Chapter 23: "Old" San Francisco
Brightbill and Swooper had been flying for days. They had only stopped for brief rests before beginning yet another long leg into their journey. They were more than halfway to Roz, but that only meant that the trip was getting more treacherous.
Usually by the time the flock passed by the decaying ruins of the Golden Gate Bridge and into the half-sunken San Francisco Bay, the weather deteriorated…and this time was no different.
The sky was darkening, and the wind was rough, so both avians had to roost soon or their lives might be endangered.
But how could Brightbill rest now? He had essentially become a glorified courier, but it was the most important task of his life so far. Delivering the device to his mother could mean the difference between life and death for the island.
Swooper was beside the goose, looking at the ruined city around them…even he was amazed by them. Having never ventured this far in his life he now saw the stories from the flock as being true: once mighty structures of glass and steel…that once shone bright in day…were now falling into disrepair. The human species had (almost) folded.
"Hard to imagine humans used to live in these nests" Swooper said softly in his aged, gruff voice.
"You should see where they live now…the buildings are taller than these old ones."
"Why wouldn't they just fix these…human beings are so strange."
Brightbill just focused ahead, but Swooper (for the first time in his life) was brimming with questions about this new world. None of this was familiar to him, which meant Brightbill was now his guide (and in many ways his leader).
"What if those flying beasts come looking for us?" He asked, referring to the airships but his partner shook his head, "they'll ignore us."
Suddenly, both could hear a roar of thunder above, and then the first raindrops fell…a bad omen. When it steadily got worse, Swooper flew ahead and turned his head toward the other avian, "Brightbill, we cannot fly under these conditions, we must take refuge in these structures for now."
Before anything else could be said, a flash of lightning struck the tallest building above them…starting a fire…startling the both of them! Swooper's large wing had unknowingly smacked Brightbill in the face and it led to his necklace falling off him! Both gasped, watching the device fall from a high altitude.
"No!" Brightbill yelled before swooping in. The owl beside him is soon forced to follow. The air screamed around them…everything was a blur except for the flooded ground that was steadily getting larger.
The device struck the water and was now being carried downstream in a fury of rapids in what was once a street. By the time the birds were flying adjacent to it…trying their best to avoid obstacles…they came across a problem.
The river did not go in a straight line…whatever this city used to be…the roads were often slanted; however, after years of erosion, they were now waterfalls that bled into one another. That meant that the electronic device kept descending a never-ending cascade and it was hard for the birds to retrieve it. Both tried grasping it with their feet but every time they tried the device would be carried away!
Eventually, however, it stopped…getting lodged within what used to be a trolly (its paint had long-since peeled away and all that was left was the rusty skeleton.) Water had flooded the interior, but Brightbill could see it was now stuck within a branch that was sticking through the decayed vehicle.
Swooper became nervous, seeing the young goose fearlessly venture inside, "be careful, that thing looks unstable!" He warned.
Brightbill wasn't stupid, he took the owl's warning by heart, but it was the only way to get to the device. The goose started swimming through…using that awkward method he had learned from Roz (having learned to swim the way humans do.) He looked around…cringing at the sound of creaking old metal that was being strained by the flow of water. Sure enough, he had his eyes set on the dull, pulsating, cyan light that the electronic apparatus was giving off. The blinking probably means it still works, Brightbill thought. He had been worried that it would be rendered useless if it wasn't waterproof.
The avian quickly moved his head forward and allowed the necklace to rest on him once again…giving a soft, satisfied, smile.
That smile would be short-lived, for he heard a voice from the outside calling to him, "flash flood!" Swooper had yelled, flying in to get closer, "leave at once!"
"Going!" Brightbill gasped, soon waddling his way through, but it was too late: the water came rushing through the interior of the trolly…launching him forward with the current!
"Brightbill!" Swooper yelled in stunned horror.
The goose was being violently carried downstream, and he couldn't escape at that moment. The owl swooped down and flew adjacent to his companion…offering a sole foot to the goose, "grab my talon!" He begged.
Before Brightbill did so, the current suddenly changed and he was taken into the remains of a flooded department store. He gasped…trying his best to keep his head above the surface but it was a losing battle. Swooper then saw small logs being carried through and an idea went through his head.
As soon as Brightbill is carried out of the store into another river, Swooper flies in…now carrying a small log for Brightbill. The night bird aimed carefully and soon threw the log with his feet to the goose. The latter managed to grab on with his wings…saving him from drowning. All Brightbill could do now was let himself be taken on a less violent course.
All Swooper could do now was be the eye in the sky: making sure Brightbill wouldn't run into obstacles or a dead-end.
It seemed as though the worst of it was over, and the river had calmed and flattened. The goose looked around…taking in the desolate landscape of what was once San Francisco. The row houses were inundated and mostly caved in, and most skyscrapers were overgrown and crumbling. It's hard to imagine such a place used to have people but it wasn't always like this.
Brightbill sat up on the log…now being able to balance himself to take flight. Swooper breathed a sigh of relief once his partner took to the skies again. Both decided to find a place to roost for the evening: they both deserved it after all of that.
They found what used to be an office building: all of the cubicles and furniture were so decayed that it no longer looked like an office…it looked more like an indoor jungle.
They rested in a corner: where there are still windows attached to the decaying building (but a few years from now that probably won't be the case anymore.)
Finally, knowing they are safe, Swooper turned and looked down to his shell-shocked companion and asked, "are you alright?"
"I-I think so, that was intense."
"Are your journeys often like this?" The owl asked before Brightbill scoffed at the comment, "no, not really…the weather is usually rough, but we also don't have to carry this around when we migrate" he brandished the necklace with the tip of his brown wing.
Swooper had fallen silent…focusing intensely on the high-tech device wrapped around Brightbill's neck, "you risked your life for that thing…you could have been killed…"
"Whatever is in this thing could save everyone…we can't lose it…if we do…"
Brightbill stared out the dirty window of the office building…looking toward the fuzzy horizon…a few more hours and they would be in Mega City 7…both were close to the end of their journey.
Swooper looked down…letting it all sink in, for such an old owl he was so stubborn…refusing to accept Roz and Terry, but even he understood that the island was in peril. He didn't need to ever accept Rozzum 7134 or Terry Bennett, but he did need to accept the duty he set out to do. After all, the owl was doing this to save Fink and the other animals and that was enough. If this device is surely as important as Brightbill saw it as (going so far as to risk his own life) then Swooper ought to accept the situation for what it is.
The owl moved closer, looking down at the much younger avian with a small smile (for the first time in a very long time he had ever done so) "you have so much determination and heart…such great qualities in a leader. The more time I spend with you, Brightbill…the more I understand your reasoning."
Soon, Swooper began to position himself for sleep, but he had one more question for the goose, "what are they like…the humans?"
Brightbill turned toward him, "they're tall and they can be quite numerous and threatening…but…in some ways, they're like us…like Roz."
"Brightbill" Swooper said in his old, shaky, voice, "whatever happens, I will fulfill my promise of getting you to your mother." Brightbill was certainly surprised to hear that from the owl…was he having a change of heart? He must be…
"Goodnight, Brightbill" Swooper said, finally closing his eyes.
"Goodnight, Swooper" the goose said, looking out the window one last time.
We're almost there, Mom…see you soon.