I Wish...

13

A gasp. My eyes flew open, instinct took over. I searched the room only to find my mother with a horrified look on her face. "Ma? What's wrong?" I asked.

She pointed at me, like she didn't hear what I had said. I repeated my question. Again, no response. She ran out of the room. What was happening?? I hopped out of bed only to plummet towards the ground. Oh no.

I flapped my wings. Wait, wings? The memories of last night came back and I stumbled on my flight, nearly slamming into the floor. I hurried after my mother, down the hallway and the stairs. "Noel!! I think Rubi became a bird," my ma yelled out the window to the backyard. "What?!?" came his distant reply. I perched on a chair in the dining room.

Eventually, my dad entered the house like wild animal. "Where is she? Wh- oh. Hi, darlin'," he started before finding me. I flapped my right wing in response. He came over and offered his finger to me. Gee, at least he isn't freaking out like Ma. I hopped onto his finger and balanced as well as I could, occasionally flapping my wings.

"Rubi, darlin', do ya know how to shift back?" he asked with a worried expression on his face. If I knew how to do that, maybe I would've done that by now. I tried expressing this, but... its pretty difficult when you're a bird. I settled for a huff.

He stared at me, thinking. Finally, he spoke, "No. Right?" I nodded. "Noel, what do I feed her? What if she doesn't turn back? Do I have to live with a bird daughter?" Ma spoke from the kitchen. "Love, I swear she won't stay a bird forever. Calm down, let's see if we can walk her through shifting back," Dad responded calmly. She sighed, "You're right. I'm being reckless and naïve." We headed upstairs again and back into my room.

Dad set me down on my bed. "So, uh..," he started. "Try taking back your magic?" I looked at him. "Like absorbing it into yourself," he clarified. Um... OK? I closed my eyes and breathed in as I imagined my magic retreating into myself. Then, I opened my eyes.

Nope, still a small bird. I sighed and nestled myself under one of my blankets. How'd I turn myself into a bird anyways? All I did was think of flying. Oh. So if I think of walking, I'll become a human again? Walking... walking... Dogs can walk too.

I shifted, bones breaking, and reforming. So, so painful. But... slightly less painful than the first time.. I opened my eyes. "Noel, she turned into a dog!" Ma exclaimed. "I know, love. I can see that,, but it seems she's figuring it out on her own." A dog? Wait, I'm a dog now??? I looked down. Short reddish brown fur covered my paws. Great.

So when I thought of flying, birds came to mind. When I thought of walking, a dog came to mind. Do I just have to think of humans specifically? I closed my eyes again. Humans, walking. Humans, walking. Crackling and popping sounded in the room again. Pain erupted throughout my body as I transformed again.

My eyes opened. I looked at my hands. Skin, flesh, no fur, no feathers. I sighed, then I realized I was naked. I screeched. OH FRITZ. I scrambled to get further under my blanket, with only my head peeking out. My Ma came over and hugged me, "Good, you didn't stay a bird, I wouldn't know what to feed you." I giggled. "Yeah, you gave us quite a fright, darlin'," Dad came over a gave us a huge bear hug.

"Its not like I was dead, I could still understand y'all," I huffed back as I pulled the blankets around me even tighter. "And, um... could y'all hand me some clothes?" The moment the words left my mouth they let go of me, and my dad went to grab some clothing.