The Night

A Story by robby922

Why does the black bird stalk me? Its eyes fallow me like the refracting moonlight. It stalks me in the night, playing games with me, knowing that the night scares me. The night makes me shiver at every sound, at every crunching twig. I just want to make it into my lit shelter without being disturbed by an outside force. The sound of the Cawing bird disturbs me more than any other sound. Disturb, disturb is a dark word, just the word disturb disturbs me. It’s just a black bird, it’s just a black bird, it’s just a black bird… I must repeat out loud, my words block out all outside noises. This comforts me, but disturbs me. I prefer to not know what ghosts lurk beneath me, not to know the creatures that smirk about me. But it scares me not knowing.

Hoot…hoot… the owl the wise owl. His hoot shivers down my spine as well, but only momentarily. But then sneaks out calmly out the closest escape. I love the owl, he will protect me, and he will defend me. My passion for this owl can not fit on a sheet of paper, even with the finest print.

Stays, stay away black bird, don’t haunt me with your black words, swooping me under your black wings. Why does he hate me, have I done it any harm. Why does he haunt me when I’m most vulnerable? He sits on that branch, cawing at me as I walk alone. Leaves and twigs crunch under my feet. The sound pierces my ears, yet I prefer his hateful call, at least then I know what distance he is from me. He doesn’t move, that branch is his rocking chair, his comfort seat, and no one will displace him from it. Yet he his distant is no closer, nor farther as I attempt to leave. Leave from his property, for trespassing is the only burden I have fallen upon him. I hear fluttering of wings, they tempt me to look back, but I mustn’t. I must! Is it the black bird? It must be the black bird I must have heard. But he never leaves his perch. But today he did. I see him, his narrow eyes and razor sharp beak, heading straight towards me. I duck just in time to feel the belly of my terrorist graze my head.

I run, I run, and for the first time I have to.

Caw!

Multiple Caws, echoes?

This is no echoed, these woods are too full of life, it’s a family of soulless airborne demons. Reacting like robots, programmed by their master, and only reacting so, and I am the target.

I stay low, running, running!

No use…

I feel its claws hooking my back skin, my skin has never withstood so much resistance from ripping. Like thousands of needles stitching my back and carrying me off.

I bleed, bleed all over. I pass out.

I awake, hanging from the same tree I pass every night.

The same tree the single crow rests upon.

The same tree that is the home of the devil.

The same tree that will be the cause of my death.

Save me sweet owl. Where are you tonight, have you forgotten me?

Hoot..Hoot…

Sweet relief…

I close my eyes…

Knowing I will soon be saved.

Hoots glow silent…

I open my eyes to see the last sight I will ever see.