Intelligence: Joey's story

Intelligence: Chapter Two

« 1 week later »

"School overall isn't bad, I like learning." Christie engaged in conversation with the taxi driver. "It's just the other students," she added. The chatty taxi driver chuckled in response, "In my days, if they were distracting, they'd get the slipper." Laughing along, Christie thought to herself, 'they're lucky we don't have the slipper because it'd maybe shut them up.'

A minute of silence passed, she was almost home. Clutching her stomach, she could tell by the aching pains that she'd eaten too much at the family dinner. "I'm just in front of that car at the end," she grabbed her handbag, placing her phone in her pocket. As the taxi was parked, she slung her bag over her shoulder. "That's £7.50, please." He mumbled as Christie dug into her bag, searching for her coins. She gifted the driver her money, thanked him, and left the car.

'Man, it feels good to be home' she happily thought to herself. Her stomach rumbled in satisfaction, that macaroni cheese from an hour ago was too big of a portion, but it was just so delicious. 'Jesus, I'm glad the taxi driver didn't have to hear that.'

Unlocking the newly painted door, Christie entered her cosy home, feeling  relieved. She stepped inside and locked the door, "I'm home!" she shouted. A muffled "hello!" could be heard from the lounge, Neave was already home.

Christie took her dolly shoes off and wandered into the living room, "Home already?" She questioned, "I thought you were going out with Phoebe?" Looking at her surroundings, it was dark, the stripy curtains were shut, the only light coming from the TV and a lit mulberry candle. The beautiful candle had flushed the air with a luscious scent, it was almost calming.

Pressing pause on a show she was watching, Neave faced Christie, "She ended up throwing up this morning, also, I thought Joey could use some company."

After hearing his name, Joey cautiously looked around, waiting for his eyes to focus to the light after a small nap. "Hello!" He sung, bopping his head welcoming. Christie giggled in return, "Hello to you too, little one." She slumped her bag, along with her jacket, down behind the leather couch.

"I tried making popcorn but I burnt the saucepan." blurted Neave, clearly blushing. She gifted her girlfriend an obvious fake smile. "That better not be one of our new saucepans!" Christie whispered, crossing her pale fingers. Neave didn't say a word.

"Joey, did she use a silver saucepan?" mumbled Christie, waiting patiently for a response. "Nooo..." Joey spoke up, looking her dead in her eyes. They exchanged looks for five seconds, soon turning their gaze back onto Neave.

"Oh, yeah. Did I mention?" she twiddled her thumbs.

"Mention what?" Christie brushed a strand of her hair.

"Joey's started responding to things I say" smiled Neave, grinning widely.

"Good boy, Joey." Christie stroked Joey, giving the parrot a gentle smile. Stroking his beak, he licked her finger and imitated Neave's laugh. "Thank you." He spoke, bopping his head once again. Christie stopped for minute, moving her long back hair from her face. "Did you teach him how to say 'thank you'?" She turned to her girlfriend, surprised at Joey's new found words. "Um.. I guess so" She beamed, her blue eyes almost twinkling in the candlelight.

Christie cuddled up to Neave, who had now resumed her film. Christie had sprawled her legs across the other girls lap and had grabbed her arm, pulling her body close to it. The mulberry candle's flame slowly burnt out, invading the room with the scent of smoke. Soon she realized that her girlfriend had fallen asleep, her chest slowly rising then falling again. Her eyelids soon began to grow heavy from tiredness and she too drifted off to sleep.

~ 45 minutes later ~

Joey smoothly pealed off the Blu Tack with a long grey talon and dropped the pieces on the floor. The tack prevents him from opening his cage door, but not anymore. Becoming more aware of his surroundings, he realised that his owners were still asleep. Using his beak, he climbed down the bars of his cage, aiming for the wooden shelf which stood close to him. Grabbing the shelf with his powerful beak, he jumped onto the stable cupboard. This way, Joey could easily climb onto the couch and visit Christie and Neave. The flatscreen TV gave off a bright light, allowing Joey to find his way around easier.

Joey looked down from the shelf, working out how he was going to get off. He jumped off the shelf, flapping his wings to soften the impact and landed on a soft striped cushion. Christie's phone beeped and the screen lit up brightly, distracting Joey on his journey. "Beep!" He copied the sound the phone had made. "Beep!" He continued copying the noise quietly to himself while plodding up Christie's leg.

Perching on Christie's knee, he sat quietly and listening to the quiet noises from the television. Neave began to snore, causing Joey to puff his feathers. Turning around, he faced the resting girls and let out a loud, ear-piercing screech, waking them up with a jolt.

"What the hell!" Neave yelled, rubbing her eyes. Scaring Christie, she jumped in shock, causing the adventurous parrot to jump up with a flap, landing back down on her knee again. They were astonished, the two glared with their sleepy eyes at their parrot, who remained on Christie's knee.

"Beep!" Joey exclaimed, excited that his owners were now awake. Happily, he bopped his head, grateful that they were paying attention to him! "Beep! Joey!" He shuffled down Christie's leg, along the sofa and towards the phone on the table. The girls stared at him in awe.

Looking at his cage, them astonished at the open door. Joey had peeled off the blue tack, dropped it on the floor, and opened the cage door himself, becoming free. It made him feel truly strong and powerful!

Joey flew a short distance to the table, steadily landing and reaching the phone. "Beep!" He pecked at the screen, drawing their attention.

"Joey!" trembled Christie, glaring at her parrot. "Don't peck my phone." She sat up, taming her frizzy black hair with a hairbrush. Reaching for her phone, Joey climbed onto it. She proceeded to pick it up, giggling along with Joey.

"Do you think maybe he was trying to tell you to... get your phone?" Neave asked, stroking Joey's beak with sleepiness in her eyes. Christie nodded, placing Joey onto the top of his cage. "Yeah, maybe. I'm more concerned on how he got to my phone in the first place."

"Beep!" exclaimed the loveable parrot. Christie typed in the password to her phone, noticing she has one new message.

"Damn, he is smart." smiled Neave, looking into the phone screen."He was using the correct text sound too!" Joey chuckled in response. "So smart! Beep!" he picked at his feathers. All eyes were looking at Joey, the parrot who had just learnt two new words.

"I'm pretty sure that's new," spoke Christie, concentrating on her phone. "I know, he learnt how to say 'thank you' earlier. I don't remember teaching him that, do you?" Neave laughed, thinking about the spell that was cast a week ago.

"Think about it, he randomly become invisible for a literal minute," she continued to speak. "A week later, he's suddenly learning all these words?" Pointing at Joey, she really believed the spell had began to take action.