136 Ficlet: You Can't Stop a Caged Bird from Singing
Title: Can’t Stop a Caged Bird from Singing
Author: ozmissage
Rating: PG
Word Count: 318
Prompt: 136 (Needs-the resolution)
Characters: Adelle, Caroline
Adelle can’t help but admire Caroline, even as she recognizes her naivety. People always believe that they need only to fling open the cage door to set something free. They don’t think about what happens after, what it truly means to release something into the wild. Unwitting creatures that are used to being fed now have to find food for themselves. Creatures that once lived in controlled environments are now faced with the abstract idea of danger.
Caroline calls what Adelle does inhumane, but she doesn’t understand. She has the luxuries of youth and idealism to fall back on. Adelle knows this world and she knows it is not good to the weak. What humanity is there in throwing defenseless creatures to the wolves?
Adelle allows Caroline to play the part of Moses as she leads her people out into the promise land of the car park. She knows Caroline believes herself to be their savior, although the dolls show no sign of gratitude. They stare up at the sun as placidly as they gaze at the pool. This means nothing to them.
Luckily for Adelle it means something to Caroline. The sound of a body hitting pavement makes Adelle turn. Caroline is crumpled on the ground behind her, her need satisfied for now. The guards are already herding their flock back to the safety of the house. Adelle watches as one of them scoops Caroline into his arms.
When she wakes up she’ll be Echo again, as blank and empty as the rest. Adelle can’t help but think it’s only temporary though. Most caged things don’t know enough to yearn for their freedom, but Caroline is different. Always has been. She’s screaming for it and Adelle is not naïve enough to believe this will put an end to it. She knows if she ever opens the cage again Caroline won’t allow herself to be put back in.