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The Great Phoenix 

“The end is near!”, no animal would believe the ravens. A great prophecy about some big and all-powerful creature descending upon the woods would be passed from generation to generation.

One day, when Eagle woke up and looked at the sky, there was something odd: it was red. He flew out of his nest and realized that the forest was empty. He flew above the trees, thinking it could be the day the ravens were talking about. He flew all the way up to the precipice no one ever got close to, and finally saw it. It was bigger than any other animal It had wings with feathers that looked as strong as the rocks that built up the mountains. They were red, as the most intense flames ever seen, with a brighter yellow than that of the sun.

“The Phoenix” said Eagle. It was supposed to be an ancient bird, wiser than all the animals together. Stronger than a lion, rhino or any animal that ever inhabited the Earth. Rumors said that every once in awhile it would come to judge, to determine which animals were worthy of inhabiting the Earth. He was the Protector.

Animals were constantly fighting each other, and they didn’t have had peace for a while.

Eagle looked up and saw how the Phoenix spat fire into the air and all around. But there was something weird, the fire didn’t burn the trees.

There was a line of animals, all waiting to be judged by the Phoenix. If an animal had behave well, the Phoenix would spit his fire over the animal, and it would leave unharmed. However, if it had behave badly, the fire would burn them down to the bones. Phoenix was the judge, the fire was the hammer, and death or life would be the sentence.

Eagle flew down and landed at the end of the line. He wondered if it was fair that the decision of someone to live or die should be taken only by one. He asked himself why wouldn’t the Phoenix give a second chance. But lastly, he asked himself if he would survive. He was trying to remember if he had done something bad, and hopefully something so good that could spare him. He feared for all his friends he knew wouldn’t make it. But mostly, he feared all the things he would left unfinished.

The line became shorter and shorter. While some left crying, others never left.

“Come closer”, Phoenix said.

“Dear Phoenix, I know I hurt so many and helped so little,” said the Eagle. “but it was because of my instincts, I’m a natural predator. I must kill to survive.”

“I know that. But ask yourself...how many times did you kill for hunger and how many times for amusement?”

“I…”

“I don’t take pleasure in burning the unworthy. But I know that in order for this world to become better, it must burn and be born again.”

The Phoenix spat fire over Eagle. As he closed his eyes, he understood: everyday was on its own a second chance.