Brave Chicken

As usual, Viktor was right. On Halloween, everyone loved his chicken costume—they smiled and laughed as he approached on large orange feet and waggled his wings. Those same people had no idea who Izzy was supposed to be. Later, when they dumped their candy onto the carpet in Izzy’s living room, Viktor had way more full-sized candy bars. Izzy jealously eyed the giant Snickers but wasn’t brave enough to ask for it. Nellie Bly definitely would have asked. Or she would have just grabbed it and taken a big chocolaty bite!

I’ve got to learn to be brave, Izzy told herself, so I can become a reporter someday, like Nellie Bly.

The next morning, Izzy read the newspaper with her dad, like always.

“Did you see this?” he asked. “It’s an article about the new law letting people raise chickens in their backyards. The city council is voting on it at a special meeting this Saturday. Some people really don’t want the law to pass.”

“Why not?” Izzy asked. “Having chickens in your backyard would be great. You could get eggs whenever you want.”

“They think the chickens will make a lot of noise and spread diseases.” Izzy’s dad handed her the newspaper. “Here. Read it.”

Something stirred inside Izzy as she read. Who wouldn’t want chickens to roam free in nice people’s yards?

After school, Izzy went online to do more research. She learned that chickens need space and fresh air to thrive—that cooped up in small cages, they can’t grow properly. Izzy thought back to the chickens she’d seen at her neighborhood’s fall fair last month, squeezed wing-to-wing in cramped coops. They’d barely had enough space to turn around. Izzy had wanted to set them all free, but she would never dare to do something like that.

As Izzy researched, an email popped up on her screen. It was from her school’s Friends of Animals Club. “Join the march at Town Hall to support the law allowing backyard chickens!” the email read.

Thinking about joining a public march made Izzy’s stomach hurt. But at least she’d be doing something to help the chickens.

At dinner that night, Izzy said, “Dad, some kids from the Friends of Animals Club at school are marching on Saturday to support the chicken law.” Her voice quavered. “I want to go with them.”

Izzy’s dad chewed thoughtfully. “Honey, I’m proud of you for wanting to help the chickens,” he said. “But I’m not sure about this. What if marchers from the other side show up and cause trouble?”

Izzy hadn’t thought of that. Her heart pounded.

“What if it gets out of hand and police come?”

Izzy had been secretly hoping her dad wouldn’t let her go. But now she thought again of the chickens crammed into tight cages at the fall festival. She imagined how much happier they would be wandering through a sunny backyard, the wind tickling their feathers. That would never happen if the law didn’t pass on Saturday.

“Dad, please,” she said. “Chickens can’t speak up for themselves. Someone has to do it!”

Izzy’s dad smiled. “You can go if you promise to stick with the other kids from school. And see if Viktor will go with you.”

Izzy swallowed past the tightness in her throat. “Great!” she said weakly.

Later, Viktor was excited about joining the march. “We can wear the costumes from Halloween. That way, people driving by will notice us and pay more attention to what we have to say!”

Izzy didn’t want people to pay more attention to her, but she reminded herself it was for the chickens. “OK,” she agreed, putting the finishing touches on the sign she was making. It read, “Chickens need open space and fresh air!” Viktor’s said, “Stand up for chickens. Vote YES on the law!”

As the day of the march came closer, Izzy felt more and more shaky. What if a fight broke out with the people who didn’t want the law to pass? What if the police were called? What if she went to jail? Izzy wanted to talk to Viktor at school on Friday; she knew he’d make her feel better. But he wasn’t there.

On Saturday morning, Izzy was too worried to eat much at breakfast. Could she really stand in front of Town Hall wearing a chicken costume and holding a sign that some people wouldn’t like?

The doorbell rang, making her jump. “Must be Viktor. I’ll get it.”

Viktor’s nose was bright red. He sneezed four times in a row. He was holding only one chicken costume. And a tissue.

“Where’s the other costume?” Izzy asked.

“I’m thick.” Viktor coughed. “Too thick to go.”

“But Viktor, you can’t be sick. Not today!”

Viktor shrugged. “Thorry.” He handed Izzy the costume. “I’m going back to bed. Achoo!”

Izzy clutched the costume to her chest. I can’t do this alone! she thought.

“Sure you still want to go?” her dad asked from behind her.

Izzy wasn’t sure at all. But she grabbed her sign and headed out toward the car.

As they pulled into the parking lot near Town Hall, Izzy’s stomach hurt. She saw a crowd of people in front of the building, yelling and holding signs. Some of the signs had a red slash over a chicken and the words “Not in our neighborhood!”

“You definitely want to go out there?” Izzy’s dad asked.

No! she wanted to scream.

“I can take you back home.”

Izzy thought again of Nellie Bly. She wondered if Nellie would wear a chicken costume. Izzy decided she would, for a good cause.

She opened the car door and put one rubbery chicken foot on the ground, then the other. Nellie Bly must have been scared to do the things she did, Izzy realized, but she did them anyway.

“Hey, who’s the chicken?” one of the kids from the Friends of Animals Club yelled.

The next morning, Izzy walked over to Viktor’s house to return the chicken costume and bring him a container of homemade soup.

“I hope you feel better soon, Viktor,” she said.

But Viktor seemed to have completely forgotten about his cold. “I thaw your article in the newthpaper today,” he said excitedly. “And the counthil’s YETH vote. I’ll bet the march had a big effect on that vote.”

Izzy smiled and nodded.

“You did it,” Viktor said. “You were a brave chicken. Achoo!”