#birdbottle

It had been raining for a few days. Heron’s electrical charge had been more volatile with the amount of static in the air. He had to be more careful when holding conductive objects. He hadn’t seen Hapless since the morning, he wasn’t sure where she had gone. Hapless often visited the village, so he assumed she would be there. He missed them and hoped they would come back soon.

The boom of thunder had echoed through the castle walls for hours now. Vomit Syringe was crying loudly for their mother. Heron hoped Hapless would arrive soon to soothe Vomit. He nearly felt a pang of longing for Glass and sympathy for Vomit. But he pushed the thought aside. Glass had chosen her life, the rest of them would have to deal with it.

There wasn’t much to do, it was a little after noon and he had already finished responding to all the letters, granting land permits, and choosing new artists to be sponsored in Karkali. No one had come to the castle, it was raining after all.

He drifted through the kitchens, the indoor gardens, the ballroom, the west and east wing, he had been everywhere in the castle besides the astronomy tower. It was his last place to visit for the afternoon. Heron hoped the storm would let up so he could go to the village, he was hoping to visit Cato for some tea. Anything to get his mind off of everything.

In truth, he was beginning to feel unstable. He recoiled at the touch of Hapless, shut himself in his room when they were home, he had done everything to avoid them the past few weeks. He wasn’t sure what was up and what was down. He wasn’t sure what to think about anything.

He sat at the desk in his study, staring dimly at the clock. The letters he hadn’t started sat in a neat stack on the desk.

“I was thinking of putting red dahlias in the vase in the front room, what do you think, dear?” Hapless said. Her words missed Heron entirely. He remained fixed, staring at the clock. Seven.

He blinked and furrowed his eyebrows at the gold clock. It couldn’t possibly be seven.

The minute hand moved, the vibrations nearly reached him. “Heron?” Hapless asked softly, noticing the change in her husband's face. Heron looked like he had seen a ghost.

“Did you just wake me up? Had I fallen asleep?”

Hapless looked at him curiously. “No? I’ve been with you all day.”

“I don’t..” Heron swallowed thickly as he trailed off. He ran a hand through his blond locks. “When did it get so late?” He turned his gaze to the window. It was sunny, not a cloud in the sky.

“It’s not that late. We haven’t had dinner yet.”

Hapless’s smile was nagging at him. Their cold eyes but bright smile, their white teeth that nearly looked pointed. When had they turned into someone Heron didn’t recognize? They felt like a stranger in his room. A snake slithering by. A dagger pointed right at his back.

A deep panic pulled him. It was seven. He was in his study. He hadn’t been walking around the castle. He hadn’t finished his work. It was seven in the evening. It was seven in the evening. It was seven in the evening. It was seven-

“Heron, are you okay?”

Heron’s eyes unfocused. The hair on the back of his neck stood up.

“Heron?” Hapless shook him gently.

“What did we do today?” Heron replied softly, as if hoping that Hapless’s answer would spark some memory of the day's events.

“We went to Alien and Omar’s house for lunch. Then we walked around the city with Vomit.”

A strand of hair fell in his face, he tightened his grip on the edge of the desk, desperately searching for memories.

He wanted Hapless to leave. He wanted them to go far away. He wanted them to leave like Glass had left.

“Someone’s here to see you.”

A stack of unopened letters. Dark shadows through the window. A crack of thunder. Ten in the evening.

Heron let in a deep gasp and pushed himself away from the desk. He let in a heavy breath. His head was screaming in pain. Where was he again?

“Heron?” Bananba asked weakly.

He froze. In between the desk and Hapless was Bananba.

“No..”

“Heron,” Bananba repeated.

“No! You can’t be here! Hapless take them away right now! Take my brother away!” Heron shouted, his heart thrumming so loudly he thought it might jump out of his chest. Why was everything so loud?

Crack. The thunder made him jolt.

“But you asked for them, Heron,” Hapless replied.

“No, no, no I didn’t. Bananba is.. they’re a traitor.”

Bananba watched his brother shake and tremble. His eyes were wild, full of hatred and panic. What had Hapless done to him? Pinkish veins curled up his arms like spider webs. His eyes were slowly turning a yellow glow.

“Don’t you want to see what happened to your brother? What you did to them?”

Hapless pushed Bananba towards him. When they got closer, they could feel the energy around him. It was cold, like a snowstorm and heavy wind.

Hapless stalked closer to them and pointed to Bananba’s limp leg. “You did that to them.”

“I didn’t do that..”

Hapless nodded and walked closer to Heron. “Yes you did, my love. You nearly killed them. It’s all your fault.”

