Chapter 6: Percival's peculiar Creatures

The three of them ran all the way to the bathroom areas of the school, way on the other end.

Children were crowding the entrance of the boys’ bathroom, until the security guards came and dispersed them. Some frogs were hopping around, from the bathroom door to the hall.

Joel came out at last, wiping tears of distress and Raul approached one of the boys who was standing against a wall, still gawking.

“Blake, what exactly happened?” Raul asked discretely.

“Apparently Joel said that Percival could only charm birds into liking him, that’s why he does not have a girlfriend,” Blake said with a giggle.

“What did Joel mean by that?” Raul asked. “How does Percival charm birds?”

“Well, everyone knows how beautifully those birds sing, but can he be giving them actual lessons?” Blake asked curiously. “It could very well be that they are charmed to sing that well, because he has been to the village magic school, as we all know.”

“Oh boy, that’s not so easy to interpret,” Raul responded. “Anyway, where is Percival now?” he asked.

“He must have run off before he could be accused of anything,” Blake replied. “But other kids heard and saw everything. So, he will be going to the principal’s office, for sure,” he said, before rushing off to his next class.

Later, when Raul popped in at his mother’s perfumery in the city, he was surprised when she already knew about the incident at school.

“I think you should stay away from Percival for now,” she said when Raul confirmed the events involving the frogs at school. “Anyway, where does he get all those frogs from?” She asked.

“At the river, I suppose,” Raul answered.

“I hear he went to magic school, so don’t you think it was one of his tricks?” his mother asked suspiciously.

“It could well be,” Raul responded. “But, let’s forget about Percival because I’m excited to see what you have invented.”

Raul was proud of his mother’s business sense.

Margaret owned a perfumery in the free city of Tesla, behind the mountain. She trained and employed people from disadvantaged backgrounds and exported the perfume to other countries. She used flowers from her own home gardens.

“I have an interesting new design for a perfume bottle,” his mother said. “Come along to the packaging area,” she said, as she took him by the hand and led him to another part of the factory.

“Oh, a ballerina!” Raul exclaimed, when he saw the elegant design of a bottle with a tall lid which resembled a ballet dancer.

“Guess whose idea that was?” his mother asked with a big smile on her face.

“Yours, I assume?” Raul responded, uncertainly.

“Your girlfriend, of course!” Margaret exclaimed.

“Did Melinda design this?” Raul asked in amazement as he picked up the bottle to inspect it.

“Yes. She wanted it to be a surprise for you,” his mother responded. “I will reward her for it of course,” she added.

“Well, she does say that she wants to work here when she retires from ballet one day,” Raul said contemplatively. He wondered whether now was a right time to talk to his mother about what he had heard them discussing last night. Apparently she had been just as shocked by what his dad had confessed.

Raul was just about to broach the subject, when Garett came bursting in at the door.

“I was told that I could find you here,” he stated with a polite smile in Margaret’s direction. “Good afternoon, Ma’am, he greeted.

“Good afternoon, Garett,” Margaret responded fondly. She always enjoyed spending time with her children and their friends. This afternoon, she really needed to focus on something other than her husband’s confession last night. She needed to escape into her own world for a while, even though she knew that she still loved her husband.

“So, are you ready for our research project?” Garett asked Raul anxiously because he could see that Raul was not so eager to leave.

“I suppose we have to go and work on that project,” Raul said with a sigh.

“Oh, don’t be stressed out about any school project, my boy,” his mother said encouragingly. “But be sure to be back in time for dinner tonight.”

“Yes, Mom,” Raul promised with a kiss on his mother’s cheek.

“And remember what I said about staying away from Percival,” she added, as the two young men walked out of the room.

Garett looked at Raul inquiringly.

“Does she know we’re going to the bird sanctuary?” Garett whispered as soon as they were out of the room.

“No, but she does know about the frogs at school, so she wants me to avoid Percival,” Raul whispered in return.

They kept quiet until they were outside.

“Okay, then. I will meet you there,” Garett said, as they parted ways to go to their respective vehicles.

At the forest, they parked in the parking area which was created for visitors to the sanctuary. They then got out of their respective vehicles and began to walk towards the entrance. The sound of birds chirping and singing filled the air.

“Hello there,” said a familiar voice behind them.

Raul and Garett turned around to see Lexi sitting on the branch of a nearby tree. His blue feathers made him spot.

“How did you know we would be here?” Raul asked quickly, because he did not want Percival to catch sight of them, if he was around. They were wearing different jackets from the ones they had worn to school and were both wearing hats which they had put on in their vehicles.

“I followed you because I could sense that something interesting was in the air with the two of you,” Lexi responded promptly.

“Alright, then wait out here, or you will be taken on as one of the main occupants here,” Raul joked, before walking on with Garett.

“I will be on the lookout for you from right here then,” Lexi agreed.

“So, what is it that you suspect?” Raul finally whispered to Garett.

“Well, I have a feeling that not all these birds were formerly butterflies,” Garett whispered back.

“What do you mean?” Raul asked.

“I think that some of the girls who go missing in the city could have been charmed into birds,” Garett replied.

“What?” Raul almost shouted out in shock.