Anaro Zaynab Ben Allouch   � Copyright 2021 by Zaynab Ben Allouch

Photo by Anna Karp on Unsplash

I quit morning jogging, I couldn�t wake up, I don�t why. After one month, I started feeling powerless and hated myself for that, so I decided to come back to my morning routine even without motivation.

God how I missed the fresh smell of morning breeze, the river�s purl, and that bird�s musical sound. My breath was weak, and I couldn�t run more that 1 km. I looked out for my favorite spot beside the big tree. My heart kept beating, my veins were in fire and my body was screaming with energy.

The time has no limit between the hands of nature, I could be there for ages staring at the birds racing in the blue sky. The bird with the musical sound came near me, showing its vocal skills apparently.

�You need to go to Simon Cowell; he will be happy to have a bird as a new star!� I said to the bird with a mocking voice.

�He�s a loser, I prefer to work alone� came a little voice from no ware.

After what I�ve been through, my mental health wasn�t at it best, but hearing outside voices wasn�t acceptable.

�Do you think that I would become famous� that voice again!

�I lost it! that�s it!� I repeat to myself �calm down, it happens to a lot of people, you can control it�

�But you humans can�t even accept your own diversity, so me as bird won�t have a chance in your world�.

Did he say, �me as a bird�? The bird! The singer bird CAN TALK! Well, If the bird can talk right now, I, the human one, has just lost her speaking ability.

�You, the signer bird, you can talk?� I couldn�t believe that I just started a decision with a bird.

�I�m not just a bird, I�m a Song Thrush� replied with confidence.

�A Song Thrush, I see� I murmured �do all Song Thrush can talk like humans?� my curiosity took the lead.

�Yes, of course� The bird reply without hesitation.

�OF COURSE ?!� I screamed.

I know a little about Song Thrush spices, they are very special and known by their ability of sing. But I�m sure no one has ever mentioned the possibility of talking.

�what is your name?� I asked, very politely.

�I�ve told you, I am a Song Thrush� the bird reclaimed

�No, what is your �personal� name, what your mom calls you?� I�ve been trying to be calm and reasonable.

The bird flied near me and said �you mean like a human name? if that so, no, I don�t have a name�.

To be honest, I was a little bit scared of it, but I asked one more question �can I call you Anaro? It�s a male�s name �

For the first time in my life, I was staring to a bird�s little, brow and shine eyes �Yes you can, I love this name, Anaro, Anaro, Anaro� he repeated his new name while flying in circles, up in the sky and then down to earth, I assumed that he was happy.

Anaro, this name was reserved for my first baby boy, but I can�t wait until then. For a moment, I realized that I�m happy too, I was smiling like an idiot, like an innocent child, like the old me, like the me before the accident.

�I need to go� I said with tears in my eyes. Anaro didn�t hear me, he was busy singing his new name.

I was running as fast as I could, but home seemed too far. The secret box has been opened; everything is falling apart. I�m crying, and running, I can�t stop, I don�t want to stop.

�Good morning darling� it�s the stylish neighbor.

�Good morning�� I always forget her name �dear!� I saved the situation.

I sat in my bath robe, looking at my phone. �Talking birds�, I typed at Google, hoping to find answers to my million and one questions. Nothing beside what I already knew. I added �legends�, then numerous pages pop up with some interesting stories. I spend the hall evening reading those so-called myths, but I couldn�t� believe a word. What happen between me and Anaro was much simpler.

It was 10 pm when I gave up my researches, made a cup of tea and tried to fall asleep.

I opened my eyes next day and decided to skip my work. I sent an email to my boss, saying that I�m seek. �Today�s plan will be breakfast with Anaro� I smiled to the mirror. My face looked horrible, but I didn�t care. I took my sneakers and jacket on, hold my phone, and grab some money.

The sun was warm that morning.

�Good morning human� sing Anaro to me the moment I arrived at the big tree.

�Good morning Anaro, good to see you� I smiled to him while he was up at the tree. �are you living here?�

�Yes, I�ve been born here, up at that branch� replied proudly.

�Good to know, I got breakfast for us� I said while trying to show him his seed.

I drunk my black coffee with a wight chocolate pancake while watching Anaro enjoying his food.

�So, Anaro, where is the rest of your family?� my investigation begun with that question.

�Dead�.

My heart stopped beating, I said to myself �great, that makes both of us�.

�But I�m not alone, I have my friends with me, they are not special like me, but I loved them� he said with sparkles in his tiny eyes.

�That�s awesome Anaro, happy for you� I continued, �am I the first human that you ever talked to?�.

�No, but you are the first one to reply� he flied and sat next to me.

�Do you like to go home with me, Anaro?� it took me a lot of courage for this request.

�And leave home? �he wondered.

�No, you can go back to the tree when ever you want� I calmed him with my response.

He staired at me for 10 seconds and said �yes, I do�.

I�ve been always thinking about adopting a pet, but I never thought to have a bird, a Song Thrush bird, a bird that can talk like us. He followed me from the sky while buying home supplies for him.

�Good afternoon dear� it is the stylish neighbor again.

�Good afternoon darling� her name can�t stick in my head.

�You bought a bird? How lovely! Oh, but you forgot the cage, letting a bird in your shoulders is not a good idea� she through a noisy laugh and waived for a goodbye.

I didn�t notice that Anaro was setting on my shoulders, and yes, I completely forgot about the cage.

�You can�t put a star in a cage, I need freedom to sing!� reclaimed the little star.

My house was a mess, I had no interest to clean or organize it. Anaro didn�t notice any of that mess, expect one thing, my plants, my dying plants.

�You should give them water human! Save them!� that was the first time seeing Anaro getting angry. I felt ashamed for letting them suffer.

I started with the plants, then the laundry, the trash, the old food, and finished my mission with a clean session to the entire house. I was fully motivated by Anaro�s angelic voice.

It took Anaro a month and a half to get used to the house, after broking couple vases, almost destroying the TV, spending a night on the fridge, getting stuck under the couch, � he got into everything.

It took me a month and a half to go back to life. I remembered my stylish neighbor�s name again, Camilia. I didn�t skip workdays, or morning routines. My plants were alive, and so was my soul.

I wondered sometimes if Anaro was an angel from the sky, and his mission was saving my poor self from myself, but then I remember that he is just a little Song Thrush, who prefers to work alone than working with Simon Cowell, and then I laugh.