Summary: Emma had always been alone however when friends came, the loneliness had left her. It just didn’t last long. (One-Shot)

The almond-brown forest was a leafy paradise. The ancient trees stretched away from the crinkly floor, trees are the castle of woods and scurrying squirrels searched for food under the bristles of wispy moss. One of the tree have a small bird nest where a lone bird stay there. She had been alone ever since she was born and she can’t help but feel bored with no one to talk to, so to kill time, she would eavesdrop on other birds at other trees far from hers. The more she listened, the more envy she gets, she too wants other birds to live with her and she wanted friends. But the thing that made her unable to do so is because she don’t how and she couldn’t fly. She, unlike many other birds was scared of flying … with nothing to do, she built her nest bigger, hopping that travelling birds would stay.

One day, as she continued her routine of looking at random things outside her nest, she heard a bird flew into her nest. She was delighted, welcoming the birds to stay for as long as possible which the bird happily accepted the offer. “I’m Bell, you sure got a bird nest!” Bell said cheerfully, “What’s your name?”

“Um, I’m Emma…thanks…?” She replied shyly, it was her first time talking to another bird…

“Emma huh… You’re quite shy, aren’t you?”

She nodded in responded “I…I’ve never talk to others before… I was always alone…”

“What?!” Bell yelled, “Don’t you have friends?” Emma shook her head slowly, “Then…Why don’t we be friends?” Bell smiled at her.

Emma’s eyes grew wide, she used to dream of having many friends so that she would no longer feel alone and now… she had a chance… “R-Really?”

“Sure!” Bell held out her wing for handshake, Emma smiled shaking Bell’s wing with her own.

After that, they had become best of friends and Emma had no longer felt as lonely as before, she looked forward to everyday now. A few weeks went by and suddenly Emma’s nest was filled with three other birds. Roll who was travelling and decided to rest for the time being. Nick who was finding a new place to stay and Eve who was looking for friends.

All of them had lived together in the nest for a year now, they were all happy to know each other and become friends that is… until the news of Eagle’s on hunt reached their ears.

“Have you guys heard? Eagle is coming to this forest soon!” Nick said as they were eating dinner.

“Eagle? You mean the Eagle who…” Eve said, unable to continue.

Nick nodded his head, “The Eagle that loves to eat bird like us.” Hearing this made them shivered and alert. Eagle was a ruthless bird who finds joys in eating others, he was so strong that no one had ever been able to win him. Emma at that time, however couldn’t help but feel that something bad was going to happen, she held her wing on her chest. No one spoke, a tense silence formed in the group

“If…” Eve suddenly said, breaking the silence, “If… Eagle is coming, shouldn’t we go somewhere…safer?” When Emma heard that, she felt her heart shattered as she realize they were all leaving.

Roll nodded in agreement, “We should move but…where do we go?” Emma felt her wings shaking, ‘They’re leaving…’ was all she could think about.

“I heard of another brown forest which is perfect for us to live in, its three hours flight away…we could build a new nest there.” Nick said, “They says it’s beautiful…”

With everyone (expect Emma) agreeing to go first thing in the morning, Bell, on the other hand had been the only one that noticed Emma unusual quietness since she was the one who is usually the nosiest one. Bell had approached Emma who was standing on the branch looking at the full moon while everyone else had went to bed already. “Emma.” Bell called out, flying above the bird.

Emma just glanced at Bell from the side of her eye, acknowledging the flying bird presence. “Emma, what’s wrong?” Bell asked worriedly yet somehow, she got a feeling she knows what was wrong with her friend.

“Nothing.” Emma answered, her tone however, says a different story.

“Are…Are you sad that we’re leaving?” Bell asked her voice held a hint of guilt as if she had remembered something.

‘I am…’ She wanted to cry out but… that’s selfish… “No. Of course not, why would I?” She was glad that she didn’t mess up or stumble her words because she feel like crying, she wouldn’t thought. Crying shows that you are weak.

“…” Bell looked at Emma, she couldn’t see the other bird eyes and she gulped down the huge lump at her throat, “You are coming right?”

“…I’m tired.” Emma just walked back to the nest.

Bell watched her go, she closed her eyes, “You didn’t answer…” Bell felt her heart accelerates, “…Dammit…”

The next morning everyone had gotten ready to leave expect for Emma. They looked at her surprised, well… everyone expect for Bell. “What are you doing Emma? We’re leaving.” Roll said.

Emma didn’t look at them in the eyes, it made them worried and they noticed how she felt so distance from them. “I…” Emma’s black eyes met theirs, some of them gasped seeing her eyes was unlike the usual happy pairs of eyes they know, it was filled with sadness and loneliness. “I’m… not going…”

Her words stunned them, though Bell already knew about this… “Why? I thought we’re all going together?” Eve said, not understanding the situation.

“I never said I would go.” When those words sank into their head then they came to the realization that indeed, Emma had not said a single thing during the dinner, in fact, they just simply assumed that Emma was coming.

