Delicious White Coral

They grew the human in a vat for his opposable thumbs. The avian scientists squawked in contempt at having to grow such an unfashionable being. But even as the nude man was plucked from the turquoise water, and air filled his lungs for the first time, his mind was already filled with the compulsions of the wise species who claimed mother earth for themselves, having nearly restored her to her former glory. What they desired, more than anything in the world, were the last remnants of white coral at the bottom of the sea. They lacked hands, and were not about to risk their delicate and sophisticated beaks. Thus, by growing a member of an extinct species, through intensive research and thorough understanding of the sciences, they would finally be able to gorge themselves on this most excellent of meals once more.

The man, doing as compelled, walked straight to the boat by the shore, and rowed out to sea. The birds circled above his head, squawking and beaming down commands. He dove down where they bade him, and in the murky green depths he could spy their prize. Nearly hidden by sea plants, a chunk of white coral lay, about the size of his head. Making ample use of his thumbs, he grasped it tightly and brought it to the surface. Once he had it, dripping on the boat, he turned in his hands and wondered why the birds desired it so.

The birds had not concerned themselves with such trivial things as mankind's legendary hunger, so naturally they were quite shocked when the man first licked, then bit in to the coral. It was the coral that had led the birds to their many fantastical insights and knowledge, even greater than that the humans had possessed. With the unique combination of chemicals now in his blood, he understood the situation completely. Breaking the birds' control, he rowed back to shore and strode up to their incredible cloning machine. Navigating their systems interfaces was easy, their language was a simple pattern of nuts, seeds and fruits. The man used the machine to rapidly grow twenty more humans, breaking off bits of coral and feeding it to them as each one was pulled out of the vat by the wrist. The birds were fiercely harassing them, and attempting to steal back the coral, but alas, they could do no such thing with their dainty feet. They stood on the beach as they watched the group of humans disappear in to the jungle. Some of them resigned to preening their wings. It was a great loss.

Nicholas Coetzee