{"id":466,"date":"2025-11-22T05:51:09","date_gmt":"2025-11-22T05:51:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/euphemism.illinoisstate.edu\/21-1\/?page_id=466"},"modified":"2025-11-22T06:24:57","modified_gmt":"2025-11-22T06:24:57","slug":"bird-and-branch","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/euphemism.illinoisstate.edu\/21-1\/fiction\/bird-and-branch\/","title":{"rendered":"Bird and Branch"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ryan Eviston<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSettle down, everyone! Settle down!\u201d Agnes was already in her seat, the metal legs of the chair rattling with rust as she rocked back and forth inside the little divots in the wooden floor. A loose ball of scrap paper sailed over her head from the boy to her right. \u201cTucker! Don\u2019t make me get the ruler!\u201d That threat was more than enough to get his butt back on the plastic. \u201cAny-who class, today is a very special day for one reason. Can anyone guess what that reason is?\u201d Several eager hands shot up, Agnes not among them. \u201cYes, Mary Anne?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s Friday?\u201d Miss Brinley stifled a laugh and shook her head.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNot quite, Mary Anne, but I appreciate your thinking! Lord knows I need this weekend\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDid you just take the Lord\u2019s name in vain?\u201d Big-mouthed Tucker wasted no time cutting in. Miss Brinley promptly lifted the ruler high, and he lowered his head. She then cleared her throat and motioned for a student sitting at the very front to come forward. Agnes didn\u2019t recognize her one bit, and she put the pieces together on what exactly the deal was very quickly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPlease give a big hand to the newest addition to Fairhope Elementary!\u201d She leaned down to the girl politely, with her arms folded behind her and whispered in her ear, \u201csay your name nice and loud for all of us.\u201d The girl smiled wide, with messy, curly blonde bangs dipping down and poking at her eyes. They didn\u2019t make a dent in impeding her movements as she triumphantly stepped forward and swung her leg onto the desk, her foot firmly planted like she was a pioneer discovering new land. Agnes noticed right away just how filthy her knee was, absolutely caked in dirt or soot or both. Her overalls were also in desperate need of repair, its right strap broken, and her white undershirt had seemingly been washed in a pond with the way it was stained. The boot on the desk was untied while the laces on the other were absent altogether. As she planted her fists to her sides and smiled wide with her teeth, surprisingly straighter than Agnes envisioned, Agnes did not know what to think of this girl in the slightest, other than that she probably needed a bath or dozen.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMy name is Canary!\u201d she shouted like she was running for president. \u201cLike the bird! Anyone else got a bird name in here?\u201d she glanced around. The volume of her voice had done a much greater job of silencing the class than Miss Brinley could ever hope to accomplish. \u201cLike, like a Robin? Or Colm?\u201d Silence. She was the only bird that flew through these halls. The lack of answers did nothing to deter her as she finally removed her boot with a loud stomp, still keeping her triumphant pose. Miss Brinley kept her waiting as she stared at the polished varnish now mucked beyond belief.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThanks, Miss Canary.\u201d Her voice was devoid of enthusiasm now. \u201cTake a seat anywhere you like.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThank you<\/em>, miss teacher!\u201d The class eyed her as she patrolled the perimeter but looked away as soon as she made eye contact with any of them. Agnes made the mistake of staring just a bit too long and Canary beamed, quickly zooming over and nesting in the vacant seat to her left. As soon as she sat down the class remembered their instructions and delivered a dainty applause. Canary took it in stride and excitedly began picking the dirt from her nails.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWith that out of the way, class, shall we pick up where we left off in Animal Farm?\u201d A few groans sounded through the room as Agnes reached into her desk and pulled out the old paperback. She sighed, knowing the teacher would inevitably call on her to read the most. She loved reading, yes, but not Animal Farm. She didn\u2019t get it, not one bit. She still didn\u2019t even really know what \u201ccommunism\u201d meant, yet the rate at which Miss Brinley ranted about it made it seem like it was the most important thing since food and church. In her surly stupor, a finger poked at the skin on her arm a couple times and jolted her to attention.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c\u2019Scuse me, uh\u2026what\u2019s it called again?