House of Caged Birds

Birds, hundreds of them, squawked and chirped in a frenzied cacophony. Bigger ones used their wings to violently bat against their cages. I'd never seen so many in one place, much less in doors. All manner of birds in cages lined the cavernous hallways for as far as I could see.

“You like my collection?” Marn, said.

“It certainly is intense.”

“Though many look similar, I assure you each one is unique.”

With his words the nearest birds grew more wild, doubling the amount of noise they were making, It was contagious and passed down the rows of cages in a wave.

I raised my voice, “Are they normally this agitated?”

“We don't get guests often these days. The funny thing is you know how selfish humanity can be sometimes? Like crabs in a bucket? None of these birds are like that.”

"What do you mean?"

"Look closely," Marn said, pointing behind me.

I turned to follow his finger.

"Every single one was trying to warn you, even at risk to themselves."

A tiny chain pressed against my throat, and I was a bird.