Part 27 (1/2)

”I put something in there too,” said Henry. ”See the corner of my football s.h.i.+rt?”

”Almost had to tackle him to get it,” said Ms. Cyn.

”And I almost had to tackle her back. You have enough of my stuff,” said Henry. ”My jeans, my marble-shoot, what else do you want?”

Henry was right. Zavion couldnt imagine wearing any other jeans.

”This ones mine,” Ms. Cyn said. She pointed to a square of cloth that had a bird right in the center of it. It looked familiar.

”The banner!” Zavion suddenly remembered seeing it the first day he was here. The banner with the boy sitting under the tree and the book turning into a bird. The grat.i.tude banner. It felt like a long time ago. ”The banner is yours?”

Ms. Cyn nodded. ”Its the only thing I brought from New Orleans,” she said. ”Its the only thing I was able to take from my house. Skeet made it for me.”

Zavion looked up on the wall. The banner was there, but with a small square missing.

- Zavion pulled the scarf tighter around his neck. It was colder up north.

chapter 66.

HENRY.

Henry had done one thing before leaving for Vermont.

- Diana greeted them at the door. Parrots were in cages everywhere-on tables, under tables, on chairs, on stairs, in hallways.

”Incredible, right?” Diana said.

”These are only a fraction of the birds that are missing.” A man walked into the room with another woman.

”Lee is my son,” said Diana. ”And this is Dr. Burke. These are the boys I was telling you about. Zavion and Henry.”

”I still cant believe you stowed away in our van,” said Lee, patting Zavion on the shoulder. ”Outstanding work.” He shook Henrys hand. ”And you-” he said. ”Outstanding work too.”

”Thank you,” said Henry.

”You sure you dont want to stay and work with us?”

Henry hadnt been sure. Not at all.

”Lee is right, you know,” said Dr. Burke. ”In fact, these are only a fraction of a fraction of the pets that are missing.”

Dogs flashed through Henrys mind.

Cats too.

One cat.

”I wish I could find them all,” he said. He gripped the handle of Tigers cage. ”But what do I do with Tiger now?”

Henry opened the cage and sat at the kitchen table with Tiger on his shoulder and tried to answer all of Dianas questions. He tried to tell the whole story. He was pretty sure he hadnt left anything out. When he was finished, he listened to other parrots around him.

Words and bits of phrases.

h.e.l.lo.

Who is it?

Come and get it!

Its about time.

h.e.l.lo. Where were you? h.e.l.lo.

Come back.

h.e.l.lo. h.e.l.lo. h.e.l.lo.

When he was done listening to the parrots speak, Henry realized he had one more thing to add to their stories. ”My friend-his cat-he had a cat,” he said. ”His name is Tiger too. Hes lost-the other Tiger. Please-find this Tigers family. I think theyre alive. And if theyre not-I know a little girl who would love to take Tiger home.”

- While Henry slept in the truck, he dreamed of ”This Little Light of Mine” sang by a chorus of birds.

chapter 67.