Maybe Someday

On most nights he would have shot right up out and bed and slammed his hand against the glass. Its fluttering and tapping too much for his mind to take when it was trying to shut down. Pulverizing it into nothing but a smear.

But tonight was different. As he laid there, mind just floating somewhere between the bed and the ceiling, he welcomed the cadence of the little critter against the glass. As it continued to struggle to break through the invisible barrier, he just smiled. Its wings drummed a unique beat, something he could connect with. Deep down and serene. He didn't want it to go away. Just groove with it forever.

Through his eyelids, he imagined it, trying with all its might to break free. Get out into the world - towards the hundreds of glittering lights of the city. They called for it. Blinking and flashing brightly in the night sky. Out where the rest of its kind was. But no matter how hard it tried, it just couldn't. Eventually the sounds of struggle were too much and he opened his eyes - surprised to see how tiny his company was. Just holding on, staring out. All around him were little plumes of powder, glittering against the glass - the only evidence of its attempted escape.

Tonight, more than any others, he needed a friend. Someone who would be there for him, no matter what. Listen to him if need be. Console him. Just be near him. But as he laid there and watched for some time, he felt bad for it. Saw how much effort it was putting into pushing against the glass - flying up and down, looking for a hole that didn't exist.  It needed to be free. Out in the world - experiencing everything it could. He knew it only had primal instincts - food, reproduction, shelter, but it didn't deserve to be trapped. Especially not in a cramped little bedroom. So with much hesitation, he sat up and cracked his window ever so slightly - just enough for a breeze to begin to flow into the room. He hoped it would notice and flutter out through the crevice, but it just held firm to the glass. Unaware. So with a gentle hand, he nudged it ever so slightly - making sure not to touch its wings and remove any powder - towards the crack. Eventually it caught on and with a quick flap - darted out the window.

As he laid back down, his heart ached a bit. Maybe someday, as he fell asleep, he'd hear a slight tapping on the glass and it'd be his friend - wanting to be let back in.

Until then - his window would remain unlocked.