The Fiery Canary

I saw you in my dreams…fiery canary. High in the sky with your friend last night. 
Seeing you was almost too good to be true. Way too good to be true. You were a mystery of many lifetimes, a mystery that has gone back for centuries. Yet, I got to experience you in all your glory the moment I closed my eyes. 

It was late. The sun was almost down. The sky now almost completely dark except for the hues of orange, red and yellow that were nearly faded away. 

I ran up 4 flights of stairs to reach the tallest windows in the building that looked out over the city. I was supposed to be getting ready for a party downstairs with a bunch of rich people who only thought of themselves. And all they wanted to do was talk about was their wealth. Something I could really care less about. 

I wanted nothing more than to be in the sky myself. In the sky with you…

For some reason, tonight, I just knew you’d be here. Or even just nearby. My desire to see you was so strong, it almost felt like it could manifest into a sound much like a lonely wolfs cry.

As I stare out the window waiting to see if your wings to go ablaze, I try to remember the tale I was told about you.
See, the tales of you feel more like a hazy memory to me. As if I met you in another lifetime… It could just be because my grandmother compared me to you all the time. Beautiful, witty, and unpredictable as she says. 

It felt just like flattery every time she said it though. The love of a grandma. Unmatched.

However, as I grew older and did my own research, and heard countless different versions of your tale, I couldn't help but compare myself to you as well.

The fiery canary. She was as beautiful as she was mysterious. Never making an appearance that was consistent enough to track her down or keep record. She never came at the same time. Nor was there a special event that kept her coming back. She came as she pleased. Anywhere. Anytime. The only thing that stayed consistent was that her best friend was always by her side.

Many of stories were passed down by our ancestors, but one caught my eye. The fiery canary appears, when she finds herself a new ally. One she wants to call a friend, grant a wish, or freedom instead. Someone she feels that can match her brilliance. Which is why not many people can see her no matter how hard they try. She only appears to those whom she deems worthy. No one knows from where she came. No one even knows her real name. Her honey brown skin, and fiery red hair. The golden glow she emits once everyone is in bed. 

Whenever she appears, she's at the highest point in the sky in whatever area she’s at. For example, if she appears near your home in the mountains, she’ll be at the top of the highest mountain. If you live near a beach, and there is a light tower not too far, she’ll appear at the top of the tower shining brighter than the towers lights even from afar. 

Although there are many tales, no one has ever told a story where they came in contact or ever actually talked to her. They just saw her flying in the sky, with her best friend. He never left her side. 

See, I don’t know whether to call her a guardian, spirit, a deity of some sort? No one really knows. I always believed in her though. Just never seen her, let alone talk to her.

There are also those parts of the stories explaining why you never came in contact those who recalled the experience. It is said that even though they may have seen you, if you concluded at that moment and your feelings may have changed, you’ll vanish into the sky with no explanation and no trace.

It also is told as, at the moment you reach out to them, and they are too scared or have their doubts, you’ll retract your hand and go about. 
Maybe that’s why you continue to visit me in my dreams... I know without a doubt that I’d gave you my hand, and it’d feel like destiny.
The sky was now dark and the lights in the city scattered about like the stars in the sky. I began to worry that maybe even I was unworthy of your time.

“Raina, maybe it’s time that we go. Who knows if the tales are true, you know how the elders go.”

 My best friend called out to me with worry in his voice. He knew how much this meant to me. He was the only person I’d tell all my stories too, not that I really give him a choice. 

"Just give me a little while longer. Tell them I’m sick. If she doesn’t appear soon then I’ll call it quits.”

I gave him a soft smile and continued to gaze out the window.

I must’ve sat near the window for quite some while. Because the next thing I knew I woke up and I was laying down. My best friend is asleep against the windowsill and my head on his lap. I felt bad, selfish even because he decided to stay with me instead of being downstairs to the party. Not that he really wanted to be there either.

Just as I was about to wake him up, I looked to the sky and there you were. 

Small and quick. You reminded me a lot of Tinkerbell. You were little but looked wise. Your smile was as bright as your fiery red hair. Flying in the sky, with your best friend close by. 

He’s crouched down on the tip of the highest tower in the city. You were floating next to him staring straight into his eyes. His face was rested, little to no expression. But anyone could tell that he loved and adored you, the midnight owl. 

I watched in awe, as it seemed like you were having some friendly banter. And then you looked at me as if you were waiting for an answer. My awe turned into a smile. As you reached out your hand out to me, I stopped for a second. What if my best friend woke up and I wasn’t there where he left me?

You gave me a reassuring smile, and, in that moment, I knew that I’d…He’d be alright. I took your hand and there I went. Into the sky in a blink. 
But something felt so unreal, as I looked around the sky. I turned to look at my best friend, and there he was. And so was I…
I looked at you and your best friend too. You both smiled at me, which was new.

It is said that your best friend's expression never really changes, which is strange. It was like confirmation and my initial thoughts of him changed.
There isn’t much about him, just theory honestly. For example, he isn't just your best friend but your sworn protector as well. Which is why he is always by your side. There’s also the theory of him being your secret lover. Always to be by your side for eternity. However, no matter the circumstance no one has ever seen any other expression, with the exception of you. 

Either way I found it cute.

As I flew around the sky with complete awe and gratefulness, I grew tired quicker than I assumed I would. As I look towards you, I guess you saw it in my eyes too. 

Before I was to part way it happened, the moment I was waiting for all day. You spread your wings and your whole body went ablaze. Your beautiful, long hair turned into beautiful feathers. Red and gold and hints of orange. Much like the sunset before it faded away. You flew straight up in the sky and sang out a beautiful tune. You danced around me for a moment and then you bestowed upon me a sacred item. 

One of your feathers. It felt like an honor, but also as if I hadn’t deserved it. That was until I heard your voice for the first time.

“You shall now be able to hear me, for you now hold a significant part of me. This way you can contact me or simply just hear me. You have been chosen by us both. We have watched you from afar and we have seen a lot of growth. We thank you for believing in us, for that is partly how we stay alive. We have lived through generations, but our young faces have fooled many who have seen us with their own eyes. We don’t have much time and I won’t say much but I will say believe in yourself and keep your best friend close. He is special much like you, he just hasn’t noticed yet and that’s why he has you. We will keep in touch and continue to look over you. But don’t forget to look over us too.” 

With that being said, and a smile from them both, they did a small dance around me and then were gone like some ghosts. 
I lifted my head off my best friend's lap, just as he started to stir. I took one more look outside and they were gone like the wind before I could blink my eyes. A huge smile took over my face and then I heard my best friend ask:

“Hey Raina, where’d you get that feather from?”

In my lap there it lay, the feather of the fiery canary bright as day. 

I just smiled and the only thing that I could say was:

“Best friend, I'll tell you all about it when the sun comes up. I think the rest of our days are going to be filled with adventures and fun!”

I thought I saw you in my dreams…

But the experience was all part of your extravagant scheme. High in the sky with your best friend at night, seeing you in all your glory almost didn’t seem right. But you appearing wasn’t out the blue, I was waiting for you and I think you knew. There was no denying those beautiful feathers that were so bright, or your best friend next to you the whole entire flight. The experience was new, fun and left me feeling elated. A new feeling, one that you created.

There’s work to be done, and many adventures and places for us to see. One day we’ll get to travel the world much like you miss canary. Someday I’ll get to tell the true story of THE Fiery Canary just for you, so that you can live many more lifetimes and in your truth.