Eduwardo had nothing other than acceptance for the command which had come from inside. His men also had the same intention. Their boss taking the same decision they themselves would have taken saved them from embarrassment. Surrender to the unknown enemy.
The walk to the camp felt long for Roderick. His shaking legs told him not to go in there but no gangster around him seemed ready to run, so Roderick buried his intuitions.
A sight of many soldiers pointing their guns at them made Roderick uncomfortable when they got in. Those officers had no concern about hospitality. A soldier gestured them to kneel and everyone sank their knees on sand.
“Why are you people here?” a soldier asked.
“We were lost.” Roderick said before Eduwardo could utter anything.
“Your men trespassed here.”
“They almost ran over us. Brakes!”
“Trespassers are not welcomed here. Nor are those who make childish excuses.”
“WATCH OUT!” a soldier pointed at the sky.
Seconds later, soldiers started firing towards the giant eagle hovering close to the ground. Their bullets didn’t get past the bald eagle’s thick feathers. Instead, those hot bullets rained down on helmets of those soldiers.
Soon, some people were in claws of the bald eagle. Roderick also became one of the unfortunate ones. As the bird took off, many people fell from its clutches. When a bullet hit the bird’s leg, then it dropped everyone.
But Roderick was far from getting dropped. He was hanging on the eagle’s claw by his shirt. And he somehow felt lucky for it.
Roderick would not have survived if he had been let go from such a height. At last, the eagle clutched Roderick tight and flew to its nest.
The bald eagle threw him in the nest made of hard branches.
Roderick stood up by holding on eggs as big as him.
“I saw him first.” A brown eagle landed near the nest.
“I caught him. He is my food.” Bald eagle snapped at him.
An old eagle flew near the nest, “I hear one of you has caught a prey. I have not eaten since three days. Can you give it to me, considering my age?”
“Peck somewhere else, old bone.”
Another much bigger eagle flew at the nest and said, “No matter what, the strongest ones get to eat.”
Both smaller eagles got scared by the presence of the bigger eagle. Older one had already flown away after his arrival.
“See big bird, we can share his meat.” Bald one said.
“And you will demand a bigger piece of food because you have laid eggs. I know your tactics.”
“Hey guys and girls.” Roderick shouted at the arguing avian creatures.
They turned their heads at him, exposing their bloodied beaks. Eagles didn’t have any elegance left in them once blown up in size. Those eagles had nothing to admire but everything to fear about.
“What?” the bald eagle asked.
“I will solve your problem.” Roderick uttered, “The first eagle to fly ten miles and to return here will get to eat me.”
Birds looked at each other at the same time.
“All or nothing.” Roderick added, hoping he could take advantage of their small brains.
The brown eagle spread its arms and glided away. Rest of them also followed the same route while cursing each other in the process.
