Songbirds

Normally, I’d tune out the songbirds outside. For whatever reason, their tune seemed a bit strange today. Melancholy, I’d say. The weather, like yesterday, was bright and sunny - warm and comforting. I sat by the window as I sipped from my favorite lipstick-stained mug of coffee. Living in the countryside was never as simple or relaxing as they made it look on the television. This was my third cup of coffee and the sunshine was just showing itself. I had to tend to the pigs and chickens hours before I finally got to sit back down.

I was alone, strangely enough. My husband had left a few days ago to see about purchasing more livestock. He had always teased me about being a city girl dumped into a farm boy’s life, but in truth, I hated living in that metal tower and I despised walking the sidewalks. Being able to walk about barefoot with damp emerald grass beneath my feet seemed quite simple, but it was like heaven to me.

My husband told me to take these pills. It’s a small plastic bottle with no label. He simply told me to take two with each meal. They made my head swim for about an hour. Strange noises fill my ears: the sound of traffic as though I was still in the city. Yesterday, everything looked somewhat glassy; reflective. Beyond that, I made sure to drink plenty of water and coffee. I felt better after laying down. I don’t know what the pills were for, but I trust my husband. I went back inside to prepare myself dinner and there was a slice of chocolate cake leftover. My husband ate all but this one slice. It was only a few days old. I decided to finish it with a cup of coffee.

A day rolled by and I was tending to the pigs. They were standing completely still. Like statues, they had that glossed-over expression in their eyes. I was deathly afraid. I panicked, believing that I may have accidentally killed the livestock. I noticed that the cows were deathly still as well. I figured I was having a bad dream. I ran back inside, noticing that the once flowery wallpaper had a strange luster. I took the pills. Was it the pills that were causing this? I collapsed into a heap on the bed, sobbing and hoping this horrifying experience would end.

“Honey?” the sweet sound of his voice was muffled like listening through a swimming pool. He found me there, hushing me as I felt a prick in my arm. A needle? I didn’t have much time to protest before I went unconscious.

I remember waking in my room staring up at the ceiling. My husband wasn’t next to me. I called for him and elicited no response. Pulling on my robe, I began to search for him. Every room of this small house was empty. The cows and the pigs were - the cows and pigs. They seemed fine. Some were sleeping while others ate while the sun descended below the horizon. It was all a bad dream, thank God.

I went about my chores when I realized that there was another slice of chocolate cake in the refrigerator. I’m quite certain that I finished it. There was a note beneath the plate. “Save this for me”. It would go bad by the time he got back from his trip. Surely, he wouldn’t mind if I finished it. I decided to take my pills with it. I ate slowly as I watched the star-speckled sky grow brighter and brighter. The world around me melted into glass. I think I understand why he didn’t want me to eat his slice now.