Eyes as black as night, a voice as soft as silk.
"I will find you. Everything will be alright."
Emily doesn't know who he is or why he invades her dreams each night. Yet, he is the only source of comfort in her very tragic life. Unfortunately, dream...
Gloomily, the cemetery spread out across the hills, looming over the town like an unconquerable stronghold. Old headstones were scattered about; the newer ones stretched towards the murky sky, admonishing the living who entered this forsaken place. In the distance, a crow was chanting its ominous song.
Under a large, ancient oak tree, Emily sat, her back leaning against the thick brown bark, her eyes focusing on the withered gravestone to her feet. Only two words adorned the rough, gray surface.
Cassandra Snow
There were no dates inscribed. Emily's father had refused to have them added; God knows why.
She didn't come here often, but when she did, she would stay for hours, talking to her mom, wondering if she was able to hear her voice, if she was able to see her tears. Sometimes, especially when day turned to night, Emily thought she could hear her whisper soothingly and soft. When she was about fifteen years old, her dad was so drunk he was not able to control his actions anymore, and he had beaten her with his heavy, thick leather belt, staining her body with bleeding marks. That night, she had fled her home, seeking shelter at her mother's grave. It was then that she had felt a tender breeze caress her cheeks, and she was convinced it was her beloved mom's touch.
She reached out for the lifeless stone in front of her, brushing her fingers over the cool marble. It was so cold to the touch that Emily began to weep. She needed the warmth of her mother's embrace, the love that had always been in her eyes, the calming sound of her voice. Yet, none of it was to be found here.
Bleak and still lay the headstone in the dim sunlight, guarding her mother's smile for all eternity.
"Mommy," Emily sobbed in utter despair. "I miss you so much."
The silence that echoed in response through the vast sullen landscape was deafening.
Emily fell limp and collapsed onto the ground, crying out her pain for Heaven to hear. She buried her face in the damp grass, permitting the green stalks to absorb her tears.
She didn't know how long she had been lying in front of her mother's grave, when she suddenly felt a slight sting pricking her neck. Dazed, she raised her head to look around.
The leaves in the treetops were gently brushing against each other, composing a soothing melody with their rustling tune. The sun was ready to vanish behind the dreary horizon, sending weak rays of pink light onto the earth.
Emily began to shiver at the dramatic drop in temperature. She held her arms crossed in a hopeless attempt to protect herself from the cold of the impending nightfall as she managed to get back up on her feet.
There it was again. More intense even. The sting she felt in her neck caused her to flinch.
"Mommy?"
No answer. Just the monotonous whistle of the wind.
"Hello?" Emily called into the expanding dusk, trembling, afraid of an answer.
Accompanied by an ear-splitting shriek, a dark shadow flashed past her, missing her head only by inches. The strong draft caused by its enormous speed stole her breath for a split second. She let out a panicked scream, flailing her arms around to ward off the attacker.
But there was none. Only a rather large owl had made itself comfortable on the headstone, and was now grooming its unusually dark feathers with a sharp, yellow beak.
"Oh," Emily plopped onto the ground, gasping for air. "You scared me."
Oddly, as if the owl had understood, it lifted its head, two coal-black eyes concentrating on hers. It cooed quietly.
"How pretty you are," Emily stammered, still recovering from the shock.
With another gentle coo, the bird stretched its neck, winking at Emily.
Winking? Did the owl just wink?
Wide-eyed, she stared at the animal. "Did you just wink?"
The feathered visitor let out a piercing shriek and spread its wings to their full impressive span.
Warily, Emily took one step towards the gravestone. When the bird didn't move, she took another one, and then another, until she was face to face with the fluffy creature. Its body shook vigorously, ruffling up its shiny plumage.
"You are so beautiful," she whispered, admiring the graceful elegance which the owl displayed. "May I..." She carefully reached out her hand. "Will you let me pet you?"
The bird wanted none of that. It hooted as Emily was about to touch it, and with its wings flapping wildly, it lifted itself back up into the air, circling above her head.
"I'm sorry," she muttered, disappointed with herself that she had scared the animal off.
However, after noisily flying a few rounds, heavily complaining, the owl stooped down and landed on the grass, just a few inches away from her feet.
"Sorry," Emily apologized. "I didn't mean to frighten you."
The creature turned its head several times in an all too owl-like fashion, and began to screech. At first, the sounds were bearable, but with every passing second they became louder and louder. Emily was forced to protect her ears with her hands from the ever-intensifying shrieks. They reverberated inside of her head, numbing every thought, causing her mind to shut off. She closed her eyes in hopes that the deafening noise would soon end, and sure enough, as soon as it had started, it suddenly ended.
Emily peeked through her narrowed lids. The bird was gone. Surprised, her hands fell back to her sides and her eyes searched the trees for any sign of the owl. Yet, it had disappeared.
"Good evening, Emily."
She spun around at the sound of the familiar voice.
Behind her, dressed in all black, towered Professor Cole.
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