On Eagle's Wings by Connie Corcoran Wilson
	Psychiatric Report #1: November 3, 2005, Dr. Fiona Higgins: Ten-year-old Caucasian female seated on the grass outside remote Tualatin, Oregon, cabin rocking and humming to herself. Mother, father, eight-year-old brother dead for ten hours. Survivor in shock. Police tracing license plates to determine identity of the victims. After the trace, the police realized that this family was famous. The Reynolds family: Gina and Thomas Reynolds, their ten-year-old daughter, Adrienne, and her eight-year-old brother Phillip; Adrienne kidnapped by a bizarre cult, but rescued. Soon, TV news shows were doing specials on her return. "What was it like in the hills, Adrienne? Were you frightened? Were you tortured?" Diane Bennett, blonde hair perfectly coiffed, shot Adrienne an intense gaze. Diane was about as smart as the ubiquitous birds. After her return, Adrienne's flute lessons resumed. Weekly visits to a psychiatrist began. The family thought that a week in their remote family log cabin would protect them from the media frenzy. Now, Adrienne's entire family had faded to black. Courtroom proceedings: a strange tale emerged. The leader of the Manson-like "family", Bernard Burkin, High Priest of the cult testified. "I am the Chosen One. All who believeth in me shall be saved." Bernard was as coherent and attractive as a dung beetle. Deranged. Grungy. Unshaven. Semi-hysterical. "Sit down, Bernie," said bailiff Hank Adams. "If you don't sit down and shut up, the judge'll make you watch the proceedings on closed-circuit TV." Bernard sat down, rocked to and fro in his chair, while drawing pictures of birds. Burkin's "other" wife, Lila, smiling dully, shed no light on the bizarre world where the three foraged for food in garbage cans, wandering like nomads, dressed in Burkha-like garments.   "Bernard is The One. We must do Bernard's bidding." "Right, Lila," Hank said. Many times Adrienne had almost been rescued. Now, Adrienne wasn't talking. She hummed the hymn "On Eagle's Wings" over and over. "I shall lift you up where eagles soar," shrieked the ragged Burkin. "I know the ways of the eagles. I command the skies. They will lift us up. We must follow the birds!" Bernie was ushered off, stage left, for his dose of thorazine. "Come on, Thoreau." Hank, the bemused bailiff, led Bernie out the door. "Next stop: Walden Pond." The shackled prisoner shuffled from the packed courtroom, head down, eyes glazed. It got even weirder after a visit to the cult's site. Birds in nests. Birds flying. Birds on tree limbs. Everywhere, birds. Beady eyes. Sharp beaks. Angry talons. Some eagles stuffed, wings outstretched, flying into infinity. Psychiatric Report #2: November 5, 2005: Following is the text of the conversation with Adrienne Reynolds three days after her discovery: Dr. Higgins: "Adrienne, can you hear me? Can you tell me what happened? "The birds got mad." "About what, Adrienne?" "I fixed it. I made it better. Mr. Burkin said I had to, so I did it." Rocking, humming. Eyes glazed. "I told them to come build the nest." "What nest?" "The nest on the chimney. When we die, the birds will take us to Jesus. I wanted us all to be with Jesus in Heaven. Mr. Burkin said, 'Only your parents and Phillip go now. You later.' I wanted to go with Mommy and Daddy and Phillip to see Grandma and Grandpa Reynolds in Heaven. Mr. Burkin said I have to wait to go to Heaven. He said it wouldn't hurt, so I did it. I said the words Mr. Burkin taught me. I'll see Mommy and Daddy and Phillip in Heaven soon." Adrienne smiled a strange secret smile. "I told the birds where to find us. The eagles will take me. They will lift me up on eagle's wings." Police Autopsy Report, November 7, 2005: The Reynolds family died of accidental carbon monoxide poisoning. An eagle's nest blocked the stone fireplace. The sole survivor, Adrienne Reynolds, has been incoherent since the event. She is receiving psychiatric counseling for her delusional condition.
	Copyright © 2006 Connie Corcoran Wilson