\u201d Agnes blinked at the new girl, Canary, who was no less dirty up close. Tiny splotches of dirt hugged her rosy face, the most pooling under her crooked nose making it seem like she had a mustache. Agnes cautiously breathed through her mouth as she leaned in closer.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat?\u201d Agnes whispered, already feeling the anxiety on her shoulders from talking out of turn.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s it called? When someone with a house lives next to someone with another house?\u201d Agnes blinked, taking a moment to decipher the canary\u2019s song.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou mean\u2026a neighbor?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYeah!\u201d she exclaimed, and Agnes cringed.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMiss Canary, please keep it down unless you are called upon!\u201d Agnes scratched her arms as Miss Brinley\u2019s warning shook her like a fierce wind.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes ma\u2019am!\u201d Expecting that to have deterred her, Agnes almost bit her tongue off when Canary went right back to chatting her up. \u201c\u2019Scuse me neighbor, but can I look at your book? I don\u2019t got one yet.\u201d She was already scooting her desk closer like she just knew Agnes would say yes. Agnes glanced to the front of the class and to her left, back and forth. Right now she really just wanted this new girl to go away. She was loud, dirty, and probably smelled horrible. She was one more remark away from getting her in trouble and Agnes could not bear to have that conversation with her parents. Reluctantly, Agnes flipped through the yellowed pages and slid the book to the edge of her desk where Canary sat, eyes wide. Maybe doing this now without any more fits would shut her up and the loudness would end.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThanks neighbor!\u201d Or not. Thankfully Miss Brinley was caught up in trying to get quiet Sammy to read again and didn\u2019t notice. \u201cWhat\u2019s your name?\u201d One more word. One more word than she would stop, surely. Agnes took a deep breath and without turning to her, uttered her name so low it was almost inaudible. Canary made a prolonged oooo<\/em> like that was the most interesting thing in the world.<\/span><\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Agnes glanced around in all directions for the umpteenth time as she fastened her bandana in her hair. The day had been too perfect to pass up the opportunity and she was not going to waste it. A couple of kids screamed and laughed as they chased each other all through and around the playground about fifty yards behind her, stomping their feet in the still wet grass after the clouds had finally let up and cast a few golden rays on old Fairhope. The wind sent a chill that gave Agnes goosebumps as she gripped the first few low branches of the black maple. Steadying her breath, she planted her foot on the stump of a sheared branch and slowly began hoisting herself into the tree\u2019s embrace. Being the first dry day in forever, Agnes would be trying for a record today; perhaps maybe\u2026the ninth branch? Or the tenth, if she was feeling really<\/em> rowdy. Her fingertips made contact with the freshly dried and rough bark, the little sharp bits digging into her skin painfully. She soldiered on and regretted not raiding the cabinet for band-aids to wrap around her fingers. One by one she passed the low branches and ascended into the medium level. The voices beneath became fainter and the breeze blew quicker. As Agnes\u2019 anticipation grew so did her exhaustion, and she decided to take a rest on the sixth branch. With her feet dangling freely, she avoided looking straight down and looked out at the Fairhope Public Park and the sky beyond. Rivers of blue cut through the murky gray clouds and rode the sunlight for as far as the eye could see.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSure pretty, ain\u2019t it?\u201d This high up, it must have been the voice of an angel, and Agnes screamed, gripping the branch she sat on for support so hard her palms would be red for days. \u201cWoah! Careful, Nes!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHow-how did you-!?\u201d Agnes shot her head straight up to see a shoelace dangling amongst the green leaves, and a pair of legs swinging free just as hers had been, only a good six additional branches upward. \u201cYou\u2019re crazy! You\u2019re gonna die!\u201d Canary giggled and one-upped Agnes\u2019 nerves by standing<\/em> upright on the branch. It swayed and cracked under her boots and Agnes shut her eyes tight before she witnessed the dirty girl plummet to the earth with a splat. A few moments passed and the only sound that played in her ears was a soft hum.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI been higher than this! You shoulda seen the trees back in Connecticut!