The Lord of the Crows

Part 27 - One Good Dead

She regained consciousness fairly quickly and said something quietly to the boy. He just nodded and rushed to the cliff the next moment. I tried to stop him but it was too late. He jumped with a triumphant cry. A few moments later, a white hawk flew out of the abyss and soared somewhere in the distance, to the peaks of Strife hidden in the mist above us. Bewildered, I stared after him for a while, then turned to the girl again and leaned over her. Yes, she smelled, barely, but she smelled.

"You can't fly?" I asked pointing to the direction where the boy flew. "You're not one of those?"

She shook her head.

"I am too weak. I can't ..."

I realized she couldn't shift.

"We can't stay here."

"Go back, Crow. I will be fine ..."

I raised my finger to signal her to shut up. Voices came from the tunnel, though far from us.

"Go, please," she whispered, "Whoever is in that corridor, if he sees us together, we die both. In few hours, I will be able to ... "

"You don't have few hours", I muttered.

I bent down and lifted her to her feet. She leaned her back against the rough, icy rock and took a deep breath. The voices grew louder and clearer for a moment.

I felt trembling fingers sinking into my muscles and squeezing me convulsively, and her whole body trembling while clinging to me.

"I think, Daina, that it was the exact moment I started hating myself, everything I represented and everything what war was. That was the moment I was born as a monster."

I hugged her, aware of how insane the situation I found myself in was. I leaned over and whispered:

"I think I can give us a chance. Do you see that niche? Can you get to it alone?"

She turned her head and nodded, but she didn't let go of her grip.

"Okay, listen to me now. You have to scream, like ... you know, like when ... "

Shocked, she shook her head.

"Please, I won't hurt you, but you have to scream, and when I let you go and turn around to leave, crawl into that niche and don't turn around, don't spring up, don't look. Whatever happens. Promise me."

A scream broke through the night, echoing against the cliffs of Mount Strife. I held her in my arms, her tears flowing hot against my neck. I murmured with each scream 'I won't hurt you' trying to suppress my own tears ... Screaming became quieter, before turning into sobs ...

"Please," I whispered to her again, "scream..."

With that last scream, I stepped away from her and hurried back to the narrow gap that led through the rocks.

"Crow," I heard, but I didn't have the strength to turn around. "The third corridor on the left and then first turn right to the crossroads. Just follow our scent at the crossroads."

I nodded and hurried back to what I assumed was my death.