From the Eyes of a Bird – A Funny Short Story by Kaitlyn Haffner – Reedsy Prompts

Kaitlyn Haffner

Written in response to: "Write a story from the perspective of a bird migrating for the winter." as part of Autumnal.

Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack.Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack.Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack.Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack.Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack.Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack.Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack.Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack.Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack.Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack.Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack.Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack.Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack.Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack.Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack.

(Author's note: I don't expect to win. I saw the prompt and thought it would be funny.)

Posted Oct 09, 2020

Report this story

You must sign up or log in to submit a comment.

74 likes 72 comments

L.A. Nolan

October 17, 2020 11:37

Good laugh, well done!

Carlos Mendoza

October 17, 2020 09:37

Who knew such a simple creature would convey the struggles that plague humanity so clearly, truly revolutionary work.

Andrew Krey

October 17, 2020 05:00

Did anyone else notice the typo....

Ben To

October 17, 2020 04:58

Ngl you had me in the first half.

Love it!

D. Jahan

October 17, 2020 04:56

"Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack. Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack "
I'm gonna get this quote tattooed on my arm.

Kaitlyn Haffner

October 19, 2020 18:35

Please don't lol

Kylee Kat

October 17, 2020 04:35

Omg, this story was life-changing! It was so inspiring to see such a little creature go through so much. It’s now what motivates me to get up in the morning.
;-; When the duck died, I cried. Quack the duck will forever be in my heart! RIP Quacky! Always and forever! 🦆 😭

Hope Rivers

October 17, 2020 04:38

Quacky. When I read this I almost burst into tears. Quacky will live forever in our hearts. R.I.P🐥

Kylee Kat

October 17, 2020 04:41

I don’t care if Quacky is made up or not! These issues are real and serious! We should start a fundraiser called “The Quacky Foundation.” It will be dedidcated to Quacky and all he did for the world, and it will consist of us handing out this story to inspire people to help the environment! LONG LIVE QUACKY!! 🦆🦆🦆 👑 👑👑👑

Hope Rivers

October 17, 2020 04:42

YASS quacky is the real queen!!! 🦆👑
I used a duck this time (yay go me)

Hope Rivers

October 17, 2020 04:40

I just realized that’s a chicken. 🙊🙊🙊

Kaitlyn Haffner

October 17, 2020 11:55

Thank you for the kind words about quacky, RIP. It honestly hurt me to write that but I’m glad it is inspiring to you. Long live quacky!

Kate Enoch

October 28, 2020 16:38

I'm not sure this is quite what the people who choose the prompt had in mind... but I'm not gonna lie, it was definitely entertaining.

Kaitlyn Haffner

October 28, 2020 18:45

I know. It reminded me of something I saw, where a kid was asked to write a job application from the perspective of a superhero and he chose groot. You can imagine what happened next

Squirrelly Writer

October 22, 2020 15:49

A strangely hypnotic piece of writing. 10/10

Llind Kam

October 19, 2020 13:40

Quack quack quack quack?

Vicky S

October 18, 2020 19:52

I love this so much 🦆

K V CHIDAMBARAM

October 18, 2020 17:57

Here a quack, there a quack, everywhere a quack quack. Best Wishes

Owen Schaefer

October 18, 2020 17:33

A cross-species tour-de-force, filled with web-footed suspense, sly political allegory, and gritty avian truth-bombs that drop from the sky like guano. A true postmodern masterpiece.

Serious Sri

October 18, 2020 12:54

Damn it. This got to me

Never felt like this.
The hook was sooo strong

Princemark Okibe

October 18, 2020 09:28

Have you been looking for me, have you been looking for the guy the critique circle sent.
Well... I am here at last. After moving to and fro on the earth. I have come to see that great work of art I was requested to review.

I know whatever edit/suggestion that I give cannot be implemented as the story has already been approved but I will give them anyway. I must fulfill my duty - honor to the very end. Just kidding on the honor part.

God! I now spell honor like an american, see what american authors have caused. Anyway, I digress.

This story is amazing in that it has expressed the mind of a duck perfectly. I never could understand their minds anyway.

Critique time. Let me now give my edits and suggestions.
In the first paragraph, in the third sentence you wrote
[Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack.]
I believe it should be
[Quack Quack Quack, Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack.]
Because the first paragraph does not explain the magnitude of the stream of consciousness of that specific thought due to some things I cannot explain. Hahaha

😅😅

You guys are crazy.

Clara D Berry

October 18, 2020 06:59

Hi Kaitlyn. I really enjoyed reading your story. I wrote in my bio that I especially like stories that use a language other than English and don't translate, and this story definitely qualified. It was also very creative. You really captured the bird's perspective.

One question: All 342 sentences have the exact same number of words. How did you manage that? Were you going for poetry?

Here are a few things you might want to think about:
1. Your seventh paragraph, the one that begins "Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack Quack." is rather long. You might want to break that up a little in order to maintain the reader's attention.
2. Check your capitalization. It seems that almost every word in the story starts with a capital letter. Only the first word of each sentence and any proper nouns should be capitalized.
3. This story has no dialogue. It was a great read even without dialogue, but I think it would be even better if you added some dialogue between the bird and the other birds, or even dialogue with some other animals.

Audrey .

October 17, 2020 20:43

I felt so many emotions and the part where it says 'quack' I just bursted into tears. This was heartfelt and I hope it wins.

Abigail Airuedomwinya

October 18, 2020 04:30

Everything is the same. Quack. Does that mean you were crying throughout?

Audrey .

October 18, 2020 16:30

Yes it was just so emotional 😏

Jeremy Ramberran

October 17, 2020 13:49

LOL

Jessie Elke

October 17, 2020 13:18

Truly makes one think, ahead of its time

Leo Greer 🦅 🕶

October 17, 2020 12:01

Ha! Good story. I loved how one could see the duck's deep inner feeling through slight variations in the tone and inflection of the "Quack!".

H.L Whitlock

October 17, 2020 08:11

Hahahahaha. I wasn'texpecting that. Feels like an extract from a Terry Pratchett book (he did a simmilar thing at the end of his first book).

Melissa Hassan

October 17, 2020 06:16

Best story I've read so far from start to finish....lol!😆
Reminded me of the episode in The Lucy Show where Lucy goes 'quack...quack...while duck hunting, haha!