\u201d The way Canary pronounced Connecticut, annunciating the second C like she was saying \u201cconnect-icut\u201d made Agnes\u2019 brain rattle around like a pinball. \u201cThe maples are nothing.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHow long have you been up there?\u201d Agnes reluctantly opened her eyes for just a moment before shutting them once more, vertigo creeping into her stomach.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFew minutes. I\u2019m trying to get up every tree. There\u2019s a lot though.\u201d A lot<\/em> was underselling it. There were hundreds of trees around the park. This girl was insane, she had<\/em> to be. \u201cI didn\u2019t know you also climbed \u2018em!\u201d Agnes\u2019 stomach dropped again, a new fear setting in with Canary\u2019s words. She was one witness too many, and Agnes promptly began descending the tree, legs shaking and staying in place for a good dozen seconds to ensure she had a foothold.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh no-no-no.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s-a matter?\u201d Canary immediately began following her at four times the speed. \u201cSpider crawling on you? Just shake it off before it bites.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo! I-I can\u2019t have anyone seeing me! My mom\u2019ll whoop me if she sees I\u2019ve been tree climbing again!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHey-hey!\u201d Canary\u2019s voice was low and quiet for the first time ever. The shock of it actually managed to halt Agnes\u2019 descent. \u201cI won\u2019t tell nobody.\u201d She glanced back up at the monkey in a girl\u2019s body. She mimed zipping her lips shut with a key, before opening her mouth and tossing the invisible key inside and swallowing it. Agnes scoffed. \u201cPromise. Double-triple promise.\u201d Agnes sat down calmly on the fourth branch and sighed. Could she really trust this girl? There was no way to be certain, but perhaps she felt she owed Agnes a favor for letting her read off her copy of Animal Farm. She would have to rely on that. As the two girls went back to looking out at the sky, Agnes stifled her own giggle. Canary craned her head between her legs and stared down at Agnes, her bright-red bandana blowing in the gentle breeze that made the branches groan and snap. \u201cWhat\u2019s so funny?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou wouldn\u2019t be able to open your mouth up after zipping and locking it. You can\u2019t eat the key.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSays who?\u201d Agnes was stumped. There was no proper response to that. \u201cI can eat all the keys I want.\u201d Agnes snickered at the absurdity of this girl. She glanced back up once more and met her eyes. They were honey-gold brown, just like hers. \u201cNo one\u2019ll be opening doors after I\u2019m through with it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cStop.\u201d Agnes swayed as her body convulsed with laughter. \u201cI\u2019m gonna fall.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSorry!\u201d Canary quickly shot back disconcertedly. She joined Agnes in her contagious laughter as the sun screamed higher in the sky.<\/span><\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

\u201cI hope you haven\u2019t been walkin\u2019 around town with that Canary girl, Aggie.\u201d Agnes glanced up, putting the pencil on top of her division problems. Her mom was currently stirring a ladle around some freshly mixed pancake batter and scooped a large dollop onto the pan with a sizzle.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhy?\u201d Agnes took a deep whiff as the pancake cooked, the vanilla filling her sinuses with all things good and holy.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve heard from Mr. Bruford that she\u2019s been just waltzing all over like she owns the town! Going into folks\u2019 backyards, picking through their gardens, stomping all over the grass, that sorta thing. Just nonstop ruckus, that\u2019s what.\u201d Her mom scooped the extra-large pancake onto a plate and served it to Agnes, who licked her lips in anticipation. \u201cNot so much syrup, darling.\u201d Agnes covertly ignored her and poured increasing amounts whenever she wasn\u2019t looking. Each mouthful was a spongey, heavenly experience that bathed her tongue in ecstasy and sugary sweetness. The pancake was gone before her mom was done chewing Canary out. \u201cThat would also explain our pansies disappearing, wouldn\u2019t it?\u201d Agnes opened her mouth to retort that those started disappearing weeks ago, way before Canary came to town, but knew better than to backtalk right now while she was like this. \u201cSo Aggie, you got that?\u201d She looked up at her mom, still chewing. \u201cDon\u2019t go talking to that girl no more. She\u2019s bad business.\u201d Without thinking too much, Agnes nodded in agreement, her appetite suddenly kicked down a notch.<\/span><\/p>\n

