“COME HERE!!” His voice shook the room, “I’m not gonna hurt you!” He was enraged.

“No… “ Barley flew to a coat hanger. Watching the man run toward him, he knew he had to get somewhere else.

Barley looked around the room and asked himself, What can I use? He was afraid. Where can I go? How do I get away?

Across the room, the bedroom door was open. The man normally kept the window open; if Barley could get there before the man, he could be free.

That's all he wanted. To be free.

Free of pain, heartache, and the cruel words of a man who is supposed to love you.

“BARLEY!” he roared, making his way across the room. Fear he had never felt before struck his heart. To the man, Barley was just 'Bird'; he was never Barley. Why was he calling him by his name now?

Terror filled his mind and soul.

This is my chance. Barley thought, I only have one shot; if he closes the door after I fly in, I'll be trapped, and he’ll get me eventually.

He spread his wings, but the man caught wind of his plan.

Barley took off and flew to the bedroom door. I’m going to make it. His heart pounded so loudly that he couldn't hear the man behind him.

The door was a mere foot away, and he was going to make it. I can do it. Barley feared the man, but he feared staying there his whole life more than he feared the man's punishments.

Horror came over Barley as the door to the room slammed into his face. Stars came and floated around his head as quickly as they vanished.

He was in the air. He wasn’t flying, but he was in the air.

“NO!!” Barley begged. “NO!!” The man beamed, laughing a sick and ugly laugh.

“I’ve got you now! Not so smart, are you?” Barley hung from his foot.

The man shook him. It wasn't anything Barley wasn’t used to. The world went white and blurry, and he felt his insides move and churn. He vomited.

“YOU’VE GOT IT COMING FOR YOU, BIRD.” His face was red hot, and his voice was filled with hatred. “That. was. my. new. carpet," he gritted his teeth.

It wasn’t my fault… Barley groaned with agony. What did I ever do?

The world was cruel. The world hated him, and he hated it. He wanted nothing to do with it. He wanted his suffering to end.

Why are humans so cruel? All I wanted was a home. Was that too much to ask for? He was done trying.

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The world went black.

—

Bright lights filled the room. Where am I? Barley thought. Am I dead?

Footsteps approached. He didn't know where he was, and he could barely see anything.

The world came into view, and he saw bars around him. He was wrapped in white cloth, and there was food and water beside him.

What? Why were there water and food? Was it poisoned? A million questions ran through Barley’s head.

The cage was covered by something white; his questions would have to wait.

A door creaked from somewhere in the room. Barley was shocked to hear the voice of a woman instead of the man’s.

I’m definitely dead. Barley thought. What other explanation is there?

Light brighter than before flooded the cage as the veil was lifted, and Barley could see two blurry figures.

Slowly, the figures came into focus, and it was then he realized there were not two but three people in the room.

The walls were white and covered in posters and charts. The counters and cabinets were clean, and the air was fresh.

This has to be heaven. Barley thought, but quickly realized he was still very much alive. When he tried to move, pain struck him.

One of the women standing there was in a white coat with a tag reading ‘Dr. Linda’ on it. She was short and thin, with bright red hair.

“He’ll be okay.” Linda said, “Where did you say you found him again?”

“In a plastic bag on the side of the neighborhood road.” The second woman answered.

The second woman was shorter than Linda, but she looked older. Her hair was auburn, and she wore a black dress. Wrinkles creased her forehead as she burrowed her brows.

She said sadly, “I saw feathers poking out, so I decided to check its content. I thought he was dead at first, but he was breathing.”

“Do you remember if he was in front of a house?” Linda questioned.

“He was in front of what we previously believed to be an abandoned house. Found out it was inhabited by some drunk smokers." A man replied.

The third person was a tall man who looked to be somewhere in his fifties. He had dirty blonde hair and a leather jacket.

“Have you messaged the cops about this?” Linda asked.

Barley sat there, watching everything. He didn’t know what to do. He was thrown away? Just like that?

Barley hated the man, but it hurt. Why would he throw him away? He didn’t love him. That’s why. Barley knew all along but had never wanted to accept that he was unloved.

He would refuse to accept it.

“I’ll leave him in my care for now,” Linda said, handing the shorter woman a piece of paper. “Call me if you ever need anything, Lucy.”

“Will do!” the shorter woman, Lucy, left with the tall man.

Barley had sat there for the entirety of the conversation. He would have tried to escape, but the white cloth bandaging him kept him from moving.

“Oh!” Linda exclaimed, turning to Barley, “I didn’t think you’d be awake already.”

He let out a weak caw.

“Shhh… “ she spoke softly, “I’m gonna get you all healed.”

Barley was afraid. He couldn’t move. What was he to do? Was she going to hit him?

Thoughts of all sorts raced through his mind, but as Linda brought her hand close to him, his mind settled on one thought: attack.

Barley bit Linda’s finger, causing her to jerk back.

“Ow!” she exclaimed. “Not so friendly, are you?”

Did she back up? Barley felt a sense of power. I made her flinch?

It was then that Barley knew what to do. He knew the words the man told him were to make him feel safe. If he used these same words, he could convince the humans that he was safe.

He was going to get back at them for all they had put him through.