The Birdcage

It was a standard sunny day like any other, the luminous sun beamed through the pink tinted windows awaking both Theo and Thea.

“Thea! Theo! It’s time for breakfast!” called their caretaker, her tone gentle yet firm.

Thea groaned, “Ughh, will there ever be a day when that stupid sun doesn’t shine on my face?”

The thought of such days piqued Theo's curiosity. “You know, in all our eight years here, it’s never rained once,” he remarked, glancing out at the clear skies.

Life in the village felt scripted, as if they were mere pawns in a grand design. Moments later, the two twins headed down the brown decayed stairs, where they were met with two green ceramic plates written with their names right on it.

“Great, three sunny side up eggs and a hefty piece of whole wheat toast.” Thea voiced out sarcastically.

“I don't know Thea, these pieces of whole wheat toast have been getting to me these past few weeks,” Theo commented, “The-They just don't taste right and you know it too!”

“Come on Theo!,” The caretaker exclaimed irritatedly, “You'll need it for today's work.”

After a lackluster breakfast of sunny-side-up eggs and whole wheat toast, the twins were sent outside to gather oak wood for a fire.

Thud-thud-thud..thud-thud-thud. As they moved through the familiar terrain, Theo tried to strike up a conversation.

“We’re turning thirteen in a few days,” he muttered. “Doesn’t that excite you?”

Thea scoffed, “Why would it? I’ve hated this place for so long.”

Theo hesitated, struggling to understand his sister's feelings.

“Come on, have you ever had mixed feelings about this isolated village Theo?”

Theo heard the outlandish question and tried to think up an answer, but ultimately refused to speak.

He thought to himself, “Mixed feelings about what? How can you say such a thing? This place was our home!”

Moments later, the large gray cloud covering the two strangely vanished. Not long after, a white glowing outline of a trapdoor materialized in the blue sky.

“Whoa, did you see that?” Theo gasped, his heart racing.

“Probably just another weird addition to this village," Thea explained satiricly “just like that never-ending sun.”

However, she squinted at the trapdoor again, this time with a mix of fear and curiosity flashing across her face.

“But what if there's more to it?” Thea insisted, stepping closer. “What if it leads to... I don’t know, the outside world?”

Thea hesitated, glancing around as if expecting someone to appear.

“Are you crazy Thea, what do you mean outside world?” Theo responded skeptically.

His sister’s statement truly bewildered him. Just then, the trapdoor opened, a sudden gust of wind whipped around them, sending leaves swirling. The air crackled with energy, making the moment feel almost surreal. A figure emerged from the opening—a teenage girl, perhaps a few years older than them, with wild, brown tangled hair and piercing green eyes sharp enough to cut paper.

“We need to leave this place!” she shouted with urgency. Soon after, she leaped down to the floor, her feet hitting the ground with a soft thud. Thea jumped back, heart pounding.

“Who are you? How did you do that?”

“I’m Sophie,” the girl gasped, out of breath from her descent. “You guys have to leave this place! It’s not what you think!”

Theo exchanged a glance with Thea, bewildered. “What do you mean? We’ve lived here our whole lives. Why would our caretaker betray us?”

“Exactly!” Sophie exclaimed, her eyes wide. “This village is a facade. It’s a trap! She's keeping you here until you turn thirteen. I can't explain just yet, but you guys need to come with me—now!”

Sophie glanced back toward the trapdoor, fear flickering in her eyes. Just then, the azure sky then turned blood red, and a dense layer of mist surfaced making it difficult to breathe. Soon after, an intricate network of thick, web-like threads enveloped the isolated village. It extended high into the sky, creating a dome-like structure that trapped all within its grasp. Crash! An umbral figure emerged from the shadows. A black mass with owl-like qualities appeared, with a bone white mask guarding its face. Its shoulders were broad and it had claws as sharp as blades. The monster's sheer aura made the group fall to the floor.

“Hm, trying to escape now?”, The dark figure howled, its voice sounded like thunder bolts echoing between the land. “Well then, welcome to my birdcage.”

"Kalista, stop! I won’t let you harm them!", Sophie exclaimed in an altruistic tone.

“Kalista?!?” the twins exclaimed in unison, their eyes wide with disbelief.

The two glanced at each other, they both knew who that name belonged to.

“Thea, Theo, I'm sorry you have to see me like this.”, The shadowy figure hissed. “I wish I could have taken care of you better. I truly do.”

In an instant, a thousand shadowy tendrils emerged, swirling through the sky and relentlessly pursued the two. However, with the use of her sheer determination to protect, Sophie raised her sword, summoning a shimmering barrier of light magic covering the twins. The shadowy tendrils collided with the barrier, splitting against its radiant surface. Panic set in as Sophie faced the dark figure with determination.

“Leave quickly! I've formed a pathway to the trapdoor!” Both twins cried out in fear, but Sophie stepped forward, resolute. In a blinding flash, Sophie unleashed a burst of light, paralyzing Kalista in place.

“I can't hold Kalista for much longer! Now! Go!” she shouted.

Seizing the moment, they grabbed each other’s hands and dashed toward the trapdoor as Sophie and Kalista were left behind. Once through the trapdoor, they tumbled into a breathtaking landscape, vibrant and alive. Standing by a beautiful lake, they felt Sophie’s presence in the warm gentle rays of the sun. They had a whole world full of colors, chaos, and possibilities ahead of them.

Thea uttered with the last of her voice, “I-It’s so beauti-”

Exhausted from their journey, they fell to the ground, collapsing in relief as the weight of their adventure washed over them.

The End