The Owl and The Crow

Chapter 25: When the Demon Breaks Loose

Felt bad for the shorter chapter, so I'm posting two. Little sneak peek for you guys because I guess I like you peeps. Look out for chapter 30, things get a bit better for your two favorite lovers :}

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Misty's POV

The Void

Dream Walking always came to you when it was important, the void was supposed to be for a sense of calm and to guide you to something that is necessary to see. Well it was certainly telling you something was wrong. Your owl from the void, Gale, she was enormous as you rode on her back, her wings beating silently yet swiftly as you rapidly raced through the blackness.

"Faster Gale! Faster!"

You yelled in frantic panic, and she responded in kind with a hoot. She flew faster, trying to catch the hissing red demon that skittered away in this limbo-like world. The red mist of a demon seemed to smirk as it dove head first into an icy blue orb, an orb that you instantly knew was Miranda's.

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Gale follows without hesitation, diving into the foreign dream, and when you landed you stumbled into Miranda's living room? You looked around at the semi familiar room then your outfit, now wearing an inverse coloring of the dress I'd always wore in the void, a calf length dress with shoulder length cape sleeves and a 'V' neckline.

Instead of the normal white and purple stitching, it was black and gold. How fitting for someone like Miranda. You wander around until you get to the kitchen, Gale right on your shoulder and looking around cautiously. You immediately pressed your back against the wall when you caught a glimpse of someone in the kitchen, that one person that isn't allowed to see you in a dream: the dreamer themselves, in this case, Miranda. A little girl suddenly races past you, not able to see you, and into the kitchen where her little giggles could be heard.

Miranda had a daughter?

"Mama! Papa!"

The child cried excitedly and you could practically hear her bouncing around in utter excitement.

"No running in the house Eva, you know this."

Came another voice, one you recognized immediately as Miranda's, yet in this dream, this memory...sounded so much more motherly and less weary. The child–her daughter you assume–had skidded to a halt, making her bare feet squeak slightly under the tile.

"Mama, can we please go to the market today?"

She pleaded and when you heard Miranda speak again, her voice was a tad bit strained now.

"Of course we can darling, but I'm unsure if Papa can come today."

A gruff voice then came, obviously male, and more monotoned and bored and not fatherly as he probably should be.

"Sorry kiddo, but Papa has to work today..."

You frowned a bit at how dismissive the father was. He sounded as if he'd rather be somewhere else and you couldn't immediately help but think that he probably had a side girl. Yet this was just a mere dream, you had no idea what Miranda's mind could easily conjure up. You continued to listen, as does Gale while keeping her owl eyes open and observant.

"Why don't you go get ready Little Crow."

Miranda says gently, yet her voice was a bit strained. You soon see the little girl skip past you and disappear around the corner. You immediately feel the tension in the other room get higher, causing you to shutter a bit at how thick the air seems to be now. Gale hoots gently, acknowledging that she too felt the air grow thick and heavy in a seemingly abnormal way.

"William, when will you take a day off and start to spend some time with your daughter and wife?"

Miranda questioned in a snappy yet hushed tone. She was obviously frustrated and strained to her last hair yet didn't want her daughter to hear this most likely common argument. The husband, how you now know as William, takes on a more condescending tone and starts to rant a bit.

"Look Miranda, I can't take a day off. There are too many lives at stake with the Spanish Flu going around and the World War still raging I-"

He was suddenly cut off by Miranda's snappy tone

"I know that William! That is why l'm saying to spend some time with your family! I'm 50 years old and not getting any younger and neither is your daughter!"

Fifty?! If that's how old she is in this memory, you couldn't help but wonder how old she was now. William suddenly mutters something out of ear shot and scoffs, the sound of a chair scooting back sharply is heard and then he speaks again.

"You're always behind my back and breathing down my neck! I can never have any peace can I?!"

His voice was not only loud and booming, but also deeper and a hint raspier. Bingo. Demon found.

"This is why Eva died! Because you weren't fit to be a mother!"

William, well the demon, yelled and you could hear a broken whimper escaping Miranda, one that made your heart ache. Gale immediately jumps from your shoulder and starts to scratch at the Demon William, distracting him for a moment. You leave your hiding place and use your magic to create a rope and lasso the demon. Surprised from the sudden chaos in her mind, Miranda scrambles backward and under the table.

The human skin began to burn until it abruptly incinerated, the demon returning back into its red, misty form. With it being much stronger and catching you off guard, it burst through the ceiling and into the limbo like void once more.

"What in the Black Gods!?"

Miranda screamed in shock, panic, and surprise. You don't address it and simply send your owl out, making it return to her giant form.

"It's K's demon! It broke through the barrier probably sometime during the All Hallows Eve festival!"

You grab onto Gale and she tosses you onto her back where you land safely. You looked back at the confused Miranda as she approached. You could tell she wanted to help, not wanting to feel helpless you guess.

"Climb on!"

(Word Count: 1,001)