Cardinal Sin – Final
That’s how it came to this: lying in a boney heap by the fire and using my remaining strength to draw the cardinal into my grasp with a few shakily placed seeds.
I was desperate enough to forget my oft-repeated promise.
Or was I? Was my mind too addled to muster another apology or too clouded to have any meaningful internal dialogue?
While staring at the red bird in my hands, my failing body almost imperceptibly hunched forward. Chin to chest, I looked straight down on my little friend. I sighed and focused. Was it worth killing and eating my only companion to possibly survive another day or two? There was no other food to be found—I’d consumed all my stores, and the blight had killed every other living thing in the forest. There was no point in prolonging my life—was there?
A moist drop on my hand elicited a blink—an attempt to clear my blurred vision. I expected to see a tear—instead the drop running down my finger was tinged red. Blood? The blight? Were my insides being liquified by the virus?
There was no point.
My heart raced at the realization—quick, weak palpitations. The deep breath I tried to take turned into a gagging exhale. The next attempt at inhalation was erratic, labored, and raspy. As I focused hard on my breathing, my fingers relaxed—opened just enough so that my little friend could fly away. Yet, he stayed. He stood on my open hands—trembling. His little head tilted repeatedly from side to side—looking up to me. I smiled and closed my teary eyes.
Through the pulse pounding in my ears and over my labored breaths, I could hear him begin singing a few notes: cheeeer-a-dote, cheeer-a-dote-dote-dote, purdy, purdy, purdy.
I don’t recall if my breathing grew easier or my pulse quieter. All I do know is that soon, his song was all I could hear.
Wheet, wheet, whoit, whoit, whoit.
Cheeeer-a-dote, cheeer-a-dote-dote-dote.
Wheet, wheet, whoit, whoit, whoit.
Purdy, purdy, purdy.
As I listened to those sweet, comforting notes, the persistent dull ache in my bones subsided, and all I could feel were my little friend’s tiny feet lightly tap-tap dancing in the palm of my hand.
Wheet, wheet, whoit, whoit, whoit.
Cheeeer-a-dote, cheeer-a-dote-dote-dote.
Purdy, purdy, purdy.
Wheet, wheet, whoit, whoit, whoit.
Cheeeer-a-dote, cheeer-a-dote-dote-dote.
END
