imagine being a parrot

who hasnt had food in 8 days<br><br>[the day before] you were a happy parrot, your belly full of crackers and seeds. you had flown 22 miles in search of food, and were proud to have come back empty-beaked.<br><br>but the next morning, things are different. you wake up in your nest, and feel like youve been punched in the gut. you stretch your injured wing, and put a talon on your rumbling belly. youre so hungry you can feel the hollow where your liver used to be. you havent eaten in nearly a week.<br><br>the other parrots in your flock seem to be doing well, and you feel a pang of guilt. if only youd flown a bit further the day before. if only youd kept searching for a bit longer. your fellow birds wouldnt have gone a single day without food.<br><br>you cough. the only sound that comes out is a tiny wheeze. your mouth is parched, and all you can think about is water. youd kill for a single droplet. a single crumb. even a cigarette butt, to gnaw on the filter.<br><br>you havent been outside in days. youre afraid to try and fly with your busted wing. but youre going to have to. winter is coming. you need to migrate with the flock, or risk starving AND freezing. whats worse, dying alone in the cold, or dying with your flock in the warm light of spring?<br><br>you put your head under your wing, and close your eyes. you know are going to try and fly tomorrow. you have to.<br><br>but for now, you will pretend youre a fit and healthy parrot. you will pretend you are not on deaths door. you will close your eyes, and dream of spring.