“No!” Heron shouted. Lightning struck just outside the window.

“Yes. You did this to them. You did the same to Glass.”

“GET OUT!” Heron shouted with so much ferocity the walls shook. His eyes grew brighter.

“You did this to them! You did this to Glass! You betrayed your wife!” Hapless shouted back. There was a high pitched hum coming from Heron. Papers from the desk began flying around him in a disorganized circle, creating a shield.

“NO!” Heron repeated, the ground began to vibrate and he rose a few inches from the floor.

“Stop this Hapless! You’re going to hurt him!” Bananba pleaded with Hapless as a bright ring of light formed around Heron.

“You can’t stop this. This is what was always meant to happen,” Hapless laughed in Bananba’s face and watched proudly as Heron lost his mind.

Hapless turned his attention back to Heron. “You did this all to them! You exiled Glass, you betrayed them. You left your child without a mother. You destroyed your brother’s ability to walk correctly. You hurt everyone. You will only keep hurting everyone.”

Heron didn’t respond, the energy only increased and Hapless felt the telltale sign of a strike about to land from Heron. They jumped out of the way before a large bolt of lightning hit the spot they were standing in.

“You may have done it but there’s a way you can turn it off, Heron,” Hapless said with sincerity and calmness. They hoped it hadn’t been too much for him.

Heron looked at them and tilted his head.

“Erase it. Erase your memories of Glass and what you did to them. You won’t have to hurt anymore.”

“No! Don’t do it, Heron!” Bananba screamed. Hapless pushed them to the ground roughly.

“Just let go Heron, I know you know how to do it. Just think of everything you did to them and put it in a box in your mind. You know what to do from there.”

Heron reacted without thinking. He placed all the hurt, all the betrayal, all the regret in one portion of his mind. He closed his eyes and pushed the energy to his fingertips, feeling each surge move from his veins.

Hapless thought he looked like a tamed animal. There would always be wildness in its eyes, but it would obey its master.

The guards pushed Glass through the door. She had heard everything. She nearly cried at the sight of him, just at the sound of his voice.

Hapless flashed Glass a wicked smile.

“I won.”

There was silence before the thunder, and after came the lightning. There wasn’t any noise in the room, Glass let out a scream that was not heard. Time seemed to stop as the first lightning strike pulled itself from Heron’s hands. The room lit up, objects in the room, chairs and the desk floated upwards.

The lightning curled itself around Heron’s floating body and he let out a strangled cry as it attacked his memories and integrated itself back into his veins, lightning them up brightly.

“Do you think you made the right choice?” Glass asked. She was sitting in the field behind Prof’s castle. They were sitting under the old apple tree. Just like they were children. Before life had gotten terribly messy. When life was easy and they were free.

“No,” Heron sighed and leaned against the tree trunk. In the distance, the world was becoming grey. They would only have a few more moments together.

“Then why did you go through with it? Why did you have to forget me?” Glass rested their head on Heron’s chest and placed an arm on his shoulder.

“It hurt too much. Hapless was going to win regardless.”

Glass stared out at their crumbling world.

“Do you think I’m weak?” Heron asked.

“No.”

“Okay.”

It reached the outskirts of the field.

“Do you think we’ll remember each other again?” Glass asked and tightened her grip around Heron.

“I don’t know. We’ll have to see. I’m not sure this is the end. But if I go for good, remember that I love you and I’m sorry.”

“I love you too.”

Heron and Glass watched the grey take over the field. Heron twirled Glass’s black hair in their hand and wished things could have been different.

Heron woke up in his bed, next to Hapless. The sun was shining brightly through their window. He smiled and placed a small kiss on their forehead. It was always nice to see his wife first thing in the morning.

It was a lovely day outside it seemed. He looked at the clock above their door, then to the bedside table.

A red apple sat quaintly on the wooden table. Heron tried to remember where it had come from, but drew a blank.

It was cold in the castle. Grey and cloudy outside. Not a bird was singing. Hapless was away, visiting the village, they had told Heron. He missed their presence, it had been only a few hours but it felt longer. Vomit Syringe was sleeping soundly in their room. The servants were bustling away downstairs for the dinner party. But Heron was bored. He didn’t feel like going to the village to find Hapless.

Boredom had been present in Heron’s life for at least a week now. Life was simply gloomy with the weather and all. It was mid April, thunderstorms were apparent, but today was simply plain. He wasn’t sure, but he had the feeling he had misplaced something. A book? One of Vomit Syringe’s toys? No. That wasn’t right.

