Pretty Perilous Parakeet by L.G. Cunningham

Author:L.G. Cunningham
Language: eng
Format: mobi
ISBN: 9781697101508
Publisher: Independently published
Published: 2019-10-02T00:00:00+00:00

17

Did Mr Schimmel’s sanctuary have a name? Where was it? Did Dad mention it before? How far was it from our house?

Important questions that I had no answers to. We tried searching online using my phone (Sophia’s was still smashed up) but the world wide web was either drawing blanks or did not know that the creepy sanctuary existed.

And so, we found ourselves out in the backyard zoo, shivering and looking for clues. I draped warm blankets over the rabbit and hamster cages, given the nasty chill that was present throughout the room, blowing in from the now bare doorway. I didn't want them to freeze to death. The fish were fine in their heated tanks, as was Matilda in her heated enclosure.

The parakeet sat quietly on its resting spot on the table. I didn’t think it deserved a blanket after all the trouble it was causing us.

Yet again, the yellow-feathered beast perched silently. Taking our measure. Why couldn’t it behave like a normal bird should? Any squawking regular bird noise would have been preferable to the ominous silence coming from the cage. But this was no normal bird. We had established that much.

We checked loose papers and files, hoping to find something that would point us in the right direction. A leaflet, a written note from Dad... anything!

My eyes were drawn to the empty snake enclosure as I painfully remembered the horrible events of last night. Poor Trevor!

How is Dad going to take the missing snake news? I thought glumly.

“Argh it’s no use!” Sophia shouted as she pounded the ground angrily. She was on her knees among piles of papers and files. “We’re never going to get rid of this thing!” she sobbed.

I wanted to comfort her. To tell her that it would all be OK. Just like a big brother should.

But any hope I had was ebbing away like a rapidly receding tide. Maybe Sophia was right and we were stuck with the bird forever. Slaves to its will.

Suddenly, a scratching, shuffling sound made us both jump to our feet in panic. Something had entered the garage and was moving steadily in our direction. Panting heavily... excitedly.

“Buster! How did you get out of the house?” I said, relieved that it was the family dog and not some other monster.

Buster snorted happily and bounded forward, keen to slobber all over me like he always did.

“Whoops, I might have left the back door open,” Sophia said. She didn’t seem too sorry.

“Gerrrr-offf me Buster, your breath stinks!” I shoved the excited dog away, wiping dog saliva off my face. It was hot and sticky. Disgusting!

I pushed Buster away so that he was now facing the birdcage. And out of nowhere, his demeanour changed. His body went upright and stiff, tail erect and rigid. He uttered a low growl, eyes locked on the birdcage.

Without warning, he bounded towards the cage and leaped into the air, paws outstretched.

CRAAAASH.

The dog collided heavily into the cage, knocking it to the dirt floor. It made a loud clanging sound as it hit the hard ground.

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