New Southside Sacramento News Street Report -The Prince’s Day, Feb 16th 2071 – civilian interview

“Oh yeah, I knew we were living in the apocalypse and everything, but I really didn’t see Him coming. When He set the river and those Crossed bastards on fire in ’52? That was fucking sweet. I thought we were all gonna die and He was just like blahblahblahblah and they were all like AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH my fuckin’ skinnnnnn!!! Fuckin’ sweet man. Fuck those guys.”

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Red didn’t know what had happened this morning, but it had left him and Hennie scared, to say the least. Out of nowhere, some giant rooster had started crowing louder than Red had ever done in his entire life, screaming about the world and kind of doomsayer nonsense. It only took one quick crow from Red, calling for silence, and that rooster not just shut up but disappeared so fast Red couldn’t even find where it had been in the first place. The bright little square blue flowers that popped into his view had been annoying at first but only took him a second to start pecking them, and the second he did, the flower filled his vision, along with a ton of writhing little maggots that crawled across his vision. And that other rooster started crowing in his ear all over again!

One more quick crow calling for silence told that foreign invader to shut its stupid beak again, and after that, it was the easiest imaginable thing for a bird like him to proceed to peck at the maggots. Every time he pecked at one, a new flower popped up, along with more maggots. The maggots were strange, though; they seemed to float across the flowers, even though they seemed dead and had very smooth shells compared to other maggots he had seen before.

Regardless, Red was hungry, so he kept trying to peck the maggots. No matter how many times he pecked, he never could really seem to get a single one. Since he was still hungry, he just kept pecking. And pecking. Eventually, the flowers stopped popping up.

As soon as he had done this, the world had come back into focus, and something was wrong. Everywhere around him, he could hear the sounds of animals crying out in distress. Nope. Fuck this. Red had no interest in dealing with this shit. He sprinted for his roost and decided it was time to hide. When he got inside, he saw that Hennie was somehow already there and cowering in a corner. He knew the drill. Whether it is a shadow on the ground or a loud noise, the answer was always to get back to his hiding spot. It’s why he had survived so long. Hennie understood. She wasn’t quite as fast as him usually, but like him, she had survived living out here for what felt like forever. They were old chickens! The oldest he had ever seen. Granted… He hadn’t actually ever met a different chicken than the ones from his family. But he had heard other chickens in the distance and they definitely sounded younger than Red was right now.

The distant calls of distress from various animals were getting fainter as some of their calls faded out. Others continued. Red decided Hennie had the right idea and squatted down into a tight ball of feathers and focused appearing as still and senseless as possible.

The sounds and color around him faded away slowly as he felt himself going into a state of almost being asleep. The first sign that Red knew something was wrong was when Hennie crashed into his head. He wasn’t quite sure what had led to that state of affairs, but he did know that he didn’t like it. Especially when he realized what all that noise meant. That’s when he knew this day was just going to keep getting worse.

It was burning deep in the pit of his gizzard, and Red knew that this was probably going to be the day of his death. He had survived so much in his life, and here he was, about to die at the hands of some demon outside of his roost. He could remember the last time he had heard sounds like this. He couldn’t see it, but he knew there was an absolute bloodbath going on outside from the sounds of all the growling and the sounds of smashing outside. He was pretty sure he had just heard his metal food barrel crash to the ground as something struck it sharply.

It was all that traitorous, murderer of a dog’s fault. Worthless ratdog. Red would never forgive her for the deaths of his family. Once he had been one of thirteen; thirteen beautiful, bright and joyous brothers and sisters who played together and explored the world together. Molly had cost him that. She had left with the humans, and while they were gone, the fucking red demon fox had slaughtered everyone but him and Hennie. Before he had been able to hide in his secret spot, he had seen the very life drain from Starry’s eyes as her body had hit the floor limply, thrown through the air by the savage strength of the demon. Red remembered the warcry of Chicken Bueler, brave beyond comprehension, charging straight at the demon when it had first ripped into Ember. Red remembered her last sight of Chickory, huffing as she sprinted into the wilderness. Every night for weeks after that, he had waited in the roost, praying to the Moon that Chickory or one of the others he hadn’t seen die would return safely. He still held out hope. There was still the smallest chance that one of his family had survived out there. He had to believe that. Because he knew how most of them had died. He still saw it in his dreams some nights.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

The demon had never slowed, never stopped killing once the blood lust was upon it. That day, only he and Hennie had survived the bloodbath. One fox. Just one fucking demon fox had destroyed everything. And it was happening again. What a fucking day to be a rooster.

