The Call of The Ravens

V

October 4th, 1986

"Nevermore," the raven said.

"What do you want?" I took several steps back, away from the window sill, "You already took Colette. You took Lance. Is it me you want?"

The raven didn't respond.

"Just give her back! We did nothing to you!"

The raven nodded before it flew off into the forest. Then the green eyes reappeared again. This time, however, they didn't disappear. They floated in the darkness of the forest, and they twinkled just like how Colette's eyes would twinkle. I placed my fingers on the window.

The eyes grew larger as if the person they belonged to took a step forward. I pressed my face up against the window, "Colette." The eyes grew larger once more.

Tears stung my eyes, and a frail smile formed on my face, "I-It gave you back." Then I turned around and rushed out of the room. I dashed down the halls, my heart pounding and the world spinning. I tasted blood in my mouth. I reached the end of the hall where a door was and shoved it open, revealing the forest outside. I stepped outside. "Colette?"

The eyes were now deep in the forest. I reckoned that if I followed the path, it would lead me straight to her. So I sprinted headfirst into the darkness. The raven sat on a tree branch, watching me. Every step I took led me deeper into the forest, yet the eyes never grew closer. And the longer I ran for, the more the air filled with the smell of rusting iron. It made my insides turn inside out. It made me gag and want to throw up. But I pushed on. I finally slowed down once every single part of my body ached. The eyes disappeared once I fully stopped. "Colette!" I took another step forward, but I tripped and landed face flat on the ground. I pushed myself up so I was on all fours.

"Colette..." I whispered.

"Why didn't you let go?" Another voice whispered back. It was soft and high-pitched.

Then a raven squawked, echoing through the forest. It started flying towards me. I curled into a ball.

"Why didn't you let go?" The voice repeated.

The raven then landed in front of me. "I couldn't." I shook my head. Tears flooded my eyes, "I just couldn't!"

The raven looked up at me, and it said, "Nevermore."

Everything turned black.