Round 1

High above the sky, it cuts through the wind like a knife, beady eyes, darting from side to side in search of a place to rest. Treetops come into focus as the bird begins its decent.

Resting onto the narrow wire, the bird’s miniscule stomach begins to rumble. Not a good sign. He regrets eating those worms in the park, as they did look a bit putrid and didn’t seem to be moving. He should have stuck with bread. It always coated his sensitive stomach. Feeling somewhat embarrassed being the only bird on the wire, he rose, deciding to find a more social location. He stretched his wings and sighed, suddenly feeling an ominous rumble in his intestines. Glancing around subtly side-to-side, he lifted up his right wing a tad and relieved himself. Satisfied he was done, the bird took off towards the east, silently overjoyed no one was around just then…he had a hard time going to the bathroom when others were watching.

Moments earlier…

“Okay, so ‘Miss Clairol’s Autumn Sunrise or ‘L’Oreal’s Cherries Jubilee’?”

Ashley held up the boxes next to her frazzled brown hair for comparison.

Dodger had to squint his eyes and lean forward in order to make any sort of assessment. He groped around his backpack for his wire-rimmed glasses, only to locate them in the large pocket of his heavy wool jacket.

“Is that how your hair will look? Like the girl’s on the box?”

Ashley frowned and glanced separately at the two boxes levitating next to both ears.

“Um, yah, I guess…it says here that my hair will only change a few shades because I’m not a blonde.”

“Thank god. You would look weird with blonde hair. My sister has blonde hair…and I hate her.”

Ashley glanced at the boxes once more, wondering which color would be better. She had to find the right color; one that Spencer would like. Spencer had such amazing hair. Ashley wondered what it looked like when she woke up.

“Autumn Sunrise.”

“What?” Ashley looked up at Dodger but he wasn’t there. A piercing squeak hit her ears and she turned to see Dodger pushing the little merry-go-round.