“But don’t you wanna leave? Eagle is heading this way anytime soon you know…” Nick responded, from the corner of his eyes, he noted that Bell was surprising unsurpised by what Emma is saying. ‘It’s almost as if she knew… maybe she does…’

“I’ll fight him.” Emma said with confidence, as if it could be easily done.

“Alone?” Roll said in a somewhat mocking tone. “You won’t win.”

‘But we would.’ Emma wanted to remind them. ‘We would win if we’re all together.’ She thought silently but said nothing, she didn’t want to believe that they had never thought that they are stronger when they are together.

They didn’t know what to do now, they had to choose between friend and… safety. They were all afraid and tempted to go to a new forest… “Then…” Eve whispered, “We’ll be going?” she asked hesitantly. Emma wanted to break down right there and then, but she held strong. They turned to fly before noticing their other friend not following. “Bell…?” Eve called out.

The bird tensed up, “You guys go ahead.”

“Don’t tell me you’re staying too?” Roll said, it sounded like he was saying “unbelievable.”

Bell shook her head. “I’ll catch up.” The others looked at each other before nodding and flew off, not before saying a short farewell to Emma who had silently watched the exchange, at first she felt a small hope that Bell might stay but the hope was crushed when Bell shook her head. ‘So… no one is staying…’ Her heart ached, she felt as if she was dying, no… dying sounds so much nicer. ‘I’m… going to be alone again.’ Memories of her younger days when she was alone and had nothing to do flashed in her mind.

“Emma.” Bell voice broke her out of her thoughts. “Are you sure you want to stay?”

Not trusting her voice, she just nodded.

“I don’t get it. Why don’t you want to leave?”

“…” Emma then realize that she had never told anyone that she’s afraid of flight.

“In the other forest, we could still live together happily!”

“…You’re flying…”

“Eh?” Bell said, confused by what the other bird had said.

“You’re… getting further and further away…” She paused, “And I can’t catch up.” Emma felt her body trembling for what reasons she don’t understand as well.

“Emma you…”

“Just go.” Emma said, her heart seems to be getting more and more painful as seconds passed by. She didn’t know her heart could hurt this painfully. Even thought she said that, she desperately screamed “Don’t go!” in her mind.

“But…”

“It’s fine.” ‘No, it’s not. Don’t leave me alone…’

“You could fly too! We can fly together!”

Emma shook her head, “I…I don’t want to fly. Just leave already!” ‘Please. Don’t go…’ Bell made no move to do show, she just stayed at the spot. “What the Hell are you waiting for?!” Her voice getting louder. ‘I don’t want to be alone again…’

“Emma…” Bell whispered, “…Take care…” It seems like time became slower cause as Bell turned and flew towards the direction the others had left was happening like a slow motion.

Emma watched as Bell flew away even after she was out of sight, she didn’t moved. The scenery looked a bit watery before she noticed that tears were forming on her eyes. “Eh? Why…Why am I crying?” The tears flow down her cheeks, “Dammit!” She wept them away angrily but it just won’t stop. “Why…? Dammit! Stop dammit!” Her heart ached terribly…

“…Don’t go…” She whispered, her wings covering her face. “I don’t want to be alone…” These were the words that she wanted to say yet never been able to say it, she didn’t want to be selfish… “Please…Don’t go…”

She cried herself to sleep that day, when morning comes she had cheerfully greeted morning, only to find silent. Her mood would go down and this happened every day. Until… Eagle appeared.

“Oh?” The big eagle said in an amused tone, “I didn’t know there was still a little bird here…” When Emma saw the bigger bird, she was horrified but she was not afraid of the death that was coming. ‘And here I thought I was going to fight him… who am I kidding? It’s just like Roll said, I won’t win…’

Suddenly she felt relieved, she don’t have to go on living alone. To know that everyone had left her, she… was “saved” from the feeling of loneliness…

Though, there was one thing she regretted ever since the day everyone left... It was the fact that she never got to thank them for being her friends, even thought it was short, it was also more than enough…

She felt her life draining away, her eyes getting tired…

“…Thank you…” She whispered and a lone tear flow down her face, her eyes closed to an eternal sleep.

~End~

Loneliness and the feeling of being unwanted is the most terrible poverty.

Hello! Thanks so much for reading Emma’s nest, I’m sorry for the grammar mistake that I sure made a lot haha! Also my friend had helped me edited this, just saying. This is actually my first time writing original story and I wrote the characters as bird haha! Well… do hope you can comment~ J

PS. I uploaded this story at three different places, one at Fictionpress (My pen name is Story.Of.Them)One at deviantart (Name is Xx-Tsuki-San-xX) and one at blogger (http://tsukisan96.blogspot.sg/)
 

PSS. Bell name was originally Nell but when I was typing it into my computer I keep pushing B instead of N so I just thought Bell actually sounds nicer than Nell haha!