Red clenched his beak, a mixture of rage and despair flooding his senses. The memories of that fateful day clawed at his mind, vivid and haunting. Starry's lifeless gaze haunted him, a painful reminder of the price they had paid for Molly's betrayal. For her absence. When they needed her and the humans most, they had left them. She wasn’t here now either. She had probably left them again.

As the chaos outside escalated, Red's thoughts turned to survival. He couldn't afford to dwell on the past now, not when danger lurked just beyond the coop's walls. With a steely resolve, he steeled himself for the battle ahead. He could feel his crop grow flush, and his wattle began to grow hot.

Hennie's trembling form beside him served as a constant reminder of their shared vulnerability. Despite their age and experience, they were no match for the relentless onslaught of predators. But Red refused to surrender to despair. He had a duty to protect what remained of his family, even if it meant facing death head-on.

The sounds of destruction outside grew louder once again, echoing through the entrance of the roost and into the air around him and Hennie like a macabre symphony of chaos. Red's heart pounded in his chest, each beat a grim reminder of his mortality. But amid the fear and uncertainty, a glimmer of defiance sparked within him.

Drawing upon every ounce of courage he possessed, Red rose to his feet, his gaze fixed on the coop's entrance. He knew what he had to do. With a determined stride, he stepped forward, ready to confront the horrors that awaited him outside. He was the pride of his people, a lord amongst chickens. If this was his last day, he would face it with Chicken Bueler’s warcry ringing through the air. He was Big Red, last of the chickens, and he would protect Hennie with his last breath.

As he pushed rushed out of the door, he stopped briefly at the entrance, a wave of dust engulfed him, choking his senses. The world outside was a warzone, a battlefield littered with the debris of their shattered sanctuary. But amidst the chaos, Red caught sight of the cause. It was Molly, and there was a seven foot long Rattlesnake wrapped around her and it had its fangs stuck deep into her shouder!

Without hesitation, Red charged forward, his crow ringing out like a battle cry. Hennie followed close behind, her wings spread wide in a show of solidarity. Together, they faced their adversaries with unwavering resolve, ready to fight to the bitter end. Wait. Hennie? Red cursed with renewed fury, that stupid hen was supposed to be hiding in the roost! The stakes were even higher now. What a day to be a fucking rooster!

Red's heart pounded with a mixture of fear and determination as he raced towards Molly and the monstrous rattlesnake. They might not be friends, but the sight of his this damn dog in peril ignited a fierce fire within him, propelling him forward with reckless abandon.

With a mighty flap of his wings, Red leaped into the air, aiming to strike the serpent with all his might. But before he could reach his target, a sudden movement caught his eye – Hennie, darting past him with astonishing speed.

In a split second decision, Red changed course, redirecting his trajectory towards Hennie. With a desperate lunge, he intercepted her, knocking her off course just as the snake struck.

The venomous fangs sank into Red's flesh, sending searing pain coursing through his body. But even as darkness threatened to consume him, he refused to falter. With a defiant screech, he lashed out at the serpent, clawing at its eyes with all his might.

The snake recoiled in agony, releasing its grip on Molly as it slithered away into the shadows. Red collapsed to the ground, his vision swimming as the poison coursed through his veins. But through the haze of pain, one thought burned bright – he had saved his family.

As consciousness began to slip away, Red felt a sense of peace wash over him. He had faced death head-on and emerged victorious, proving himself worthy of the Chicken Bueler’s legacy. He was Big Red, protector of the flock, and his legacy would live on long after he was gone. Hennie would live. Maybe not Molly, but Hennie would survive. He was no longer the last of the flock. She was. She would live.

And as the world faded into darkness, Red knew that he had fulfilled his duty. He had faced the demons of his past and emerged triumphant, leaving behind a legacy of courage and sacrifice.

Red found himself thinking it was so strange for it to be getting this dark so early, for the sun to set so soon. As Red closed his eyes, content in the knowledge that he had done all he could to protect his family, he saw a small purple flower appear in the corner of his vision. Hennie had better remember him he thought distantly. His thoughts crawled to a stop.

What fucking day to be a rooster. Everything had changed. Everything.