I am still at the con, writing this at my table. Things are becoming unhinged as people are getting overcaffienated and under hydrated.

This prompt is inspired by a massive parrot I saw at the event. My friend and new friend at the next table went down a rabbit hole of how a parrot that size could eat a baby and well, here you go…

Art credit to Hope (support them at Crimson_harpy on Instagram).

Trigger warning: child death.

The woman stumbled out of the trap of trees, high pitch cries chasing her.

Her taut belly pulled her forward, it’s precious cargo fit to bursting. She cradled it with both hands, trying not to fall. Shadows swooped, briefly blotting out the sun. Circling her. Keeping pace as she fought against the contractions. As she desperately ran for safety.

The world was in ruins.

But ahead - ahead was an old grain silo. It tilted to the left but it still had its roof. It could protect her. If she could make there before the labour pains brought her to get knees.

“Kiss? Kiss?” called a voice from the skies.

“Hello! Hello!” cried another.

The colourful harbingers of death had been following her for a full day now, as soon as her contractions had started.

Their feathers - cerulean, cherry, lemon colours - caught the sunlight like gems, as their tiny amber eyes tracked her every move.

The huge parrots waited. Patiently.

Each the size of a vulture, they preyed on the dwindling human population at their most vulnerable moment: birth.

A vicious contraction ripped through the woman's body and she fell with a cry, begging her baby to wait.

The sanctuary was in sight but so far.

The parrots landed in the dry grass, eying her with alien hunger.

Bracing her pelvic muscles against thr coming life that demanded to be born in a world hungry for its death, the woman gripped fistfuls of grass, trying to pull herself to the silo. But it was too far.

The parrots hopped after, eagerly chirping and crying out mocking phrases they'd learned from their prey: “Help! Help!” “Get away from me!”

The worst was when they mimicked the cries of a newborn. As if they knew. Knew how much it hurt

Despite the danger, her child refused to wait.

It happened fast, too fast.

Blood soaked her dress, the grass.

The parrots took off again, swooping over her head while the woman screamed.

The head crowned.

The baby slipped out.

They were upon her.

The woman tried to bat them away, there was too many. They were too big. Strong on the meat of men.

Their razor sharp beaks snipped through the umbilical cord.

Their claws snatched the infant from her, carried it away.

The woman cried out.

The parrots echoed back, blood coating the grass, “Polly want a baby?”

I don’t know what it means that I was inspired to write this based on seeing a huge parrot. Hopefully you enjoyed it and I'll see you tomorrow for the last story!

x PLM