Heaven Gilded Zarcroft Hybrid

Three

I tossed my bookbag next to the trash can. The lights were so dim and worn out, the wall in front of me cast a wavering shadow. At least it matched my mood. Happy about summer. Upset about Korey and Dorothy leaving.

Luckily for me, Dorothy should arrive soon.

Dust puffed up in my nose from the neglected corner of the room, beside the fridge. I pulled out my stuffy binder and tore out months of assignments.

"You're not keeping anything, J?" I heard my mom's snarking voice.

"Not really," I murmured, and dropped the papers in the newly bagged can. I didn't want to turn around.

"Not even your report card?"

I froze. My heart skipped.

"You didn't throw it away, did you?" she asked. "If you threw it away—"

"I didn't!" I grunted. "I swear. I'll have to find it first."

Someone knocked on the front door, taking my mom's scrutiny away from me. I only then saw that she was in her pajamas. At least she could relax.

Mom walked through the porch room and opened up the door.

"J, your friend is here!" she shouted. Good thing I wasn't in the living room a few feet away, or the walls would've caved from the noise.

I had changed my clothes from earlier. Would've been embarrassing talking while being completely drenched. I tied up my hair, and brushed the rest behind my ears. I zipped up my bookbag and hurried to the door.

The washing machine whirred in the porch. Combined with the pouring rain, I wondered how my mom could hear Dorothy. Speaking of, Dori stood with her knees together, shivering. She rubbed her arms through her track jacket. Her straightened hair frizzied up.

"Oh no!" Mom said. "Come inside, honey."

"Actually, I wanted to stay outside," she said, quietly. "Can I talk to Jack?"

Mom nodded.

After a few minutes, I got my bookbag and walked into the backyard with her. The yard, in fact, where the tree fortress loomed the most. More wild roots and tall grass filled the space from the house to the edge. It didn't help that the darkest clouds hung over that part, too.

My shed looked as creepy as ever, just standing there, yards away.

I looked over to Dorothy.

"This isn't too scary, is it?" I asked.

"It's fine," she said, smiling. "But I still need to ask you something."

"What is it?"

"Well, I hope you're not doing much this weekend."

She had an awkward smile and messed with her fingers.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"Can you come to my mom-mom's house with me?" she blurted. "Jamie said he would, but I want you to go too."

"I guess I did want something to do over the summer. And it might be fun. But... the crow. The feathers. I think all of those were in this forest. If we leave, then we can't look at them."

"Hmm. You're right."

She looked at the ground.

"I'll go," I whispered. "Besides, there's probably nothing here, anyway."

Squawk! Squawk!

A crow swooped over the house and landed in the damp grass next to me. In their beak held a small plastic bag with a chocolate cookie and a sticky note inside. Okay. Dust peppered their coat, and the same giant feather from earlier. It was definitely the same crow. Though it was just a bird, it was the only time I met an animal eye-to-eye. Did they think it was weird locking eyes with a giant human?

I knelt down and felt its head with my thumb.

I held out my hand, and they dropped the stuff from their beak into my palm.

Dorothy opened the bag as I studied the feather.

"It's an actual note," Dorothy said. "But it's in... Russian? Greek?"

She bowed down and handed it to me. A bleach-white sticky note with foreign writing in sparkly, blue pen. I flipped it over and saw the same thing, but written in terrible English handwriting, but who am I to judge?

Like my notebook paper? I hope Kreili Bluehouse is nice. That's the crow.

I read it to Dorothy.

Dori squinted in confusion like her mom told her she was secretly a wizard and then went to get groceries. I couldn't think of a better comparison.

The bird krooed.

She scratched the back of her neck, looking out at the backyard like someone was there.

I shrugged.

Chitter! Squawk! the crow demanded.

"I don't get it," I said. "Who—I can't believe I'm talking to a bird. Nevermind. We'll find out soon."

The bird whimpered, I think. She suddenly took off, flying across the yard and over the treetops.

Original: Dec 16, 2021

New: June 30, 2023