Heron was searching the castle for the misplaced item. The master bedroom had already been torn apart, Vomit Syringe’s room, the dining hall, the kitchen, the basement, the servants quarters, the library, the only place left to look was Hapless’s study. Hapless didn’t mind him looking through it, at least Heron had thought they wouldn’t mind.

The room was extravagantly decorated, peacock feathers and Impressionistic paintings were the only thing that brightened up the room. The grand fireplace lay unlit. There were papers and letters thrown across their desk. Some lay opened, others were not. Heron looked through the letters, perhaps he had misplaced one there while in their study. They were mostly frivolous things. Nothing of importance.

He checked the drawers. Heron picked up a physics book, something Prof had left, no doubt.

Underneath there was a letter. Frayed with age. It laid open, calling to him like Pandora’s box.

Heron shifted lightly on his feet, turning the letter over in his hands.

Heron Beef-Beef

The Karkali Castle

162 Drake Lane

Why did Hapless have a letter addressed to him? The date read a year and a half ago.. right around the time they got married.

Heron checked around the room before opening the letter. Hapless had a way of sneaking up on people.

He tore the opener letter from the envelope. The handwriting wasn’t one he recognized.

Heron,

It read.

I know this isn’t you. I know whatever Hapless has done to you is fucked up and sick. I know it’s not your fault. Please, let me come home, we’ll get rid of that bastard once and for all. Like we always said. Bananba misses you.

Please. I love you. Don’t let Hapless win. You can fight them. I know you can. You’ve done it before.

Remember that I love you,

Glass

At first Heron nearly laughed. This was some stupid joke. That’s why Hapless hadn’t given it to him, because it was an absurd letter. But why had Hapless even had it in the first place if it was addressed to Heron?

It didn’t matter.

And who was Glass? That strange newcomer to the kingdom. Bananba and Hapless seemed to know them, maybe the rest of the villagers would. Perhaps it was his poor memory that restricted his remembrance of Glass. If this Glass was someone of importance, surely Heron would not have forgotten her.

But he wondered why Glass had written such a strange letter? Perhaps she had mixed up the letters? Maybe some poor lover had gotten a business report instead of a love letter.

And why was Hapless mentioned? Hapless hadn’t done anything wrong..

Heron held onto the letter tightly and closed his eyes, feeling each drop of ink on the page and the fibers in the worn paper. It pulled and twisted in his mind like a vortex. The air got cold.

He could feel the anguish in it. The longing for someone who didn’t care. The thought of never coming home.

A spark flew from the letter into Heron’s hands and moved up his veins. His eyes flashed yellow.

Surely this Glass couldn’t have really meant this letter?

•••

When Hapless returned to the castle, they brought a small decoration for Vomit. It was a glass bottle with a bird inside. The baby cooed at the sight of it and smiled cheerfully. Hapless placed it on the highest shelf next to Vomit’s crib, where they could not reach it.

Hapless stifled a laugh. It was a painfully cruel joke. Mocking a baby.

“Hapless!” Heron called from outside the door. “Are you in there?”

“Yes.”

Heron opened the door, already clad in his formal attire.

“Come, get ready. I have to find my brother first, I’ll meet you when the party starts,” Heron said as he picked up Vomit from the crib. He bounced the baby lightly in his arms.

“Of course,” Hapless replied, placing a small peck on Heron’s cheek, exiting the room.

After leaving Vomit’s room, he had left the baby with a caretaker for the night and set off to find Bananba. Heron knew where Bananba would be, it was not difficult to find them.

They were in the watchtower in the East Wing, staring dutifully down at the village through the window, picking at small chips of gravel.

“Brother,” Heron said as he walked next to Bananba. Bananba didn’t jump or become startled, the pair seemed to always know when the other entered the room.

“Heron,” Bananba smiled, their eyes remaining fixed on the village below. He saw Cato, Omar and Alien walking into the castle. He wondered if Prof would be visiting tonight.

“How was your trip?”

Bananba looked at Heron, eyes fixed in a certain coldness he didn’t recognize.

“My trip?”

“Yes. To Prof’s kingdom?”

Bananba gave a short nod and looked back to the window. “It was fine,” They said with barely restrained curtness.

“What is it?” Heron asked, noticing his brother's irritation.

“It’s nothing. Where is Hapless?” Bananba asked hurriedly.

“Probably getting dressed. Why?”

“No reason.” They began to walk to the door, with a slight limp in their step.

“Why are you limping?”

“Hurt my leg while visiting Prof. It’s nothing really,” Bananba said dismissively, nearly at the door.

“Wait! Before you go, I want to ask you something,” Heron called out to them. He pulled out the letter from his coat pocket and handed it to them.

