Melissa’s Fandango Flash Fiction Challenge #353

#FFFC #353

They weren’t supposed to share the branch.
That’s what the farmer always said—everyone has their place, everyone has their order, everyone must stay exactly where they belong.
But on this quiet morning, under a pale sky and the hush of wind-softened leaves, three chickens hopped onto the same crooked branch anyway.
The smallest one—soft brown, anxious heart, feathers still learning how to sit comfortably—shuffled first. She didn’t believe she belonged anywhere, so she perched with apology in her bones.
The middle one came second, snowy white with flecks of stubbornness. He was tired of pretending brave only meant loud. He perched beside her, not above, not below, just… beside.
And finally the third arrived, darker feathers shimmering like midnight secrets. Strong. Steady. Thought to be the fiercest of them all. But today his feet trembled as much as theirs.
They sat.
Awkward at first.
Silent.
Then something miraculous happened.
They breathed together.
They felt the branch hold them, equally. They felt the wind touch them, equally. They felt the morning wrap around them, equally.
And they realized the farmer had been wrong all along.
There is no “higher bird.” No rightful superior perch. No throne feathered by color, strength, or past.
Just a branch. Just a moment. Just the courage to share space with hearts unlike your own.
The smallest one slowly lifted her head. The middle one softened his chest. The darkest one finally exhaled.
Three very different lives. One trembling branch. A quiet rebellion of unity.
From the ground, the world looked chaotic. From the branch, it looked beautifully possible.

💫Maggie

The Afterlove Voice 💫