This is me

Chapter 9: Festivals

I could see the turkey, without feathers, with a strange substance on its skin, in the middle of the table while all the humans were sitting around it giving praise. I wanted to vomit.

"Argh, they can't be crueler, they will eat him, and still, they are paying tribute to him. What kind of sick party is this?" I complained from my cage.

"This is always happening, I've already told you," Aurora explained.

"Well, what can we do?" I resigned myself. Anyway, these humans had been very good. Aurora, my parents, everyone had said that humans were predators, so I should have expected this.

They all ate, talked, laughed. I felt a bit safe and confident after a long time since I stopped seeing my home and parents.

***

I started to watch television with the human; a few days had passed, all quiet. This was definitely a good home. And knowing that Pikio was also well and close, I could be better. I would surely see him again soon.

"Hey human, I must tell you that I appreciate everything you have done for me," I said. He patted my head.

"Kree, Kree for you too," he replied.

The truth is that he did not understand me. They did understand games, so I fiddled with his hand for a bit. I lay down on my stomach, and we continued playing.

"Sometimes you behave like a puppy," he commented amusedly.

Yes, I knew we animals had things in common. There was a knock on the door, and I started yelling to warn. Someone would come, I wouldn't say I liked visits very much, sometimes they would focus on me saying I was cute, I don't know why.

Juan went to open with me on his shoulder.

"What's up, neighbor," said the boy.

It was the neighbor, of course. He was lazy, I didn't like him, he expelled strange smells, and his intentions were not good; I could feel it.

"Do you have a lighter? I can't light my cigarette."

"Your mother told you to quit."

"Yeah, but it's between us, okay?"

Juan sighed, and we went to the kitchen, took out the lighter, and gave it to him.

"Thank you." It lit the strange thing, and it emitted terrible smoke. "And that bird?" he asked with the cigar in his mouth.

"It is my parrot; I rescued it from some children who had it playing roughly."

"It has many colors... It must be worth a lot of money."

"That doesn't interest me; he's my friend now. Also, parrots are sensitive birds; if you move them away from where they have become accustomed, they could even die of sadness."

"Umm," the guy complained. "Interesting, but they are just birds. Anyway, see you." He withdrew at last.

Juan moved his hand to scare away the smoke a bit and closed the door. Stinking human, huh!

"Later, we will celebrate the new year; what are your plans?" he asked me.

My response was a combination of short squeaks and whistles.

***

At night, the house was packed with people, just like when they had eaten the turkey—the New Year's holiday. Anyway, I was comfortable because I already knew everyone; I continued to feel like a family, happy and calm. Aurora, who sometimes made them laugh with some words that he said while I still only said my name, would improve little by little.

Soon I began to complain, they didn't leave, and it was already very late, I needed to sleep, they made noise and more noise. To complete it, they opened the house door and began to burst thunder, it sounded deafening and scared me, but Aurora calmed me by saying that they were firecrackers, that nothing would happen.

They put us in the window to see how they gathered outside the house to watch the 'fireworks' and burn a poor paper man.

Neighbors appeared, and everyone hugged and waved, wishing each other: Happy New Year... Why did they wish each other a Happy New Year? That would not change their life, they would remain the same, and the same things would continue to happen to them if they did not change. I could see how illogical humans were sometimes.

They set the paper doll on fire and greeted each other again. Goodbye! Then more fireworks exploded and began to drink that horrible liquid that drove you crazy—lousy selection.

The neighbor was watching me from outside the window. "Oh, oh..."

He entered the house without being seen, and he tried to caress me, but I did not let myself, I wanted to bite him, and he hit my cage, leaving me a little overwhelmed. He opened it and pulled me out.

I screamed.

"Hey, what are you doing with my parrot!" Exclaimed Juan. The guy ran with me while he held me in his hands, and Juan chased after him. "Drop it; you won't be able to sell it if you think so!"

"Sure I do," the subject muttered as he accelerated. "They will give me a tremendous amount for you, my friend."

"Help!" I screamed. "Don't take me out of my home, please! I don't want to be anywhere else! Please give me back! I don't want to leave; other humans will kill me!" I craned my head as far as I could to see my new foster home drift away.

Juan could not reach the thief because of the alcohol.

After running, the guy took me to the house of an acquaintance of his; they laughed and showed me a hideous dog full of scars. Everything reeked of a strange plant. They kept me in a box. I was shaking with fear. And now that?