Later that day, as if the conversation had manifested it, Agnes nearly had a heart attack as she spotted a girl with messy blonde bangs and a kick in her step skipping right through her backyard. Anxious to get to her before either of her parents discovered her, she sprinted out of her room, through the living room, and straight out the back door. Canary did not seem displeased in the slightest to see a girl giving her the biggest death glare imaginable and sprinting right towards her at full speed. In fact, she smiled wide! And even waved.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh Nes! You live here? That\u2019s so neat! Now I know-\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cScram!\u201d Agnes waved her hands violently. \u201cYou can\u2019t just be walkin\u2019 through folks\u2019 yards! Get outta here!\u201d Canary simply blinked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t like me no more?\u201d Agnes threw her hands down and squinted.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDid I ever<\/em> like you? I just met you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI<\/em> thought so! Fellow nature lovers all do!\u201d Canary ignored her pleas and stepped even closer to the house, eyeing the flowers growing from the mulch. \u201cWow! Look at these here!\u201d Agnes groaned as Canary knelt down and gave the roses a sniff. \u201cBew-tee-full!\u201d She did the same with the remaining pansies. \u201cVery nice, very nice\u2026aw. Coyotes been eating on these ones, huh?\u201d Agnes\u2019 annoyance quickly dissipated.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHow do you know?\u201d Canary held a few of the stems gently in her fingers, running her hands along their length slowly and taking note of the clipped ends.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThese ain\u2019t been ripped out from the roots. See?\u201d She pointed out a few as Agnes knelt beside her. \u201cSomething\u2019s just been chewing on the tops. Probably coyotes. I seen it before. Papa and I had the same problem back in Tennessee. You got any hedgehog urine?\u201d Agnes slowly turned to Canary, her expression dead serious.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2026we\u2026no. We don\u2019t have any hedgehog urine.\u201d Canary shook her head.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShame. It\u2019ll keep \u2018em away good. You should get some.\u201d Unprompted, Canary then knelt down even more and planted her lips to one of the remaining pansies\u2019 petals. Agnes raised her eyebrow in confusion as she did it again with the roses.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat are you doing?\u201d Canary did not stop with the sunflowers.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGiving \u2018em a little kiss. Shows appreciation! Go on, you do it too. She won\u2019t mind.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe flower\u2019s a girl?\u201d Canary giggled again and rubbed her nose, now bleached with pollen. This girl was lucky to be devoid of any allergies.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe. But no. Mother nature! She loves to get kisses now and then. People don\u2019t appreciate her as much as they used to, so it makes her happy.\u201d As Canary finished politely kissing the last tulip, Agnes sighed and relented, slowly kneeling down to give a rose a little peck. \u201cSee? There ya go.\u201d Canary patted her back a little rough and Agnes smiled. \u201cMomma loves you now\u2026hey, Nes? Can I tell you a secret?\u201d Agnes sat with her legs folded beneath her and nodded. Canary looked both ways before leaning in close. Her breath was warm against Agnes\u2019 ear, and for the first time, she realized that Canary didn\u2019t smell bad at all, actually. Despite the dirt, the grime, and the unkempt nature of her everything, Canary smelled simply of\u2026daisies, and sap straight from the tree. \u201cMother nature, she ain\u2019t just the grass and trees\u2019 momma. She\u2019s mine too.\u201d Canary backed away and smirked at Agnes like she had just divulged the government\u2019s top secrets. Agnes tilted her head.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do you mean?\u201d Canary rocked back and forth on top of her own bent legs as she gently cradled another flower.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou have a mom, right? A normal one?\u201d Agnes nodded her head. \u201cYeah, every kid does. Not me though–at least, not like everyone else\u2019s. I got my papa and mother nature. I came right from her. My dad told me when I was really little, like this small,\u201d her hand was a mere three inches from the ground, \u201cand he said, Canary, don\u2019t go telling anyone that now, or they\u2019re gonna put you in a big empty room with pillows for walls!<\/em> Hehe! I love when papa talks all crazy. But!\u201d Canary stuck her finger in the air suddenly, calling Agnes to attention. \u201cI went and told you, \u2018cuz I\u2019m keeping your secret, so I thought it only fair to share one of my own. Can I trust you, missus Agnes?