By Nimisha Ajaikumar
“I will sing the pain away,
Hold your trembles, night or day.
You’re more than broken wings and cries,
You’re stardust born to touch the skies.”
Harmony sang, her blue eyes glistening, “You can do it, Birdie!”
Birdie had fallen from his nest a week ago and was finally strong enough to fly and find his mother. He bowed his little blue-feathered head —perhaps showing gratitude for Harmony’s healing songs, and maybe for the refreshing stay in her cozy cardboard box. With a flutter of his strengthened wings, he perched on the windowsill, ready for takeoff.
Just then, the doorbell rang. Startled, Harmony turned. Who would visit at daybreak? She smoothed her teal dress and hurried to the door.
It was a handsome young man with long blond hair. He looked around thirty years old and had ocean-blue eyes, just like her. With each step his shoes glowed faintly, and a pocket-sized robot hovered beside him. Robots that cute were just as irresistible as sad-eyed animals, and Harmony had to fight the urge to burst into song .
“Ma’am, are you Ms. Harmony Star?” He was clearly trying to maintain a serious expression despite the sparkle in his eyes.
Harmony squinted, then straightened up. “Just Harmony is fine.”
“I’m Uke.” He offered a hand. “I’m in charge of your animal sanctuary.”
Harmony staggered. “My what, now?”
“I’m from the future,” he explained. “The year 2060.”
Harmony squealed, tugging at her sleeves. “My vision board worked!”
But Uke’s grin faded. “Not so fast, Ms. Star. While the Star Sanctuary inspired global change, something terrible is about to happen. We need your help to stop it.”
“How?” Harmony raised an eyebrow.
“The blue-winged thrush is critically endangered. There’s only one family left in your timeline.” He handed her a photo. “We must save them.”
Harmony brushed her hair over one shoulder and peered at the printout. It was a pixelated Wikipedia image — of none other than Birdie.
“Oh, that’s easy.” She clapped in delight. “He’s right here with me!”
But when she turned to the window, Birdie was nowhere in sight.
“He must’ve flown off!” Harmony gasped.
Uke sighed. “We need him back. It’s not enough to protect the rest of the family — Birdie is the key to the next generation. Without him, the species ends.”
Harmony slipped into her orange boots. “Birdie’s mama nested in the oak tree at the far end of my garden.” She stuffed some snacks into her satchel and headed out.
Uke followed her, the robot buzzing gently behind.
But when they arrived, the nest was empty.
“They’re gone,” Uke muttered, clenching his fists.
“I think I once saw a magpie here that wore a ribbon.” Harmony pulled her ukulele from her satchel. “This calls for a song.”
She began to strum and sing:
“Fly little feather, sky your home,
Where the wind sings and you roam.
May your wings forget the fall,
And find your freedom after all.”
The robot beeped in soft applause.
“You never change.” Uke groaned. “Ma—er, Ms. Star, we’re here for Birdie, remember?”
Wandering the grove with her neck craned up toward the trees, Harmony tripped—landing face-first on the mossy ground. Accepting Uke’s outstretched hand with grace, she rose and brushed the leaves and dirt from her hair. A delicate blue feather clung stubbornly to the tip of her nose until Uke plucked it off with two fingers.
“Those are blue-winged thrush feathers.” Harmony clapped her hands with glee. “Birdie’s family must be nearby!”
“Or they’ve been kidnapped by poachers,” Uke muttered. “Those feathers are the latest jewelry fad.”
“Let’s follow the trail,” Harmony declared, miraculously still remembering the mission.
They followed the fluttering clues until they reached a fig orchard. There Birdie’s family munched happily on ripe fruit.
“Where’s Birdie?” Harmony asked them, panting as she clutched her sides.
The birds cooed back, sounding concerned.
“I have no clue what they said,” Harmony whispered.
Suddenly, a fig thudded onto Uke’s head.
“Ow—what the heck?” he grumbled, rubbing his scalp.
“The birds are warning us,” she said. “Last time poachers came, the trees rained fruit for days.”
As if on cue, the click of a metal trap opening echoed through the forest.
Uke’s eyes widened. He reached for his comm device, but Harmony shook her head. Then, she cupped her hands around her mouth and let out a series of clear trilling notes—the exact pitch and rhythm of the hunting hawk. Birds shrieked and scattered, vanishing into the canopy.
A poacher’s shadow paused, then veered in the opposite direction.
Uke stared. “You just called him off?”
She shrugged. “No prey, no stay.”
Plop.
Another fig hit the ground between them.
“Well, clearly the forest approves,” Harmony cheered. “Let’s make a smoothie!”
“Ma — Ms. Star — please focus,” Uke whined.
“We are on Figwatch. We can’t let your blood sugar drop mid-adventure.”
When they returned home, Uke wandered through the room slowly, running his fingers along the windowsill, tapping the edge of the table, lifting a cushion and holding it to his face as if it carried a scent he remembered.
“Birdie!” Harmony squealed.
The tiny blue thrush fluttered in with a bouquet of wildflowers clasped in his beak.
“Well, aren’t you the sweetest!” Harmony received the nosegay with a smile.
“I guess it’s time to say goodbye.”
Blinking back tears, she added, “Will Birdie grow old by the time he travels to 2060?”
Uke chuckled. “Nope. We’ll preserve him in our Star Sanctuary and help him start the next generation.”
Harmony hugged him. “You know… you seem familiar.”
“Well, of course,” he beamed. “Didn’t you recognize me? I’m your son, Ukelele. Your sixty-year-old self sent me here. Said you’d know what to do.”
As his robot powered up the time portal, Harmony strummed one last melody:
“Yes, you’re the song I left behind,
The echo of my wilder mind.
You came from the stars I sent above,
A symphony stitched with animal love.”
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Nce
Very creative and interesting.
Fun story! Loved the song bits. You did a wonderful job capturing Harmony’s untamed, carefree nature.
Such a fun story, I loved Harmony’s songs you included!