Let That Sun Rise on a New Day
rating: +3+x

Dr. Hoygull tosses in his nest, as if the weight of his thoughts is advancing in on his mind. Nights like these are always sleepless. He gets up and walks down the dark hallway. His office is relatively close, but his sight escapes him. He’s meant to see better than a human, though his age continues to deteriorate his eyesight.

The cold moonlight illuminates the hallway, causing the floor to shine a light blue. He remembers Thoth’s return. He stumbles into a wall and lets out a curse. Maybe if he isn’t so lost in his thoughts of Site-49 he would notice the wall before him. He rubs his eyes with his wing and looks up to the right, scanning the tag on the door. Unfortunately, this was not his makeshift office.

His feathers are ragged and his mind is fading, but those don’t stop him from the paperwork that calls at two in the morning. He continues down the hall, finding his office and opening the door. Hoygull walks into his office and closes it behind him. He hops up onto the chair and turns on the lamp. A gentle yellow cascades over the white paperwork, casting shadows across the room.

The seagull hops off his chair and, reaching for his mug, he rinses it out before putting it under the coffee maker. He prays the sound doesn't wake up what is left of the Avian Division. He sighs.

Why did this mess start? How did the bomb detonate?

That was a great question, though one he still doesn't know the answer to. A younger, naïve bird would jump at the chance to be a hero. He now knows better. This isn’t a job anymore, this is a cage he is trapped in forever.

The graying bird is ripped from his thoughts by a beep from the coffee maker. He grabs his steaming mug, pouring sugar and cream into the dark coffee. As much as he knew it was bad for birds, he didn’t care anymore, too much paperwork to get done. He didn’t put much trust in his wings anymore, not since the last time when he wore his coffee.

Setting the warm mug on the desk he picks up a wooden pen from his holder. The pen makes a nice click when he presses it down, yet his mind dreads the sound. He glances at the clock before writing the time and attempting to fill out the stacks of paper that had piled up over the last month. Hoygull’s wing shakes as he tries to write. He feels as though time slows to a stop while writing, but he knows that assumption is silly.

Every time he tries to put his pen to the paper and work his mind keeps wandering back to his now dwindling group of birds. Had a nuclear bomb not exploded Site-49, they would have had more members. Those bird brains may be stupid, but they do know how to unleash an attack. If you could count chewing wires until something happens an attack. Hoygull shakes his head then takes a sip of his coffee.

Dr. Hoygull closes his eyes for a second. The images of terror flood his mind: screaming alarms rang through his ears, hopeless squawking as everyone flooded to the exits, confusion turning to mass panic. A nuke detonation in the facility? How? The Division was split into four groups, and of course each group lost some members, but group three didn’t come out of Site-49…

He blinks himself out of this hellish flashback. He never used to be so easily distracted, though he guesses that it comes from such a straining job: draining paperwork, the humans turning into birds, and a dwindling workforce. He draws in a ragged breath as he forces himself to get through this page that torments him awfully. Had this been under other circumstances he would enjoy this type of work, but now it just seems like a drag.

He is shaken from his thoughts once more by the creaking of his door opening. He glances up to see a dirty crow sliding into the room.

“Good morning Dr. Crowlile, what brings you to my office at…” He looks to the clock. “Five in the morning?” The crow gently closes the door behind him.

“I wanted to talk about the current state of affairs, as it were.” He takes a seat across the table from Dr. Hoygull.

“Alright, since the nuke I’ve been stuck with this huge stack of paperwork. I need to keep records and since Site-49 was destroyed, I may as well keep the old system of filing. So, please make it quick.”

“Yeah, of course. I was just hoping I could sit with you, and like I said, the state of affairs.”

“Of course, of course, was there something you specifically wanted to talk about along those lines?” Hoygull puts down his pen and sips his coffee again.

“Well, we do not have enough of a fighting force anymore to go into Phase Two. We lost over 70% of our total numbers! We need more birds. I know all four groups lost members, but group three is completely gone! Of course most of the remaining force is either injured or so tired they can’t work properly. I know this isn’t on you, but still.” Crowlile sighs, looking as if this has been something stressing him out for a while.

Hoygull picks up the pen and continues with his paperwork. “It has been hard on everyone. I know we lost most of our force, but I just don’t know where we can find birds around here. I think a lot of them have died or are hiding. I agree, though I think we need to take this to the rest of the group.”

Hoygull doesn't look up from his work even after responding. He is sending the wrong message, but that is beyond his thought process.

“I know, but we can’t hope to do much more without a bigger force. We only have about 25 birds now, and we can’t continue like this!” Crowlile’s voice starts to raise and his shake.

