The Empty Cage Still Turns

They say a life that ends inside a home can leave a trace. I never gave it much thought until last week. My small bird, a bright yellow canary, had been my cheerful companion for years. I found her still and quiet in her cage one morning.

That night, a faint sound pulled me from sleep. I walked into the living room for some water. The room was dark, but my eyes could see clearly. The little swing in the cage was rocking back and forth, all on its own. There was no bird on it.

I reached inside, my fingers touching only empty air. A cold feeling settled in my chest. Then I noticed a soft, shimmering glow where the swing met the cage. It looked like a tiny, glowing feather drifting in a breeze. It was my bird, or what was left of her.

Soon, a second glowing shape appeared near the food dish. My older brother came out to see what was going on and froze in the doorway. He saw them too. When our mother came to check on the noise, the glowing shapes were gone, but the swing kept moving by itself. She just shook her head and told us to go back to bed.

The cage is never truly still now. I don’t know how long this will last.