\u201d Agnes took a few deep breaths and tilted her head even more. This Canary, she had been a mystery ever since she walked through that door in the classroom straight from the dirt baths. She was like no girl Agnes had ever met, and she just didn\u2019t know how that made her feel quite yet. There was only one way to know for sure, so Agnes stood up straight and mimed zipping her mouth shut, before tossing the key right on into her already locked mouth, breaking the laws of physics themselves. Canary shot up and mimicked her gesture eagerly despite having no new secrets to keep.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSafe with me, missus Canary.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI knew I was right to sit next to ya, Nes! Fellow nature lover, always a friend!\u201d She hopped up and down excitedly, reaching out for Agnes to join her. Agnes had never smiled wider and promptly clasped her hands with Canary\u2019s, the two jumping up and down like two kangaroos who had just won the lottery. In that moment, the confusion surrounding Agnes\u2019 feelings for this new girl disappeared entirely. All she saw was someone who loved climbing trees and kissing flowers, and that was all that mattered.<\/span><\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Where had she been? Agnes had been leaning against the bark for so long now that her back was marked with impressions from the dry wood. She glanced in every direction one last time and was only greeted by the solitary branches waving at her, their moaning creeks being her only sense of company. She took a deep breath, tied her bandana a little tighter to make sure not a single follicle of hair shook loose, and promptly strutted out of the park. While she headed down main street she tried to recall exactly where Canary and her dad lived. What had she said again? At the end of the curb, opposite the big ol\u2019 corner store, the smallest little shack there is, that\u2019s ours!<\/em> That wouldn\u2019t be a problem. Agnes turned her stride into a jog as the houses on either side of her became progressively smaller and more downtrodden. There, at the farthest reaches of her vision, she spotted what looked like a miniature brown house, its roof rusted copper tiles held together by hope and prayer. What held her attention even more than the glorified shed-turned living quarters, however, was the smattering of kids that stood out in the street just before the dirt path up to Canary\u2019s house. Agnes heard a few faint shouts and ran as fast as she could. As she got closer she realized it was a bunch of her classmates gathered out in front: quiet Sammy, Mary Anne, Jordan, and Tucker leading the brigade while waving some sort of bat or loose lead pipe around, one twice his size and weight as it quickly sunk to the ground and made a nasty scrapping sound on the concrete. Agnes\u2019 heart rate increased tenfold when she finally reached the crowd. She tapped on Mary Anne\u2019s shoulder anxiously.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s going on here?\u201d Her classmate turned to her with an almost exhilarated fire in her eyes, like she had just witnessed something truly awesome or truly horrible. Agnes glanced past her, and her own eyes mirrored them to a tee. There, in her own front yard, Canary sat on the ground clutching her bleeding head while Tucker gallivanted around with his piece of pipe like he was just itching to strike again. Without thinking, Agnes burst forth to the front and got in between the two. \u201cTUCKER!\u201d She yelped, turning back to Canary again. The blood was running straight over her fingers and down the back of her hand. When Canary realized who it was, she shakily smiled before wincing, and her whole body shivered with coldness. Not a single tear fell from either eye. \u201cWhat did you do?!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAgnes! There you are! You can help me out!\u201d Agnes\u2019 eye twitched as sweat pooled under her armpits and dripped down the sides of her body.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cH-help you?! Did you hit her?\u201d She already knew the answer, of course, but she still couldn\u2019t believe it.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c\u2019Course I did! She\u2019s got a demon<\/em> in her head! That\u2019s what my pa said, and I\u2019m getting it out!\u201d Tucker stepped forward and Agnes instinctively flinched backwards, nearly tripping over Canary who gently held her steady. She felt the shaky breaths of her injured friend against the back of her calf and Agnes\u2019 blood truly boiled. \u201cWhy won\u2019t you get out the way?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou ain\u2019t gonna lay a finger on her!\u201d Agnes tried to scream it out, but her voice broke with fear. She swallowed and tried to hold her ground the best she could, her fingers balling in and out of fists. Tucker side-eyed her and gasped as he took the pipe off his shoulders to drag it again. \u201cDemon in her head? You\u2019re talking crazy!