^I’m tired.^ This came through as four or five peeps and tweets.

  “Twistie?” Mr. Stathopoulos brought his moustachioed face within an inch of the cage. Zoe took a step back, pinching her chin as she observed.

  “Are you feeling more tired than usual?” Ever asked.

  The white budgie’s chest, tinged baby blue fluffed and deflated, almost as if sighing.

  ^Sort of. I don’t know, it’s a different sort of tiredness.^ The budgie turned and looked at Ever, far too slowly for a bird. ^How can you understand me?^

  “I…” Ever glanced at his scythe, casting it away. “I can talk to animals. I have a dog friend named Mimi.”

  “You’re chirping again, Twistie!” Mr Stathopoulos smiled, looking at Zoe with shining eyes before looking at his bird again. He was too distracted by his budgie’s supposedly sudden turnaround in health that he didn’t notice Zoe looking up at Nika. The cat sat with its front paws straight, looking down imperiously at them. Zoe then seemed to glance around, as if trying to see an invisible person somewhere in the room.

  “Has Mr Stathopoulos been not feeding you the right things?”

  The budgie didn’t answer for a moment. She side-stepped a few times along her perch, away from her master’s looming face.

  ^The new bread’s been good,^ Twistie peeped. ^But I’m not feeling hungry or thirsty.^

  “Just tired.”

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  ^Just tired.^

  “Mr. Stathopoulos,” Zoe said, stepping back towards the brushed, metal examination table, “I think we should keep Twistie here overnight just to monitor her.”

  ^No, I want to go home.^ The bird actually shook her head, making a sound that was closer to a squawk than a chirp. Mr. Stathopoulos didn’t seem to hear it though.

  Ever flowed out from the room, through the wall, behind Carol and back into the hallway and into an empty, spare room. He turned back human, then quickly walked back into the waiting room, which had a few more furry patients since his little reconnaissance mission.

  “Carol,” Ever said, standing at the reception.

  “Oh Ever!” The middle-aged woman jumped lightly. “Where did you go?”

  “I was… around. Hey, can we call Zoe while she’s in the room?”

  Carol frowned. “I try not to. Why?”

  “I was looking at Mr. Stathopoulos’ bird before and I wanted to tell her something I noticed.”

  “I think Zoe will be able to–”

  “Please.”

  Carol regarded Ever and his earnest expression. She then picked up the office phone and pressed a button. Ever could hear the phone ringing from the inside of Zoe’s room.

  “Yes?” Zoe said. Carol handed the receiver to Ever.

  “Hey, it’s me,” Ever said.

  “Oh. Hi.” There was silence for a moment. “Were you… did you…?”

  “Yeah. I don’t know what’s wrong, but I don’t think you should keep her here overnight.”

  Silence again. “Are you sure?”

  “Yep, she told me.”

  “I thought you said…” she let the question complete itself between them.

  “No. I can actually understand them even when they’re alive.” Carol was doing her best to concentrate on her computer screen. At this statement, she looked up at him with a raised eyebrow.

  “Anyway, let her go home for now. I’ll tell you a bit more later.”