Chapter 12

It took a few extra days, but Hector and the others all managed to find their way to the flyway where the rest of the flock had decided to spend a few days resting up before resuming their journey northward. “Look!” Octavo shouted as Hector and the others flew close to the flock, “it’s Hector and the others! They’re all okay!”

“Wow!” Maria’s father shouted, “Hector came through after all! I always did like that bird. He brought our little chick back to us safe and sound.” Maria’s mother just stared at Maria’s father in disbelief that he would claim to have liked Hector all along.

The rest of the trip to Minnesota was pretty much uneventful. There were a few minor injuries and a couple of incidents involving feral tom cats, but everyone got through them without too much trouble, and in less than two weeks they were hunting for worms in Minnesota just as if they had never left there the previous September. It was then  Hector began thinking about his friend Carlos, and of flying around the world to prove the world was round.

It was during the time in Minnesota that Hector began to think about flying around the world even more than before. It hurt him very much that the other robins didn’t believe his friend Carlos. Hector knew the only way they would believe was if some of them flew around the world so that more than one voice could tell them Carlos had been right. The problem was, none of the other robins in the flock seemed to express any interest in making the trip except for Maria, and Hector figured she would never be strong enough to make the journey.

Hector waited as long as he could stand to wait, but the day finally came when he had to talk to Maria. “Maria,” Hector said as they both rested near the top of a tall pine tree, “I need to talk to you.”

“It’s time for you to go isn’t it?” Maria asked.

“How did you know?” Hector asked.

“It’s just one of those things I guess. I think it’s the voice of the creator inside me, like you said Carlos told you about.”

“So Carlos was right, everyone does have it,” Hector said.

“Yes, and I know you have to prove that he was right so that all the birds will know.” Maria said.

“Are you going to go with me?”

“I want to,” Maria said, “but I’m just too weak. I could never fly that far. You have to go without me, Hector.”

“I could stay,” Hector said. “I could stay and we could raise our own little flock, and we could...”

“No Hector,” Maria interrupted, “you cannot stay. You have to prove Carlos is right or you will always hate yourself and you’ll hate me for keeping you here. You have to leave in the morning and I will wait until you return.”

“You mean you won’t go flying off with some other bird?” Hector asked.

“I love you Hector, and there is no other bird. I’ve always loved you and I will still love you when you return. You were born to be a hero, Hector, and sometimes heroes have to fly off into the sunset to prove they really are heroes. Don’t you worry, I’ll not be pecking on any other birds, I promise.”

Hector and Maria spent the night singing to each other from high in the tall pine tree. There was no doubt that every other bird around heard them, but neither cared who was listening as they were in love and proud of it. The next morning, when the sun began to rise like a huge orange ball on the eastern horizon, Hector set his sights on the horizon to the west and took to flight. “Goodbye, Hector,” Maria chirped, “goodbye.”

“Goodbye Hector,” voices from all over the forest began to chirp. “Goodbye, be careful, goodbye Hector.”

“Goodbye everybody,” Hector shouted as he flew away. “I’ll see you all when I get back. Bye.”