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAm not! You telling me you ain\u2019t seen her slinking around, licking flowers, drinking from the pond, all that? She came right into our yard trying to steal some of mama\u2019s tulips. I was just defending my property.\u201d Tucker narrowed his eyes as Agnes\u2019 fear slowly melted away and the anger froze in place. \u201cWhy are you<\/em> protecting her?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s nothing wrong with her!\u201d She looked down to see Canary breathing more heavily by the minute. \u201cShe loves nature, Tucker, you big idiot!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s all crazy talk! She ain\u2019t right!\u201d Agnes had had enough. She lurched forward and shoved Tucker as hard as she could straight to the ground. He fell with a whoop and the pipe clattered on the pavement. Not wasting a moment while he was dazed, Agnes found some mysterious inner strength that allowed her to heft the pipe straight up over her head where she towered over Tucker.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou<\/em> ain\u2019t right, Tucker! Maybe I heard there was a demon in your balls! Want me to knock it out for ya?!\u201d Tucker cried in horror and shuffled back into the crowd. As Agnes breathed heavily, every kid eyed her with abject horror. Jordan gripped Tucker\u2019s shoulders and hoisted him up while Mary Anne cried behind Sammy.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re crazy! Crazy!\u201d Tucker repeated it over and over. \u201cYou care about that devil more than us! She is<\/em> a devil, right? I\u2019m not<\/em> crazy!\u201d He glanced at his friends, each and every one. Uneasy silence followed, and for a moment Agnes held her breath, hoping they would look at him with the same disgust she had. Jordan was the first to open his mouth and something very faint came out before he suddenly closed it. Tucker stared harder, right into his eyes. Jordan shot a glance at Agnes, Canary on the ground behind her, then back at Tucker. \u201cAm I?\u201d Tucker asked, low. Finally, Jordan gave him his answer.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c\u2026no. She\u2026\u201d he gulped and pointed at Canary with the shakiest finger possible \u201c\u2026she ain\u2019t right!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cY-yeah.\u201d Mary Anne squeaked out, her voice suddenly finding its volume. \u201cShe should go back to the s-swamp she crawled outta!\u201d Agnes could feel the tears welling in her eyes. Her eyes locked onto little Sammy. Poor, quiet Sammy who was too afraid to even read half the time, who still had his mom walk him to school herself, hand in hand. She shook her head slowly, but it was too late.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTuck is right.\u201d The words strained his throat. \u201cDevil\u2019s got her.\u201d Tucker folded his arms triumphantly and smirked. A tear trailed down Agnes\u2019 face and dipped into her mouth, the salty taste the only sensation keeping her grounded to reality.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI told ya! It\u2019s just you, Agnes! Now let me at h-\u201d Agnes bellowed louder than she had in her whole life. She lifted the pipe as high as she could and jumped at Tucker. Every kid screamed in horror and fled down the street. Agnes watched them all the way until they were out of sight for good. As the adrenaline finally passed through her system, Agnes sobbed and dropped the pipe. She held the collar of her shirt and pulled it up above her nose as she rocked back and forth. She was horrified of what had just occurred, of herself<\/em>. She breathed in through her mouth and out through her nose rapidly as she tried and failed to keep the tears at bay. Agnes wiped so hard she scratched her face red before finally getting up and running back over to Canary. She had been sitting there the whole time nearly motionless, aside from her shaky breaths.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWow,\u201d was all she had to say as Agnes dropped to her knees and leaned in close. \u201cYou\u2019re like\u2026a superhero, Nes.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShh. Don\u2019t you talk.\u201d Agnes tried to steady her own voice for Canary, to be brave, like the hero she had just been likened to, tut it was impossible. Once she saw the gash in the side of Canary\u2019s head from the pipe she started sobbing all over again. \u201cI-I-I\u2019m sorry. I couldn\u2019t-I didn\u2019t know where you\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s fiiinnee. It\u2019s fine, Nes. I\u2019ve had worse.\u201d With her free, non-bloodied hand, she pointed at the bridge of her crooked nose and tried her best at a smile. \u201cIt\u2019s not fast either, like a river. It\u2019s slow, like\u2026syrup. So it\u2019s okay. And besides,\u201d she removed her hand from her forehead and stuck a finger in her mouth, \u201cmy blood tastes like butterscotch.