“Yes, unfortunately he was lost in the fight. The poor bird didn’t make it.” Adam shook his head sadly.
The agent sighed. “That’s too bad. We have the rest of the specimens to get to safety, so we’d best be on our way.”
He turned from the group shouting instructions at his fellow agents.
“P-pecky is dead?” Jake’s face crumpled.
“Well…” winked Maya. “Not quite.”
Jake shook his head, not sure if he heard Maya correctly.
“Not quite? What does that mean??”
“On paper, Pecky didn’t make it. He died in the attempted escape,” said Adam.
“But, in reality,” said Maya reaching in her sack and pulling out a bedraggled Pecky. “He’s alive and well...and going home with you.”
Jake slowly reached out to hold Pecky. His own shock was mirrored in Pecky’s beady, expressionless eyes.
What do you say, Jake?
Jake’s tremulous smile grew and new, happy tears leaked down his face as he ruffled Pecky’s feathers.
“Of course,” said Adam. “We will keep an eye on things and make sure the at-large members of the Poultrygeist don’t come back, but we feel you are safe from them.”
Maya and Adam turned to Gilbert. “I’m sure you have more questions, Gilbert, but---.”
“I don’t want to know anything more,” Gilbert said with a sharp shake of his head.
Maya and Adam were silent for a moment.
“I want to go back to the time when the hatchery was just a normal, run-of-the-mill hatchery."
The two kids laughed and shook hands with Gilbert. With one final salute, they disappeared into the night.
“Thank you for everything, Gilbert,” said Jake.
Gilbert smiled and squeezed Jake’s shoulder. “Just keep him safe, Jake. That’s thanks enough.”
“Ahem.” Jake whirled around. He’d forgotten all about his mom. She had witnessed...everything.
“Gilbert may not have any questions,” she said in a shaky voice. “But I certainly do.”
-The End-
Previous Chapters
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Revisions in the works! What suggestions, critiques and/or feedback do you have?**
Chapters 1-11 originally published on A Pinch of Homestead