Mama never leaves me alone, and although I'm perfectly content with staying by her side, the world away from her seems all very interesting. I strain to understand by the colours she uses to describe things, the shapes that she says trees are, and the size of the oasis. It all seems to mystifying, but when I try and envision it, I get grainy textures and brittle shapes that expand for what seems to be forever. The 'sky' Mama describes is clouded by those trees that stretch far above my head to places I cannot reach, the ground beneath me is unpredictable and frightening. For months I've stumbled quietly, still unused to the long uneven limbs of mine. My own body seems ridiculous in shape, lumps and static and missing pieces. Nothing seems right. Mama says it's okay that I can't see, that it won't affect my ability to do anything, but there's so much it affects. 

If Mama steps too far I will not know where she is, if someone is approaching I cannot see them, predators lurk at night and I will never be able to know their arrival. Mama's warned me about them, but told me not to worry because she's there to protect me. I cling to her like she says leaves cling to trees, but I've never before seen a leaf  and trees are just rough textures to me and obstacles to slip around. So I like to say I cling to her like the darkness clings to my eyes. So waking up one night without her pushed me into a state of paralysis, my organs squashed beneath the weight of my fear as I had I started wailing, trembling uncontrollably as the vast emptiness of the world started to crush me. Mama swept in as quick as she could to gently tether me back to reality, cooing about how everything was alright and there was nothing to fear. I forgot to fall back asleep after that. 

Mama slipped away for a few moments, leaving me to my own. She told me to remain where I stood and I was perfectly okay with that, but I thought I heard thundering steps across the desert plain. As they got closer I tensed, ears on a swivel as I stood stiff, ruffling my fluffy feathers in anticipation. "Please don't run me over!" I squeak out, pathetic little words spilling from my quaking lips as I stumble around. Is there someone there? I try and reach forward, but find endless nothing. I huff out, ears falling back as I root my little hooves back into the grainy sand beneath my feet. "words."

Shahrokh