\u201d Agnes blinked away the tears and stared at Canary. There she was; the only girl who also liked tree climbing, who liked kissing flowers and loving her dear mother. There she sat, smiling with an open head while the entirely uninjured girl was a wet mess. It was embarrassing. It wasn\u2019t right. Agnes quietly choked back another sob before a gentle grip propped up her chin. \u201cHere. Try some. I promise. Make you feel better.\u201d Through the strands coming undone beneath her bandana, and through Canary\u2019s bloodied bangs, the two girls locked soul to soul. For some reason, Agnes believed Canary with her whole heart and lungs that her blood tasted like butterscotch, even after giving her finger the ever-so slightest of licks and determining that it did not. Agnes made a sour face while Canary just chuckled. Agnes listened to it, the beautiful song of a canary truly freed from the shackles of everything not having to do with this beautiful earth. The hateful humans did not matter to her, just the ones who hugged trees and drank from rivers. Agnes smiled at the sweet sound of Canary\u2019s laughter before untying her bandana and gently bringing it to her friend\u2019s face, doing her best to wipe the blood away.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, missus.\u201d Canary whispered like they were the only two people in the entire world. \u201cCan you\u2026stay with me until my papa comes home? He\u2019s out in town looking for work. He can fix me up good.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c\u2019Course I will, Canary.\u201d You couldn\u2019t even tell the bandana was soaked through with blood due to its natural color. \u201c\u2019Course I will.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Even the tallest buildings in town were invisible this far out in the wilderness. The only trace of civilization left among these grassy wastes was the line of steel train tracks that streaked through the forest and off into the unknown. This patch of forest, so far removed from the park in which it began, usually saw no human life, but this day was an exception.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2026you sure you have to go?\u201d Agnes sat with her head almost between her knees against a tree, not even caring how much it hurt her back. Canary stood right in front of her with her foot planted behind her on the bark.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOnce it starts, it don\u2019t stop. Sorry Nes.\u201d The two couldn\u2019t even lock eyes. They sat in utter silence, only broken when a much bigger pair of boots stepped into Agnes\u2019 view. She had only seen Canary\u2019s dad a few times after she had moved in, and what a striking man he was. He shared his daughter\u2019s love of dirt, clumps of it on his skin that shielding the sheen of his bald head. Yet his big strawberry-blond beard was entirely spotless as it swayed gently in the breeze. He straightened his overalls, tied the one loosened shoelace on his boot, and took a deep breath.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTrain\u2019ll be here in a couple minutes.\u201d His voice was low and slightly creaky, like the old branches above their very heads. \u201cMiss Agnes?\u201d She finally lifted her head only to be met with the softest of gazes and the gentlest of touches on her shoulder. \u201cThank you. From the bottom of this old man\u2019s heart, thank you, for being a dear to my little sunflower.\u201d Agnes couldn\u2019t help but smile, even now. The hand left her shoulder, and he went back to observing the train tracks, listening for any signifying rumblings. That left just the girls back in their silence. Agnes could not bear it anymore and clenched her hands.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe only got up eight trees.\u201d Canary raised her head. \u201cWe were supposed to do all of \u2018em.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re right.\u201d Canary kicked a rock off to the side. \u201cSo you keep going without me, yeah?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s the point?\u201d Footsteps trudged through the tall grass before a mass slumped down just beside her on the tree. Their shoulders touched and Agnes memorized the sensation on contact, knowing it would be the last time she\u2019d ever feel it.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh shush. Not like I got you into it. You were doing it long \u2018fore I ever showed up, and you will long after. And so\u2019ll I. That\u2019s what nature lovers do, right?\u201d She turned to Agnes and bumped her arm. Even with the bandages smothering her face and the broken overalls clinging to her body, she still only exuded that earth she loved so much. Right here, amongst the trees, she fit right in, like she would melt into it all at any moment in a big green soup. Agnes\u2019 lips twinged and she buried her head in Canary\u2019s shoulder. She still smelled just like fresh maple. With a hand on her back, Canary leaned in close. \u201cThanks, Nes. For being my good friend.