“Leaving the Nest”

Author’s Note: This is a Take Ten to Write story and has not been proofread for errors. If I feel inspired or if there’s interest in the story, I’ll post a revised, edited, and extended version at a later date. Happy reading!

The dying rays of sunlight bounced off the still, clear lake. Nothing moved, for the slightest quiver would break the spell.

Finally, slowly but surely, the clouds moved to protect the land. Darkness fell over the lake, allowing the creatures a second to stretch.

Right on cue, the tall weeds rustled. A small head poked out, then another, and another. The five siblings all peeked out, chirping and pecking at one another. They knew better than to leave the safety of their nest to find their mother. But still, with every passing day, they grew more and more curious.

One felt particularly brave. He straightened his neck, gave a confident quack and plopped a foot outside of the nest. His siblings squawked their encouragement; if it was safe for him, they would go next.

Encouraged by his brothers and sisters, he straightened his neck as he stepped completely out of the nest. He settled down into the water and let himself bob there for a few moments. Pride filled his little chest; he’d finally done it. He’d left the nest.

Final Comments: I’d planned on connecting the beginning and end more, but I ran out of time.

Overall Rating: 😅