Splendid Fall

Ch.18 Maps

Chapter 18

After repairing the ceiling in the conservatory, Wren held the door open and waited for Birdie to exit before him. He grew slightly impatient as she took her sweet time, almost as if saying goodbye to each and every bird in the room. He would have asked her to speed things along if he didn't catch the sad look in her eyes as the bluejay hurried along with her on her trail, causing Birdie to stop and run her finger over it's tiny head.

"You can come back anytime you want," Wren said, watching her crouch beside the bird and stroke it's blue feathers.

"Hm," Birdie nodded.

Wren had not expected her to give him such a calm reply. He was waiting for her fiery eyes to snap up at him and tell him to fuck off. But when her attention stayed on the bird and her lips displayed a deep frown, he got the feeling she wasn't so upset about not being able to see the birds.

"I'm trying to help them, Birdie," Wren began to explain as Birdie rose to her feet and made her way over to the door.

Birdie didn't reply.

"They won't survive in the outside world," Wren continued.

"You're suffocating them," Birdie said, looking straight ahead, her face unreadable.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Wren felt a strange heavy pressure inside his chest.

With a heavy sigh, Birdie shrugged, "It means nothing, Wren."

Wren didn't believe her. He could still feel the heavy weight on his chest. He knew it was the girl standing beside him. Her emotions were laced with his.

The two walked back to Wren's chamber and separated as if they couldn't wait to get away from one another. Wren made his way over to the table with his books and maps as Birdie walked over to the balcony and sat down in the sun.

It was a beautiful day with bright sunlight and a cool breeze. They were nowhere near the beach, but Birdie could almost imagine she was there if she closed her eyes. Inside the room, the sheer curtains blew with the wind, cutting off Wren's view of the girl sitting on the balcony every few seconds.

Every time he thought he had gained his concentration, his eyes would flutter back up to make sure she hadn't jumped off the balcony. Her brass cuffs were in his pocket. He knew he should put them back on but it was never a pleasant sight to see how the brass made their skin red as if it was constantly burning them. And beside, Wren thought, he was sitting in the same room as her. If she tried anything funny, he would catch her.

"Why Pangea?" Birdie asked after several long minutes of stretched silence.

"Pardon me?" Wren looked up from the book he couldn't concentrate on.

"Why is this place called Pangea?" Birdie asked, walking back into the room.

"Pan, meaning whole and gaia, meaning land," Wren closed the book and placed it in front of him. "Come here."

Birdie's eyes narrowed and as soon as Wren saw, he rolled his eyes.

"I want to show you a map," he said. "Relax."

"You could have just said that," Birdie frowned. "Let me show you this map, Birdie. Not, come here. Stop ordering me around."

Wren marveled at how confident she was with her words. Each word she said dripped with a sense of authority he didn't know where she conjured up from. She fascinated him. Wren couldn't remember the last time he had met another person who peaked his curiosity so intensely.