Hoygull sighs, they need more birds, but they are not in any position to train new recruits at the moment. “Our best paper un-shuffler, watcher, and lock pick died in the nuking, and there isn’t exactly a replacement for them,” Hoygull says. He knew things were going belly up from the second the alarms started blaring.

Damn Thoth.

“This feels like an absolute fuck you from the world.” The crow starts pacing the room. “Anyway, moving on to the task at hand. We needed at least 50 birds to get into the roost, but even then we were pushing it. We expected some losses, but not to this degree!”

It sounds more like the crow is talking to himself rather than to Hoygull.

“Though, maybe if we could start making our way over there? Of course when the rest of the Division is back to fighting capacity. We could get as many birds as we can? It would be helpful to get anyone, even if they can’t do anything.”

Hoygull stays quiet, his head throbbing as the black crow continues. Honestly, he isn’t paying attention, instead opting to finish up the paperwork. Dr. Crowlile and Iris had a thing for each other. Is that what this is about? Moving on from a lost love is hard. Maybe Dr. Crowlile is trying to bury his emotions. After the incident, he stopped preening himself and eating. Worrisome.

“Hey, take a walk with me.” Hoygull cut Dr. Crowlile off from his tangent.

“Wha- what? Where did this come?” He’s taken aback by the sudden outburst from the older seagull.

“Yeah, let's go outside. It’s been a while since we’ve done that.” Hoygull stands up, grabbing his keycard and hopping from his chair. To Crowlile, it must seem like Dr. Hoygull has a fixation with going outside.

“Come on, it would be nice to go out and get some air. Besides, we haven’t left this place since the move.”

“Alright, fine. Don’t think this conversation is over yet!”

The two walk down the dark hallway towards the wing’s exit. Hoygull makes no attempt to start a conversation yet, nor does the crow following him. Hoygull scans his card, the scanner making a soft beep shortly after the locking mechanism clicks. The metal door feels cold on Hoygulls wing, pushing it open and a gust of salty air hits him. The seaside has always been his home, being a seagull and all. He continues through the cool dark air, Dr. Crowlile in tow.

Hoygull takes a deep breath in. “So, how have things been since the nuking? Not talking about the Division, we’re talking about you.” Hoygulls feet touch the wet grass. It felt so calming to him.

“It’s been alright. Digging myself into the Division to get us back to where we should be.” He looks down, shaking his head.

“Yeah? You sure you’re up for doing this right now?” Hoygull furrows his brow looking over to the black-feathered mass.

Crowlile shakes his head and the two carry on their walk. The golden sun starts to creep its way past the water’s edge. Crowlile sighs and looks towards the sky.

“I’m fine to do work, it’s probably better that way. I don’t want to get caught up” He chokes out the last words.

Hoygull nods reaching out a wing to his colleague. “I understand. Maybe you should take a break. I know the need, but I can take care of it for now.”

“No, I’m perfectly capable of doing my job. Maybe even better now. Like I had said, we can’t even go into Phase Two right now. I figure the time for a break is after we get this pulled together.” Crowlile is avoiding the subject. He was always closed off, even from his closest friends.

Hoygull shakes his head and puts a wing to his face. “I know, but we all need time here and there. Everyone is working their hardest, and you’re running yourself ragged. Hell, you’ve stopped grooming yourself.”

Crowlile stays quiet for a minute, as they pass a flickering lamp, the moon being the only consistent source of light.

“I’m fine to continue working!” Crowlile snaps back at the seagull. His eyes droop and he blinks rapidly as if there was something in his eyes.

“Alright. I just worry about you.”

The air stands still for a second. The two continue their walk as the cool air turns to a humid warmth. Hoygull bends his wings to the wind. This type of heat is something his body was not used to anymore.

Crowlile finally breaks the silence. “I just miss her, ya know? She was so great… She was so kind and so gentle, even when pushing someone out of the way of those things.” He shakes his head and starts to cry at the thought of his dead lover. “I’m starting to forget what she looks like! I don’t even remember the exact shade of blue she was anymore.”

Tears run down the crows face, as he screams out to the clear sky above. Hoygull looks away from his crying colleague and takes in a breath.

“I know… She was great. I’m very sorry.” Hoygull and Crowlile walk up a small hill.

“I’m sorry Dr. Crowlile. I’m very sorry…”

The two birds make it to the top of the hill. The sun creates an orange shine on a large stone. The two sit down next to the stone.

“Don’t be afraid to let the sun rise on a new day, Dr. Crowlile.”


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