Bananba stared at it and pulled at the end of their sleeves.

“Do you know what this is?” Heron asked, straightening out the letter.

Bananba glanced at Heron wearily and bit their lip. They took the letter from Heron’s hands and read it over more carefully.

“Where did you find this?” Bananba asked quietly.

“Hapless’s study. It charged my electricity, so I’m assuming it wasn’t a fake letter,” Heron explained, watching Bananba’s reactions carefully.

“I don’t think it’s anything important. It was addressed to you awhile ago, so the problem must be resolved by now.” Bananba remained staring at the letter, as if the circumstances might change when they looked up. They remembered when Glass wrote this letter.

“Is this the same Glass that I met today?”

Bananba folded the paper carefully and nodded. They could feel their palms start to get sweaty.

Heron scrunched his eyebrows in confusion. “Why would she write something like this? I don’t even know her?”

But what if you did know her. Bananba wanted to scream at him and remind him of what he did. But they knew better, it wouldn’t fix anything. Heron wouldn’t believe them.

“I have no idea.” Bananba shrugged, hoping Heron would believe them.

“Should I ask Hapless about it?”

“Oh! No. I wouldn’t. I mean they probably didn’t give it to you because they thought it was like junk mail or something, you know?”

“Yeah. I get that. I just don’t see why this Glass would send me something like that. It’s weird.”

“It is weird.”

•••

Everyone who was anyone was at the party. Dimitri, Cato, Omar and Alien, even Goober was there. Spirits were bright and happy. The crowd was having a great time.

Heron sat at the end of the table, picking at his plate and rolling sweet berries with his fork. He glanced over to Glass throughout dinner, who was sitting next to Bananba and Goober. Glass had only said hello to him when the party had started. There was no underlying current of emotion when Heron had shook their hand. It was hard to pinpoint strangers emotions, but when he touched Glass’s hand it felt familiar — like muscle memory. Heron didn’t think much of it, after all things had been strange in the castle as of late.

Hapless fixed their gaze on Heron throughout the meal, watching him closely as he picked at his meal. Hapless knew Heron wouldn’t remember. They had made sure of it.

Glass was talkative as ever. Hapless had made sure to seat Glass as far away from Heron as they could. It was risky business having a feast, any of the villagers could mention something about Glass and Heron, they could question Hapless too. But Hapless had made quick work of that issue. There would be no gossip tonight.

Heron led the toast later in the evening to his brother. After all this feast was in honor of Bananba returning from their travels. Hapless could tell there was a distant echo in Heron’s voice, even while talking to the public. They had memorized all of his emotional cues, whether that was shifting on his feet when he was nervous, or keeping his eyes on whatever wasn’t bothering him in the room.

The dance was exciting. The band played a jazzy tune and everyone jumped to the floor. Cato danced with Goober, Omar and Alien twirled each other ahout, Glass twirled with Vomit Syringe in their arm. She had taken a liking to the baby.

Bananba was watching Hapless like a hawk, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. When the crowd changed for a second song, and dance partners moved, Bananba glided dangerously to them in the corner of the room.

Bananba leaned against the wall. “Nice party, isn’t it?”

“Heron organized it all.”

Bananba took a sip of their drink. “You know, Glass used to do all the organizing.”

Hapless’s lips curled into a small smile.

“I don’t recall any of that. This is my first party in the castle since the wedding.”

Bananba narrowed their eyes at Hapless and took another sip. “I see. You know, Heron is used to weddings. Glass is too.”

“I’m sure they are,” Hapless replied nonchalantly. If Bananba tried anything, the entire room would be over there in a second. With so many trips to the village, it had given Hapless copious amounts of time to bribe everyone in town to be loyal to them.

Bananba nearly jumped at them. Hapless was a sick, sadistic bastard.

“You listen up, you little freak, Heron and Glass had a life together. We aren’t children anymore. You aren’t that little kid hanging at Heron’s hip hoping he would notice you. I’m going to find a way to reverse this.” Bananba was a force to be reckoned with, but Hapless was not afraid of them. They never quit while they were ahead. Every single card was in Hapless’s favor, every player was in their corner but one.

Hapless flashed them a wicked grin, their eyes darkening. “My dear fruit, I’ve already won. Heron is mine. Glass is a washed up memory and you’re weak,” Hapless said sweetly, though their eyes were anything but.

“You must get off on this you little-“

“Brother! Come dance with me!” Heron called out to Bananba from the dance floor. Bananba shot Hapless one last dirty look as Heron pulled their arm to dance.

Hapless took a sip of their drink. This was going to be fun.