You can't escape Death <Frans>

CHAPTER 8: The Bird

A loud knock came from the door, echoing through the quiet bathroom. It came pounding suddenly and caused me to jump where I sat inside of the bathtub. "Frisk, honey?" My Mother called from the other side, creating a sigh of relief from me. "You have exceeded your bath limit. Are you almost done in there?" She spoke kindly and calmly, hinting at a bit of rush in her tone.

"Yeah! I'm done!" I called, faking my voice in the best way possible, causing a deep, sinking feeling to appear inside of my gut. I tried best to hide the weakness in my tone from the odd dream I had just had. I was filled with guilt for lying to my Mother, and for disobeying one of the rules of the society. No lying. "Let me get dressed!"

As I heard her footsteps gradually grow more and more quiet, I ascended from the water, hearing it fall from my body and back into the pool below me. Everything was rather selcouth in my bathroom suddenly, as if something had changed after that dream. The feeling felt rather spurious, for I had never felt this way before, and I had wished I had been dreaming again, rather than being back in reality.

I stepped out of the bathtub, and wrapped a towel around me. I could only think about that marvelous place. I was in a state of saudade, longing for the place once more; hoping that I would see such beautiful architecture once again.

As I began slipping on my sweater, I heard a robust clap of thunder in the distance coming from the sky. Although still in a euneirophrenia, I could hear the thunder well, and my distracted mind could not block out such a vigorous noise. it had been a while since Ebott City had gotten some rain. Maybe it was for the best.

The dream had left me in an aeipathy, causing me to act a bit more happy than usual. Walking out of the bathroom, my parents could definitely see a change in attitude and in my behavior significantly. "What happened in there?" My Father chuckled as a joke, "You look like you have just won something of significance." He stated, looking at me. My Mother giggled a small bit in the background, now seated on the small love-seat in the living room. Father was still inside of his large, brown recliner.

"I did not think that my behavior change was that apparent." I grinned, glancing out of the small kitchen window. I could both see and hear the pounding rain against the rooftop of our house. It was so heavy, in fact, that I could not see anything outside at all. "I apologize." I said, to both Mother and Father. "I have just had the most wonderful dream!" I said, grinning, thinking about the beautiful place that I longed for.

"You fell asleep in the bath?" Mother asked, with a hint of disgust. "You do know you are only allowed to fall asleep in your bed, and nowhere else unless given permission." She said, with a look of concern.

"Yes, yes." I said, apologizing again. "It was an accident. The water was just so soothing and warm, it lulled me to sleep within the first few minutes." I said, and Mother nodded her head in approval.

Father continued looking through the newspaper, absolutely entranced with today's evening news. I went by the window, gazing at the pouring rain in awe. I had hoped to gaze at the stars tonight, for I had always been quite the astrophile, however, I equally had loved the rain as well. Seeing the rain, and watching the strikes of lightning, it had seemed a bit bland. More so, it wasn't bringing me he happiness that it had usually brought to me. "It seems that the chairmen are watering the plants today." Mother hummed.

All I could think about was that dream, and that skeleton that had greeted me in said place. Could that place only be a kalopsia after all? He did state that it had been such a place of deception for the human mind, and that I could not wrap my head around enough. My fingers fiddled with the small houseplant by the windowsill as I continued to think deeply about it. Every noise around me only begun to be slowly tuned out more and more.

As I was staring at the window, daydreaming, a sudden, hushed noise came from outside near the window I had been leaned up against. It broke me from my thoughts, and caused me to look out, consciously, through the window.

All that was new, was a singular crow, resting himself on the outside sill of the window. He was drenched from the rain, and soon ruffled his black feathers once he had gotten under the awning of our roof. I looked at him with curiosity, there had never been any crows in Ebott City up until this point. The only birds that were allowed were beautiful songbirds.

"There's a crow out here!" I exclaimed, looking at the small bird as he cocked his head. I reached to tap the window glass to try and get his attention, however, I think his attention was already on me.

"That's impossible, dear." Mother said, as she began to knit yet another creation to go with her many designs. "There are no crows in Ebott City." She hummed, not looking over at the window.

The crow hopped closer to the window, as if he were analyzing the items inside. "Mother! Father! I'm serious! He's right here!" I said with excitement. "Come look!" I said, finally looking back to my parents, who rested in the living room.

"You are much too old to behave like a child, Frisk." My Father scolded. "Act your age, would you not?" He said, grunting as he turned the newspaper. "You know better than to create foolish pranks like a rantipole." He said, not looking at the windowsill.

I hung my head low, feeling the insipience build deep within me. I had turned around, almost rather frustrated, only to see the crow gone. Was it really just a form of my imagination? I couldn't tell.

The only thing I could tell, was the rotten house plant, sitting by the windowsill, completely dead. The leaves had fallen off, and the entire thing looked like it had begun to turn into dust. It was odd, I was certain that the small plant had been healthy a few moments ago. "Strange." I mumbled to myself in curiosity, as I reached out to touch the plant slightly.

However, my hand soon retracted, never touching the plant what all, as my Mother called my name. "Frisk," She said, not looking up from her knitting. "It's almost ten o'clock. It's past your curfew as a minor." She said, "You have broken a lot of rules tonight, " She said, "Is there something you would like to inform us about?" She asked in a worried tone.

"No, Mother." I said, rather quickly. "I will retreat back to my quarters now." I said, rushing back to my room at a small trot. "Goodnight." I said, hearing the small good nights from both of my Parents.

I know that bird was there.

I know it!

But... how did I know he was there in the first place?