I pulled the blanket off the cage, opened the door, and helped Flames out. “Welcome to Central Park, Flames! You’ve been trapped in Doug’s bathroom long enough.”

Squawk! Squawk!

“Arcade, what if he flies away?” Zoe put her hand up to her mouth.

“Are you kiddin’?” Doug held out a large plastic bag of shrimp. “He won’t leave the Food Dude.”

Flames walked around on the dirt, just off the path in a little corner of the Ramble. Zoe and I sat on a bench, watching Doug follow Flames around.

“Well, here you go, sis. You’re birdwatching in the Ramble. You can check off that goal.” I licked my finger and then made a checkmark in the air. “You don’t have to thank me.”

“Thank you? I’m freaking out sitting here thinking that any minute we’ll be arrested for sneaking a flamingo into a city park! Why would I thank you for that?”

I shook my head. “You’re so dramatic.”

“And you’re so annoying . . .”

Doug snapped his fingers. “Hey! Bro! Sis! I won’t tolerate this kind of bickering in my new family. Can’t we just chill and hang with Mr. Flames here?”

Squawk!

At that moment, Flames began to flap his wings, and run. REAL FAST.

“Whoa! Wait up, Mister! That’s not the way to the food!” Doug ran after Flames. Zoe and I got up and did the same.

“I told you this would happen!” Zoe huffed as she tried to keep up with Doug and me. Flames ran farther and farther into the Ramble.

“He’s headed to the cave site!” Zoe yelled and pointed to a sign. “It’s closed off! We can trap him there!”

Oh, yeah! The cave. That’s DOPE!

Flames flew down a narrow Ramble path and under a metal rail post. Zoe, Doug, and I followed.

“Can flamingos navigate stairs?”

Flames disappeared down a stone staircase that lead deeper into the Ramble.

“Looks like the answer’s yes,” Doug said.

We flew down the stairs.

Zoe gasped. “The cave! There it is!”

It was blocked off to the public, and to flamingos, but I could see where people used to bring their boats in to hang out inside.

We had Flames cornered. Doug held out shrimp.

“How are we going to get him back to his cage now?” Zoe asked.

A hot sizzle shot through my torso. I reached down.

We’re not done yet.

“I don’t think he’s going back to his cage. Or Doug’s bathroom . . .”

*  *  *

The token didn’t burn as hot as before. No flames, sparks, or snaps. When I pulled it out of my shirt, it glowed gold, and lights twinkled all around it.

“It’s dazzling!” Zoe stared, mesmerized.

Glitter flew out of the token and transformed the boarded-up old Ramble cave into a beautifully carved, golden elevator. Gold flakes, real gold flakes by the looks of them, fell from the sky.