A Journey To The Clouds, A Fantastical Prophecy - Book One - ✓

Chapter Forty-two

Birds! They have been the only other sign of life since... I have no idea-not counting my search party.

"Wow!" Connor breaths. The pearly white birds are flying in magnificent patterns and I have to stop looking when my phone rings. It's Kylie. Oh no.

"Ally Green! Where are you? It has been nearly a month! You haven't taken a vacation this long since. . . ever!"

I have to hold the phone at arms length because Kylie's shrieks would have pierced my eardrums. I thought it was only a week or so but a month?

"I'm staying at my dad's place for the rest of the school year." I make up a story on the spot. Connor looks at me curiously.

"How do I know to believe you?"Kylie asks. I had honestly never seen this side of Kylie before.

"Because I would never lie to you." I tell her. I guess that's true, but not in the present moment, it isn't.

"I guess that's right. I just wanted to check in, I suppose. The entire town is worried about you!" She states. I blush.

"Tell them they don't need to worry. I'm fine. I have to get going, Kylie." I say, hanging up.

"You know, part of me feels that we should tell them the truth, but would they understand?" I ask, Connor. He shakes his head

"They probably wouldn't, so we better not." He says. But something tells me this isn't going to be the end of our adventure, and that my two best friends could be a part of it. My evidence is pretty shallow, but clear. We don't have time to discuss, though.

"Coco, go fly up to those birds and identify them for me." I instruct her.

"I don't know, I haven't had any experiences with any other birds in a little while." She says, uncertainly.

"Please? We need to know what type of birds they are." I tell her while keeping an eye on the beautiful birds. She reluctantly nods.

"Ok, but don't put this on my resume." She says, half sarcastically.

"I won't, Coco." I tell her, giggling. She then flies away in the midst of the flock.

"You know what, upon looking at them, they look like they could be doves . . . I remember what a dove looks like significantly. Especially since I used to study them myself. The stout body, the short neck, the slender bills. . ." I trail off. That's it!

"Connor, those are doves!" I shout in triumph. The appearance looks even more like them as I stare at their coats. They have a mix of tans, whites, greys, pinks, and greens. I can only be certain those are mourning doves with a mix of African collared doves. I then roughly grab the codes from my pocket to the specific code Hazel had originally had given us. I read it swiftly and it all clicks. These are the doves in the code!

"Come on!" I shout to Connor as Coco comes back down with news.

"They. Are. Definitely. Doves." she pants. I beam with excitement. We are so close. I can feel it!

We are all running-or in Coco's case, flying- after the doves until I stop abruptly in front of them, as they fly in front of me. Connor rams into me and accidentally knocks me down. Again.

"Sorry Ally." he says sheepishly, while extending a hand to help me up. Just then the birds do something completely unexpected. They form a circle around me, Connor, Coco, and Peanut, and Chip. They start swirling faster and faster until they are all a blur of green, tan, pink, and feathers. I start feeling their push as they rougly move my position. They then make different formations until they settle with a formation of an. . . arch! The other birds move in and push Connor and I through it, while Coco flies over it. Then, the unexpected happens.

They turn to stone.