Chapter Ten
Author's Note: You can check my bulletin board for my story update. I have published a preview for my new story "Phantom Company" so feel free to read it.
Chris's talons wrapped around the handle and ,with a small tug, the door to the cage opened. The metal hinges slowly creaked as the door turned, and they knocked against the steel bar sounding like two nickels hitting each other.
Blu's freedom was shown right in front of him he was still inside his cage. It was strange but he doesn't want to leave at all. This was Blu's home for nearly a month and it kept him from hurting himself and others.
"Well" Chris majestically said "care to step out Blu?" He extended his wings to the outside in a grandly way. Blu only took a step backward away from his freedom.
He wanted to stay as far away from the opened door; his schizophrenia hasn't occur in the past month, but would it come back if he steps outside? He was perfectly fine in his cage and why risk everything?
Even if his schizophrenia doesn't happen, then what's next? What will Blu do in the outside world?
Chris was still holding his wing majestically and he smiled his best smile yet. Blu swore that if there was a national smiling contest, then Chris would have gotten first prize.
"Come on Blu, just remember that every door leads to a new discovery. And a new discovery leads to a new knowledge. Don't you want that?"
Blu said, "I don't know. Do I?" Footsteps were heard and Linda walked in while presenting a plate of creamy hot chocolate ,with puffy marshmallows, and freshly baked cookies. She set it down on the dinner table and said, "Help yourselves guys and don't worry, there's plenty more where that came from."
The sweet aroma immediately poured into the room. Blu attentively watched Chris, who delicately snatched a cookie from the pile and bit it. His temptation grew even more when he saw the cookie being dunked into the cup of steaming hot chocolate.
"You want it?" Chris tauntingly said. The parrot bit the cookie again and he took his time chewing it thoroughly. Blu could imagine the chocolate chip that was melting inside Chris' mouth and the cookie being dunked into the hot chocolate.
Blu banged his head repetitively against the cage but it wasn't because of the surgery. Coincidentally, Linda offered another plate of fresh cookies and Chris ate away with a second helping, not paying attention to Blu's temper tantrum.
Then he finally shouted, "You win!" and Blu rapidly flapped his wings, causing a great turbulence, and he flew out of his cage. Chris could feel the air scuttle pass him as Blu flew past him, then, devouring the leftover cookies and hot cocoa.
"So good!" Blu said with his mouth full. Some bits of cookies fell onto the polished wood of the table and Chris closed the door on the cage. The perfect time for a lecture is now.
"So Blu" Chris said "do you really think that the delicacy in front of you is really worth your safety?" Blu's head was shaking up and down like a bobblehead. He could feel the sugary rush with every savory bite of the fresh cookie.
"And now, you cannot come inside your cage."
Blu immediately froze midway in his ravenous chewing and realized that Chris is blocking the entrance to the cage. In a scared voice, Blu hissed, "Let me back in."
Chris only broadened his shoulder a little bit more and said, "Why? Is it because you are afraid of your schizophrenia? Hmmm? Or is it because you want to get back to solving more equations?"
"Both!" Blu yelled. Anticipating his next move, Chris closed the door to the cage and locked it before Blu dashed towards him. He turned around quickly, and stood his ground while Blu was trying to tackle him.
Blu was certainly bigger than Chris but the parrot was more physically fit and he was able to hold off Blu for the entire time. "You have to let me back in! I'm a danger to everyone!"
"No you're not Blu! Just calm down and I will explain everything!" Blu stopped pushing his body against Chris and he slightly retreated backward. The sound of Linda preparing dinner was heard in the kitchen.
Chris straightened himself before saying, "Look at yourself Blu." The macaw tried to find a mirror but he saw Chris pointing downward. He was pointing at the dining table that they were standing on.
Blu looked down and he could see the rippled reflection of himself from the genteel wood surface. "Now, I want you to look closely. Do you see anything wrong?"
Blu's reflection looked perfectly fine but closer examination revealed that his eyes were bloodshot, his feathers were a mess, and there was something else. Something... a word that Blu hasn't used for quite a while but now is the perfect time.
"As you can see Blu, there is more to this than your physical appearance. You saw your reflection and deep inside, you know that there is something inside of you that is holding you back. Not by intellect, but by your feelings and guts."
Blu continued staring at his mirrored image and Chris continued talking.
"What does this have to do with doors? Now, there is a connection between them. Your reflection is an illusion of who you really are and so are doors. This door could say that it is going to lead you to "Never Never Land" and you could be flying with Peter Pan while looking like a cheeky hobo. Other doors, well... there are many kind of doors. There are the ones with the one knob, double handle, those automatic sliding doors from the supermarket, elevator doors, doors that leads to your past and futures, the one that tells you truth and lies, others helping you with your life, teaching you life lessons and education, doors that motivates you while some others will stomp your heart out, many doors Blu; just absolutely many doors."
