The Lord of the Crows

Part 9 - Old Man's Song

My next visit to the green-cloak part of the settlement, was not for my father. Peck finished his work in the training room earlier that day and shyly asked me if I would like to join him for a walk in the upper part of the village. He had some things to finish there and as Daina was absent from the Sanctuary – again – and since I could not find out exactly what that meant, I realized I could somehow kill my time and maybe find out more about the place and its odd guardians.

Peck sincerely loved being there and, for some reason, seemed happier than I could have ever imagined him anywhere else. Although both he and Lela were persistently silent, I was more and more worried about the reason why they came.

I noticed that the houses in the upper part were of different design, no stairs, spacious and with more than one entrance, with large windows, often decorated with strange drawings or colors. I concluded that it somehow helped its tenants to cope and get around more easily.

"Daina ordered that all houses occupied by the elderly should be flat without stairs," Peck said guessing my thoughts.

"Where did she get the idea for this place?" I asked, trying to sound not too interested.

He shrugged.

"I do not know. I've heard there are places like this where she came from. Not exactly sanctuaries, but more ... like spas. Following their examples, all this was done."

This surprised me, and then I remembered the words spoken by the waterfall: "These hands know how to heal. But they can also kill."

"On the desolated, dark shore

The storm breaks its last breath

Upon the miserable galley, left all alone

To sleep, to dream an ominous dream, .. "

The voice thundered behind us. The old man, shaggy and a little neglected, gripped the fence convulsively. I met his eyes, empty, dark, miserable as the deserted ship he sang about. Peck pulled me sadly by the arm, when the old man called out again:

"On the desolated, dark shore

The storm breaks its last breath

Upon the miserable galley, left all alone

To sleep, to dream an ominous dream, .. "

It sounded like he was addressing us. I shook my head and intended to continue when the old man repeated it for the third time. This time the verses sounded like a cry for help. I turned to him and replied:

"The sailors are waiting in vain

The white sails to rise against the blue sky ... "

The old man's face lit up.

"To start a journey to a distant world

Beyond the blue sea,

Beyond the restless sea,

Over the glorious waters,

through the infamous waters ... "

I added another two or three verses, not quite accurate, as I remembered them, and the old man followed me again. With each succeeding verse, he seemed more and more sober, more and more calm, so I, drawn by pure curiosity, continued that strange singing conversation. In the end, he politely bowed and thanked, stepped away from the gate and headed for his hut.

I shrugged and turned to Peck to continue our walk, but the young man stared at me.

"What's wrong, kid?"