Soon, the first cars begin to enter, and I watch people from the roof, wondering what it would be like to be in there right now. Shiners, on the other hand, is watching everything carefully as he soon sees people heading over to the snack bar to get popcorn. <So what are you going to do, steal some, or hope people drop something?>
He nods his head, looking at the snack bar. <Usually, someone spills a bucket or two, and I can grab them and then bring them up here to eat. You got your food, so you’re good.> He says. Something catches my attention as I hear people in a car next to the roof talking.
Looking over the edge, I listen as one of them says, “So, do you remember what the radio frequency is for this drive-in? I don’t trust those speakers to ever work half the time.”
A younger voice replies, “I think it was 89.1, with that we can listen to the movie without those speakers.”
I perk my head up, looking at Shiners. <Ohhh, I wonder if there is a radio nearby.>
Looking over at the snack bar, I see a radio and grin. <Ohhh, there is one over there, now how do we get it?> I think, as it would be the perfect place, but with the lineup and the guy right there, it would be hard too. Though a small idea enters my brain. <Do you think you could cause a distraction? Make them move away from the snack bar, like grab something, and I could go down and get it?> I wonder.
Shiners sounds horrified. <What, Mr. Perfect, suggesting we steal something?> He asks as I fluff up my feathers at this, giving him as much of a glare as an eagle can. He laughs. <Okay, okay, I could maybe draw them away, grab something they have there, but you have to sneak in and grab it, and you’re not exactly stealthy, and I can’t carry the radio.>
Groaning, I just shake my head. <Laugh it up, but I plan to return it, just need to wait till after the movie.> Looking at the snack bar, I think, <Well, you want to grab some popcorn for your snack. You could go over there, grab one, the others should chase you. We wait till the lineup slows down, and while you do that, I grab the radio.>
Shiners gives a bow, lifting a wing up like he was a butler or such. <You can count on me.> He says, and then takes off flying as I glide over to a fence near the snack bar, where I can see what’s happening, but in shadows at the moment.
I watch as Shiners hops onto the counter while the worker just finished placing a bag of popcorn on the counter and was reaching for the second, and gives a kaw before grabbing it.
I watch Shiners fly away toward the radio, and what looks like an accident, probably to them, looks deliberate to me as his foot kicks out, knocking it into the grass a few feet away, closer to me as Shiners kaws as best as he can around the bag.
Seeing this, I grin. It was closer to me and partly in the shadows, and wait for everyone to chase after Shiners as he keeps kawing. I see everyone turn and laugh, one kid even calls out, “You got it, birdie!!.”
I wait till they are far enough away that I drop down from the fence and touch down enough, move forward and grab the radio in my beak and quickly drag it further back, wincing at every little noise it makes.
I finally get it back into the tall grass and take a moment to recover, feeling mildly exhausted after everything I’ve carried. After a moment, I grab its handle with my talons and take to the air, careful to circle away from the snack bar before heading back to the roof, as I could see the trailers starting.
I soon land next to Shiners and carefully let the radio drop a few inches before landing next to it. <We got it!!!!> I think as I settle down, panting a bit and then removing the bag around my neck, feeling a little better.
I start to turn the radio, trying to get to the right station. <So let’s begin this movie. I hope you got some of that popcorn for your trouble.> I say as I fiddle with it until I finally hear the trailers, a bit hard with a beak, though Shiners keeps watch to make sure it ends up on the right number.
Finally, I yay and give him a nod and try to find the right volume so that we can listen to it, and soon I hear it at a good volume, and Shiners says, <I think that’s good, and yuppers, I got the popcorn right here, too bad you can’t eat it.>
Grabbing the blanket and moving it around us, I smile. <A little cold, but hopefully we can warm it up. So I got my mice and rabbit, you got your popcorn, anything better?>
As I’m getting ready, I hear a voice from below the roof going, “Wait, is that the radio on the roof?” making me a little nervous and ready to bolt if I have to.
Thankfully, after a few moments, it moves off. “Oh, never mind, if someone wants to watch on the roof, go ahead. I will just grab it after the show. I’m not paid enough to get yelled at by customers because I blocked their view of the movie,” making me relax.
