Their delicate beaks pulled playfully at stray strands, causing her to giggle, a sound bright and light against the cold air. She tilted her head, emerald eyes glittering with amusement, and let her laughter spill a little louder than she intended.

  Dan, however, was not spared the intrusion either. A dozen of the birds fastened to him in stubborn persistence, some gripping the edge of his thick black coat, others clambering onto his shoulders or perching boldly across his arms. Twelve more hovered just beyond his reach, darting in to nip and tug at loose threads like mischievous thieves. His dark blue hair bristled in frustration as he scowled, shifting his body sharply to shake them off, but they only returned with renewed insistence.

  Everyone saw this and couldn't help but laugh slightly, except Liz, who laughed louder than the rest as Dan couldn't help but mutter to her, rough and impatient:

  “It’s not funny…”

  Liz’s laughter grew sharper at that, spilling over until her shoulders shook, and she leaned slightly forward as though trying and failing to contain it. Her eyes gleamed with mischief, the sound of her amusement carrying like bells.

  Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

  Dan glared at her through half-lidded eyes, his voice a grumble, but Liz’s laughter only rang louder, unconcerned.

  Not far from them, Jett became the focus of an entire cloud of the creatures. Dozens gathered close, tugging at the folds of her long brown coat, while others dove to entwine themselves in her dark hair. They circled her head, hovered before her pale gray eyes, wings beating in shimmering blurs as though trying to peer inside her. Her coat shifted with their movements, the pelt-like material pulling taut under their eager pecking.

  Emma, meanwhile, was engulfed by her own host of translucent blue birds. They flitted about her, the soft glow of their bodies painting her silver white hair with faint streaks of pale light. A few clung to the top of her coat, others pulled gently at the rest part of the coat, while several tangled themselves in her silken strands of hair, tugging playfully. She laughed softly, unable to resist their antics.

  The best part that made her more happier was...

  She could hear their tweetings.. Not just the airy trill of their tweetings, but their voices, layered, overlapping, spilling into her mind in a chorus of endless tones. Curious, questioning, filled with wonder.

  What are these?

  Who are these creatures?

  They are… interesting.

  The words pressed against her thoughts, countless and clamoring, a river of voices carrying too much meaning all at once, making Emma to decide communicating with them... .

  Hello there… she whispered inwardly, tentative.

  The reaction was instant.

  All movement in the air seemed to halt. Every bird froze mid-flight, every perched winged body turned stiff. Dozens of glowing heads whipped toward her at once, translucent eyes fixed upon her face. Their voices hushed into a single sharp silence, the weight of their focus heavy.

  Ron, Jett, and Liz all noticed.

  Liz’s laughter trailed into stillness, her lips parting as her brows knit. Ron’s pale eyes narrowed faintly as he glanced from the birds to Emma. Even Jett, surrounded as she was, seemed to pause, her coat shifting as the birds abandoned their pecking to join the collective stare.

  Emma swallowed, her throat tight, and then gave a small, shy wave. A wry awkward smile curved her lips, as she spoke aloud into the hush.

  “Don’t worry… I’m just talking to them, that’s why.”

  The words had barely left her mouth when the entire cloud of translucent creatures erupted. Wings beat furiously, light scattering across the clearing as they swarmed around her, their voices returning in a flood of overlapping sound, layered upon each other until it was impossible to count.

  You can hear us…

  You can speak our language…

  This creature… can speak with us!

  The multitude pressed against her mind, their chorus shrill with wonder. Emma flinched but quickly pressed her thoughts outward, laughing faintly as she lifted her hand as though to calm them.

  Alright, alright, I hear you… please, calm down. One at a time, or I won’t understand.

  Her inward voice was steady, though her outward laughter was breathless, ringing softly as the glowing storm of birds surrounded her, their translucent wings filling the air like falling fragments of sky.

  Soon after, the birds calmed down, their eyes, bright yet calm, were fixed upon her. They no longer moved, no longer fluttered about. They simply watched and waited for what next she'll say.

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