Without the Birds

Chapter 1

(A/N: I was listening to the director and actor's commentary for Cloudy and when everyone's depressed and they though Flint didn't make it back to the island, Bill Hader made a joke (not to me) that what if Flint didn't come back and it just cut to the credits right there. That sent me to hysterics because WHY WOULD AN ACTOR DO THAT TO THEIR OWN PERFECT CHARACTER? Anywho, this was the outcome of my thoughts on Bill's idea. Do not hold your tears. I sure as heck didn't when I wrote this.)

Pie, strawberries, spaghetti, cheese, and-

A sharp prick enters my leg. I gasp and ask frantically, "Where's Flint?" Looking around, I realize he's still in the meatball trying to shut down the FLDSMDFR.

I look out the small window in the back of the plane with hope in my eyes, but that instantly falls. The giant sphere explodes, with Flint still INSIDE. I can't believe my eyes. "NOOOOOOO!" I yell out, as if Flint could still hear me.

I fall back in disbelief. Chicken Brent catches me and strokes my face with his fried wing-arm. "I know, kid. I know…"

What did he just say? "NO!" I scream suddenly, startling everyone in the car, even Manny, who's still at the wheel. "You DON'T know!" I get up with whatever courage and dignity is still left in me. "Flint was my LIFE! He was all I had left! You'll never know!"

"Samantha, calm down." Manny tries to tell me, but I won't have it.

"I'll NEVER calm down! I LOVED him! I love him, guys! And he loved me! I don't know what I'm going to do without him…" I feel dizzy from my inner panic. I then collapse on the floor again.

Steve climbs over to me and sits on my belly. "LOVE," he says as he rubs his furry face on me. I get chills, somewhat still feeling Flint's presence.

"We're landing on the island, everyone. Hold on because it's going to be bumpy." Manny advises everyone.

I grab onto a stiff rod and squeeze it hard so I don't move around too much when we land. The plane hits the ground hard, causing it to lose a couple exhaust pipes and both the wings.

My heart seems to stop when I see Flint's father in the midst of the debris and destruction from the food storm, finally breaking free. How will he react when I tell him Flint's gone?

Everyone exits the plane with depressed faces, and I'm last. I try to blink back tears while I exit and slowly shut the gray metal door.

Out the corner of my eye, I see Tim run up to me and ask, "Where's Flint?" The sound of his name makes me shudder in sadness. It lets me know I need to cry NOW or forever hold my 'peace.

"I'm sorry." I crack out nervously. I swiftly wipe a tear from my eye before anyone can see it fall.

Tim's lip quivers. Even though I can't see his eyes, I can still see heartbrokenness. "Oh…" he sighs sadly, making me feel even worse than I already do.

I reach out and put my hand on his arm. "Your son was a great man…" I can't hold in my tears in any longer. I squeeze my eyes shut while putting my head down, but tears pour freely and endlessly out the corners of my eyes. I choke on my sadness and hug Tim for whatever comfort I expect to get. He hugs me back.

Even though Tim is almost 4 times the size of Flint weight-wise, it feels like I'm holding Flint. "I'm so sorry," I hiccup out.

Large tears land on my scalp, as if it's raining; Tim's crying. The hugging doesn't exactly seem to be helping any. I feel so sorry for Tim. First, he lost his wife, now, he's…alone.

A gust of wind surprises everyone. Tim and I let go and look up. I almost have a heart attack at what I see above me: Flint's labcoat, fluttering down softly under the blue sky.

I reach my hand up and catch the labcoat. It's covered in grease stains and a few blood splatters. I cringe at the sight of the coat, another tear falling down my cheek. "I-I can't- He's not-…" When I close my eyes, I suddenly see a split-second image of Flint's broken, dead body, warped majorly from the explosion, unbelievably different from the perfect one I used to know.

I can't take it anymore. I scream in fear and anger, collapsing on my knees, clutching the labcoat to my heart. I'm crying so hard, I can't breathe. My lips touch the blood spots lightly, and I can't stop kissing it.

I don't care where I am or who I'm in front of, so I fall on my side, still pressing the coat to my chest, and fall asleep.