(One of the Winged)

So we headed to the zoo. All of us. It was okay, we bought tickets and entered like we were normal people. Or at least tried to. Carter kept looking around like one of the animals was suddenly going to turn into a Stencil or something. I didn't think so though, all the animals were so cute- what kind of sweet thing would turn into one of those monsters?! Not the little bunnies I'm staring at, that's for sure.
Jim was telling Wendy all about the species of peacock and she looked THRILLED. Max was watching the tiny animals with me. Simone was blabbering on and on and on.... nonstop talk. We had been walking all morning with no encounter with anyone who looked like they wanted to imprison us. But we all double checked when we looked at someone. It was fun, but a little bit tense- if you know what I mean. Everyone was on edge and ready to jump into action whenever necessary. Even I was a little careful around these guys. You couldn't be sure if anyone of them was a stencil in disguise. Max told me they can look and appear to be a human. Great, just what we need.
"So, you must really like small animals," Max commented beside me, knitting his eyebrows together. I shrug, sitting up. I was kneeling and watching the animals now.
"I guess but I feel a little bad..." I mutter, looking at them. I answer his question before he asks it. "I feel bad because we're free....and they're not." Max looks a little thoughtful. I push my hair out of my face, getting up. There was a few illegal ways they could come out but I doubt we needed more trouble, especially with the law. I never want to get arrested and don't plan to now.
"Well, not everything can be free. Sometimes it's best they be in custody or else they could get hurt." Max says quietly and I sigh. I still know how great it is for me to be free... I bet it would be great for them too. But he is right about that. It could be worse for them. They don't know how to survive out in the wild. If I hadn't found the Winged... I wouldn't be able to survive either.

*******

"Come on, it'll be fun!" Carter tried to convince me. They wanted me to try out a water ride. I never wanted to go on one and I'm not starting now. I can't imagine how getting wet could be...fun. You got on nice and fine and come out soaking wet and cold. Not to mention how our wings would feel. They'd probably weigh ten times more than they did before. 

Wendy put an arm around my shoulder, "There's a story line to it." I look up at her. "They tell you the story as you go. It's supposed to be about a selfish princess." Hm... Well, I do love stories. I think she knew she had hooked me because before I could say another word, she pulled us all into the ride. The boats were cheap plastic things and very small. Carter, Jim, and Wendy sat in the one behind Max, Simone and I.  I pulled on my seat belt that was required in the tiny boat. I think the boat was supposed to be an Indian boat; it had a weird bowed shape and was painted a yellow that I suspected was supposed to be the color of different grasses weaved together. Really, it just looked like a giant banana- if you wanted to truth. But the dark, fire illuminated walls were showing pictures and drawings of Native Americans fighting, worshipping, and hunting.

As the boat lurched forward, I gripped the safety bar. I looked over to see Simone doing the same but Max looked as if he did this everyday. As we were enveloped in darkness, a voice echoed in the whisper filled air. 

"There was once a powerful family on the island.

They had a king,

a queen,

and one of the most beautiful princesses."

A light illuminated the area in front and we all gazed upon a redheaded girl with a mask on. She was sitting in a room and braiding her hair. She was dressed in fancy beaded clothes and I suspected she was the princess. The boat twisted and sprayed everyone with glittery water.

"It was the princess' birthday tomorrow.

Her father asked her what she should like for her birthday.

She answered-"

Then a sweet voice filled the ride. "All the birds on the island." It seemed to be raining from the ceiling as the sound of flapping wings filled the air. 

"The father wanted to please his daughter.

He knew he could not capture all the birds without help,

so he sent out people to do it for him."

A light illuminated a stage where there were knights putting birds in cages and taking them to the masked princess, who sat upon a mountain and watched all this play out. She actually looked pretty tiny.

"The princess got her wish and had all the birds on the island.

But she was not satisfied. 

She wanted more than just the birds."

What I saw next scared the cranberries out of me.