Here is the first participant in Quench’s Short Story Contest; a story presenting colourful and imaginative details. Enjoy!

Birds of a Feather by Megan Carro-Le May

Birds chant their morning song as a warm honey-coloured ray of sunlight warms the room. Slowly, Melody opens her eyes, peeking up from under the duvet. She stretches, yawns and smiles. Today is her birthday. She hops out of bed and hurries downstairs eagerly. Bouncing into the kitchen, she calls out ÔÇ£good morning!ÔÇØ, no one answers. Dirty dishes lay all around the sink and old takeaway boxes crowd the table tops. A smell of mould lingers in the air.┬á The sound of keys in the front door comes from the hallway, they must have gone to buy her a last-minute present she thought.

ÔÇ£Why the fuck do you keep lying to me? You are nothing but an old ass-hole!ÔÇØ screams her mother.

ÔÇ£IÔÇÖm the ass-hole? What about you and your man friends you spend all your nights with?!ÔÇØ shouts back her father.

As they enter the kitchen, her mother shoves past her father furiously barely noticing Melody, who watches them sadly.

ÔÇ£Why canÔÇÖt you just admit that youÔÇÖve cheated on me you whore!?ÔÇØ bellows her father, slamming his fist down on the counter, glaring at his wife.

ÔÇ£What did you just call me?ÔÇØ she asks through gritted teeth.

Melody clears her throat. Both parents suddenly realise of her presence and look down at her.

ÔÇ£What?ÔÇØ says her mother frustratingly.

ÔÇ£Today is my birthday. Since itÔÇÖs a lovely day I thought we could all go to the park for a picnic.ÔÇØ She smiles shyly.

Her father laughs. ÔÇ£There are bigger things going on MelodyÔÇØ he turns back to his wife ÔÇ£Thinking about it, how do I even know she is my child?ÔÇØ

Melody sighs and walks towards the window. Outside, few clouds paint the bright blue sky and the sun shines down onto the few trees in the back garden, casting dark shadows across the untamed grass. A bird flies from its nest picks at the grass, holds a worm in its smooth beak and returns to the tree where its baby awaits eagerly breakfast. Melody watches the birds longingly, she could not remember the last time her mother made her breakfast or walked her to school. Tears rose in her eyes and start to fall down her rosy cheeks. She wipes them away determined. She would not let her angry parents ruin this day for her. She pushes past them still fighting in the kitchen doorway and goes to her bedroom to get dressed. She picks a bright orange dress, with a black ribbon around the waist with some golden sandals. She then creeps downstairs and discretely steals a twenty-pound note from her motherÔÇÖs purse.

She skips down the street, humming happy birthday to herself. In the shop, she buys a meal deal and a chocolate fudge cake. At the till the old cashier says:

ÔÇ£You look especially lovely today little missyÔÇØ

ÔÇ£ItÔÇÖs my birthday, IÔÇÖm going for a picnic in the park,ÔÇØ answers Melody smiling.

ÔÇ£Well, your parents are very lucky people so have such a sweet and gorgeous daughter.ÔÇØ

MelodyÔÇÖs considers this before answering ÔÇ£I donÔÇÖt think they even realise I really exist. I doubt IÔÇÖm even theirs.ÔÇØ

The cashier looks horrified, but Melody grabs her shopping before she can say anything else. The park is a short run from MelodyÔÇÖs house, she flies down the street her brown hair flowing behind her.┬á Once there, she sets out to find the perfect spot. The picnic table by the lake is already taken by a family and their two young children, so she settles for a spot under an old oak tree. It provides some shade and she can still see most of the lake. She scoffs down her sandwich and crisps before getting out the cake. She imagines eleven lit candles and is about to blow them out when she is interrupted:

ÔÇ£You do realise that there arenÔÇÖt really any candles, right?ÔÇØ

Melody looks up to see one of the children from the picnic table standing in front of her.

ÔÇ£Could you move, please? You are blocking the sunÔÇØ asked Melody. The boy ignores her and continues:

ÔÇ£You look sad sat under this tree; Why are you sad if itÔÇÖs your birthday? It is your birthday, right?

ÔÇ£IÔÇÖm not sad!ÔÇØ snaps Melody ÔÇ£I was perfectly happy before you came along. Now go away! Go back to your perfect little family!ÔÇØ

The boy looks at her pityingly, before turning around and running back towards the lake. Melody looks back at her cake. It looks pathetic with no candles, she wants a home-made one with sparkling candles and a family. Furious, she smacks the cake, sending icing flying across the ground. She pulls her knees up to her chest and buries her head in them as she sobs. On a nearby branch, a bird begins to tweet. Melody looks up through her puffy red eyes to see a little fellow, with a brown back and orange chest. It sings again, before flapping its wings and flying off towards the beautiful blue sky. Melody watches it go yearningly, she does not feel like going back to the house. Looking at her half-destroyed cake, she imagines the candles again and makes a wish as she blows them out. Looking back at the lake and the trees she takes a deep breath. Another little orange bird lands by her foot. Melody watches as another bird joins her, this one yellow with black wings. They continue appearing, one after the other, each one a new colour. After a short while, the little girl is surrounded by a rainbow carpet of birds, all chirping. Melody smiles and laughs.

Hearing the sad girlÔÇÖs laugh, the boy looks over from the picnic table. Under the oak tree are a dozen small birds singing beautiful musical notes. One with pale blue feathered wings flaps about eagerly before rising from the ground. The other birds follow suit and together they fly off into the endless sky. Puzzled, the young boy runs over to the tree, only to find the remains of the little girlÔÇÖs picnic and a black ribbon blowing gently in the wind.