\u201d And that was all it took for the tears to come back. Canary felt the shaking and held her good friend tighter. \u201cOh no-no. We said no crying, remember?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry. I can\u2019t.\u201d Agnes finally leaned up. Canary gently wiped a tear away from her face. \u201cThose don\u2019t taste like butterscotch.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI know. You ever seen the ocean, though?\u201d Agnes shook her head and Canary smirked. She took the tear into her mouth and closed her eyes. \u201cIt tastes just like that.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Nearby rumblings shook the girls from their long goodbye. It\u2019s here!<\/em> Canary\u2019s dad shouted and Agnes tried as hard as she could to cry no more. She refused to create a new ocean right where they stood. Canary reluctantly let the girl go and stood on her two feet.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWait, wait.\u201d Agnes sniffled. \u201cYour boot\u2019s untied.\u201d Quickly Agnes fastened it for her and stood up herself. Examining her newly tightened footwear, Canary smiled wide with her teeth and Agnes blushed. Just behind her a freight train came into view, slowing almost to a crawl as it twisted and turned through the dense forest.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll see you around, missus Agnes.\u201d Canary pulled up the strap of her overalls, hefted her tiny bag of goods behind her, and turned to face the train. As she began to step away, Agnes started panicking. This couldn\u2019t be it. Her friend, gone, just like that? She scratched her skin before springing forward and calling out to her.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWAIT!\u201d Canary halted immediately and turned just in time to see a girl running full-sprint at her with a loose cloth of red in her hand. She pressed it tightly to Canary\u2019s chest. \u201cHere. Something to remember me by.\u201d Canary gladly took the bandana and promptly tied it around her neck, eliciting a little chuckle from Agnes. Even now she refused to change, to bend to what was supposedly right, to what you were supposed<\/em> to do.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIn case my head gets banged open again. Smart, Nes!\u201d Agnes squinted at her as Canary began walking backwards. \u201cI-I wish I had something to give you too.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou already have!\u201d Agnes waved as Canary\u2019s papa took his daughter\u2019s hand. Carefully, he gripped a bar attached to one of the cars and hopped on. He swept Canary up with him and the two took flight. As fast as she could Agnes bounded after the train, waving with both hands as father and daughter reciprocated. The two girls shouted goodbyes the whole time, all the way until Agnes ran out of both forest and train.<\/span><\/p>\n

There, she sat, the grass biting at her knees, the breeze blowing the sweat clean off her, and the sun scorching her neck. She breathed in deep and took it all in.<\/span><\/p>\n

And she never, ever let it go.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\nRyan Eviston \u201cSettle down, everyone! Settle down!\u201d Agnes was already in her seat, the metal legs of the chair rattling…\n<\/div>\n
Continue reading “Bird and Branch”<\/span>…<\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":83,"featured_media":0,"parent":14,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-466","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","entry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/euphemism.illinoisstate.edu\/21-1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/466","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/euphemism.illinoisstate.edu\/21-1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/euphemism.illinoisstate.edu\/21-1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/euphemism.illinoisstate.edu\/21-1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/83"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/euphemism.illinoisstate.edu\/21-1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=466"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/euphemism.illinoisstate.edu\/21-1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/466\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":499,"href":"https:\/\/euphemism.illinoisstate.edu\/21-1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/466\/revisions\/499"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/euphemism.illinoisstate.edu\/21-1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/14"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/euphemism.illinoisstate.edu\/21-1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=466"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}