The Life of a Turkey

(with apologies to Aaron Yonda)
Hello. I'm a Turkey. In the beginning, my life was idyllic. Whole grain breakfasts. Congenial friends. Playing in the late Autumn sun.

And then they came for me. I ran as fast as I could, but I suddenly realized I had a weight problem. I could barely run at all. They chased me down easily and I could feel their cold hands on my feathers. Soon I was in a metal cage. Where were they taking me? The life I had known was quickly receding. And then.. everything went black..

When I regained consciousness I was standing in front of a man they called "Mister President". He was chuckling and shaking his shoulders together. Would this man be my salvation? The flashes of light from the strange things the people they called "reporters" - had pointed at me - hurt my eyes. Then, a ray of hope. "Mister President" was actually giving me a pardon. Oh joy of joys! My feathers shook with excitement. I could barely keep from containing my happiness. A "gobble" escaped me. Everyone smiled.

Then. They took me to the "Kitchen". I remember a man wearing all white, in a strange white hat. With horror I realized he was carrying knives. Long sharp knives. I knew then that my presidential pardon would not save me. I wanted to run but I was held fast in a metal cage.

The pain. Was unbearable. At first I thought they would stop after simply severing my head. But then their hands reached inside of me. Tearing my insides out.

When I came to again I was in a warm place. It was like a sauna. Physical therapy? Rehabilitation? I couldn't know. The heat made me drowsy. I fell into a dark sleep as my skin tanned.

When I awoke at last, I was amazed to find they had tried to replace my insides. It felt strange, like a belly full of bread and seasonings. But hope returned as I saw they'd prepared a wonderful feast for me, circling me with trimmings. Vegetables! Mashed Potatoes! I had even been dressed, and had two wonderful white leggings where my feet once were. Could this be my life returned by a medical miracle?

It seemed like there was some sort of a gathering - and everyone was smiling at me. And then I noticed a look in their eyes. It wasn't compassion.. it was... hunger...

They... tore into me.. their teeth... gnashing my flesh. I was being served to them as a part of some sort of feast. The "mashed potatoes" and "stuffing" were torn out from within me. They came at me again and again. Eventually. I was all bones.

My last memory was of someone reaching inside of me and tearing out my pelvic bone. "Make a wish" they said. And then they grasped their strange fingers around it and ripped it apart with a loud cracking noise.

Wait. Someone is coming. They're going to release me to the placed called 'trash chute'. They're throwing me in the air!

I'm flying... flying...