This stirred Blu's mind a little bit and he started to feel dizzy. Chris grinned and said, "I know. I really do have a way with words don't I? " His smile slightly drooped toward a frown and Blu could visibly see that Chris was looking for something. His eyes would point to the left, right, and upward with his small grin concealing it.
Chris stopped and said, "It feels late, I should be getting back to William." Blu choked a bit on his cookie. The sweet chunk was stuck in his throat but he quickly flushed it with some warm cocoa. "Oh I'm sorry. I did not mean to remind you of him."
"It's fine" Blu wheezed and Chris took a step before stopping again. "Oh" he said" don't forget about the things I have taught you. Doors Blu. Think some of the things as doors and not for numbers and facts. Jewel would have wanted that."
Blu's mind started to race around. He has completely forgotten about Jewel, again!
"Chris! Is it alright if I can go back to the jungle?" The parrot took a leftover cookies from the plate and said, "I can't confine your freedom. Remember to take your medicine Blu, or he will come back."
Blu didn't even nod his head and he eagerly flew out of the house. The same wind pushing against Blu's face was deafening his hearing capability. He can only hear the "swooshing" noise of the dark day and the moon was fading onto the deep orange atmosphere.
Blu angled his wings downward and he took a steep dive into the forest. The same leaves brushed against him and the same vines dangled lifelessly around the trees.
Then the identical hollow of Blu's was left empty. The nest looked alone without anyone to rest on it; Blu was urged to jump into the heap of flattened twigs but a reason held him back. He couldn't do it. Not without Jewel. The one that he has quickly forgotten about and the one that helped him fly, feel, and lo**. No, not that word. Not now.
"Remember Blu, every door leads to a new discovery. And a new discovery leads to a new knowledge. Don't you want that?"
Right now, Blu doesn't know if he does want it. But he followed Chris's voice and obediently walked into the hollow; his vantage point changed in angles and his shadow, casting itself on the wood.
The medicine soon started to take a heavy toll on Blu's mind and soon he was nothing but a zombie. He couldn't think clearly and his feelings was stomped cold until there was nothing left.
Then his eyelids sloppily dropped downward from his sleepiness. Then it sharply rose upward when a wave of warmth wrapped around his body. Jewel was cuddling with him but it was a very bad timing.
Blu could have nestle along with her but the medicine. It was the medicine. Jewel felt Blu's distress so she tried to fix it by hugging him even more. Blu still didn't respond to her and he rudely turned his head away from her.
"This isn't me! It's not me. Oh no. No,no,no. Please Jewel, please understand that it's the medicine. Don't leave me."
Jewel wouldn't give up so easily and attempted to hug him with all of her effort. An effort that was rewarded with Blu rolling onto the side until his back was against her. He could already feel her sadness rising.
"It's the medicine isn't it?"
Blu was surprised at her gentleness and understanding. "So she does understand." Blu slowly moved his head slightly up and down. The warmth dispersed from his body and he could hear Jewel standing back up.
"I just need some fresh air" was all she said. Then she flew out of the doorway with Blu falling asleep. There was no dream or nightmare. More like neutral.
The next morning Blu was awoken by the tingling in his head. Then he realized that it was Jewel shaking him. "Jewel" Blu groaned, groggily standing up "why are you-"
"We have to leave Blu, the spies, they are after us!" Blu remembered the voice. It was too familiar to be forgotten. William Davis picked Blu up and the macaw's eye was filled with bewilderment. He couldn't believe what he was seeing.
"You're not real." Blu said. William didn't payed little attention to those word and he started to shove Blu toward the door. "You're not real!" Blu said with an even louder voice. William finally stopped pushing and he said, "I'm real, got that? I'm real." Blu only continued repeating like a broken record player, "You're not real, You're not real-"
The tempered crow snapped. "Dammit I'm as hell as real as you, Jewel, Chris, EVERYONE!" The terrible fright caused Blu to stumble backward with his legs being twisted together like curly french fries. Twigs were kicked upward and William tried to grab onto Blu before he could fall to his death.
But Blu tripped onto the edge of the hollow and Blu landed hard on a pile of leaves. He could hear the leaves and his back crunching against the ground. It helped broke his falls but Blu could feel the pain sweeping his entire back and head. His eyes rolled backward and he could see Jewel gliding towards him. "Blu!" she screamed "are you-"
"Jewel you have to run away! I can see William. He's back. Get help! Call Chris or Harrisson!" Then William flew out of the nest and landed on the piles of leaves. More crunching noise was heard from below the crow's talons.
"We have to go now Blu! The spies are going to capture you."
Jewel desperatedly wanted to help him but her guts told her to follow Blu's instruction. He's crazy, but he is also a genius and Jewel trusted Blu enough. She swerved her body to the right and flew away from Blu. Getting farther and farther away until she could only hear Blu's final word echoing throughout the sky.
His voice echoed to William, "You're not real!"
Autor's Note: The ending is starting to near and it is going to be quite sad. Please type a review!