Entry #33

"The Immortal Flight"
by Linda Fort-Bolton


“A little bird flies around the world and as it flies past the empire state building it brushes its wing on the building. Then, it flies around the world again and brushes its wing on the building as it passes by. The bird continues to do this. As long as it takes the little bird to rub that building down, THAT is how long you will burn in hell.”

I wake up with this pounding in my head over and over again. Sweat is dripping off my forehead. I look through the window and the shadow of the electrical pole reminds me of the crucifix hanging on the wall in front of the classroom.

For twelve years I attended a Catholic school and the nuns scared us to death, willing us to be good.

I am an old woman now, but I keep asking myself. “How long will it take the little bird to fly around the world? Will he ever wear that building down? What if the little bird dies, then what happens?”

FOREVER! That is how long it will take. FOREVER! He will NEVER be able to brush that building down with his little wing. I WILL BURN IN HELL, FOREVER.

I look out the window. The electrical pole is no longer that wooden crucifix, just a post with wires strung from it. On top of the pole sits a very small bird. He looks over at me as if to say, “No, I cannot do it.”

[Linda Fort-Bolton is a fifty something government worker and aspiring writer. She grew up in a small town with 8 brothers and sisters. She loves to read, travel, and listen to jazz outdoors.]