Shiners laughs a little bit. <That was close.> He says as I grab the bag and open it up, grabbing a mouse and giving a hmmmm at the taste as the music starts, and I look over to the screen, and it begins. The music playing and a mix of night and day patterns cross the screen.
My body begins to have a familiar tingle sensation as the music picks up and the words Ladyhawke come on the screen. Soon followed by a close-up of a hawk or eagle flying at the camera, causing me to catch my breath.
I stare in rapt attention at the flying. This wasn’t seeing something I dreamed and wished I could someday do, this was something I did every day. It feels like I’m on the screen, causing me to spread my wings and give a couple of flaps of excitement, getting into the scene.
I’m so fixated on the screen and the movie that I don’t notice the honking at first until Shiners draws my attention. <Umm, Mike, I think you’re blocking the screen.> He says as I hear swearing and complaints about birds.
I look back and realize that I must be blocking part of the screen and want to yell “sorry,” but it’s not like I have the voice to do so. So instead, I duck down and try to give an awkward shuffle forward as I grab the blanket and drag it further away from the edge to where hopefully I’m not blocking the screen.
After a moment of tugging, I get us back in place and hopefully not blocking the screen as I grab another mouse, almost choking on it when I hear the movie talk about a mouse. Thankfully, I can’t exactly choke as I finish swallowing and look up at the movie and realize they are talking about a thief.
Shiners looks over at me with half concern, half laughing as he nudges. <You okay there? You look like my cousin did after he tried to swallow a whole burger.>
I can’t help but laugh at that as I nod my head and look back to the movie. <Sorry, just found something funny.> I say as the movie continues, mostly just following this mouse guy escaping prison and finding himself at some tavern. Definitely not the kind of mouse I would want to eat.
Shiners chuckles. <Okay, this is a strange… thing, kinda okay to watch if a little distracting. This mouse Char feels like he’s a raven at heart.>
I nod my head. <Yeah, the slowdown is a little annoying, but least I can watch it compared to the nastiness that was the TV.> I give a quick mental yay as the hawk flies across the screen for the first time, causing a small skree to leave me.
After a while, I start to get used to the slowdown and the way that the screen looks, and I’m really getting into the movie. The interactions between the mouse and the captain are interesting, and then when they reach the barn to sleep the next night, I’m not expecting anything.
But then the mouse gets attacked, and a wolf, of all things, shows up and attacks, causing another tingling through my body, but a different one. Like something is waking up and paying attention.
I glance toward Shiners, wondering if I should say anything, but decide to wait. After all, it could just be my imagination.
Shiners cuts into my thoughts with a laugh. <You think if you turn into a wolf, you get some hot human female to hang out with?> he asks, making me groan.
Shaking my head, <NAhhh, just my luck, I will get some weird, confused fox.> I think as the movie continues. We get more scenes with the hawk and the wolf, each causing me to feel different things.
And then the hawk is hurt, feeling like a gut punch to the stomach as I stare at the screen in shock. The next few scenes are like a blur, and then the revelations. They both hit home in a way that I can’t understand.
My body feels energized like it had been after the panther dream. My wings and beak tingle like I’m about to change as I start to breathe a little quicker, and Shiners catches on. <Mike, you okay?> He asks, noticing the way I’m looking.
I nod my head as I slowly gain control of it, relaxing a little bit. <Yeah, just those wolf scenes… triggered something in me, felt like the day after that leopard dream.>
He gives a small nod. <Well, that’s a good sign, though hopefully you don’t shift till you get home. Last thing I want is to have to carry you home, or go pick up your family to explain where you are.>
I nod my head. <Yeah, I really don’t want to turn into wolf till I get home. Who knows what could happen? Am I stuck forever as a wolf? Would it take a week to turn back? Being safe is important.> I think as I continue to watch the movie.
As the movie continues, each wolf and hawk scene has new meanings for me and gives me a feeling of excitement. This is quickly becoming one of my favorite movies.
Soon, the climax happens, and everything is good, though part of me thinks it’s a sad ending. Still, I enjoy it as I glance over to Shiners. <I’m really glad that we came here. I was excited to see a movie, but a chance to see something like this… here.> I’m not sure how to finish that.
