Zoo Flu: Red Bird 1 - TG Caption

*This is shaping up to be a 4-5 parter. #2 will be out by tomorrow with more coming next weekend!

**Also, the very generic 'Red Bird' is because after finishing a majority of it, I realized I couldn't find an actual red bird with a pale chest...which will matter more in part 2. This is what happens when you get the majority of your animal education from cartoons, people! 

*Also, also... Happy New Year, Everyone!!!  

Part 1

There was a tiny red thing stuck to my arm. Where did that come from? I grabbed it and pulled, causing a surprising amount of pain. It felt like I had just yanked out a clump of hair. It even bled a little, though that soon stopped. I wiped away the small drop and didn’t give it any more thought. Later, when rubbing my arm, I noticed something small and spiny sticking out. Looking closer, it wasn't alone. There were dozens of the things piercing my skin from the inside, some already growing larger and showing red tips. That...looked familiar. Doing a quick search online confirmed it. Feathers. I was growing feathers!?

Shouldn't I be panicking by now? There was some of that, certainly. I’m not sure what a doctor would or could do about spontaneous feather growth, but checking with one is probably the next logical step. However, instead of freaking out, I was strangely calm. I pulled my sleeves down, covering the evidence. I didn’t want to go see a doctor. I didn’t want to see anyone. I packed up my desk, sent a quick email to the boss about a sudden illness, and left.

My arms itched all the way home, but I left them alone. I felt an insistent need to keep this to myself, keep it all hidden. When I finally arrived, I parked in the garage and closed the door. Then I walked around the house shutting all the blinds and making the place as private as possible. Only after did I remove my shirt to try and get a better idea of what was happening to me.

My arms and some areas of my torso were filled with little tubular spines. The less advanced growths showed red at the ends where it looked like the tubes had broken down or disintegrated, exposing the bright red color inside. I was covered in fluffy red, with parts giving way to sleek, mature red feathers, including the top of my head. I couldn't help but admire them.  They were just so…beautiful, almost regal. Though individually tough, the feathers were shockingly soft laying together. To my surprise, and though the area around my mouth was beginning to stiffen, I was grinning as I continued to inspect myself for changes, I wondered what would happen next and found the thought strangely exciting…