Crows

One

        Claire Foster was but an average girl. No, nothing special. But that doesn’t mean that something special can’t happen to her and turn her world around.

                Claire’s father had left her mother before Claire was even born. This made Claire furious, but her mother didn’t seem at all upset about it. Rather, she seemed sad or lonely. As Claire grew up, she constantly asked her mother to tell stories. And that is exactly what she would do. Usually, she would tell stories about her childhood and very rarely her first and only love. Those were Claire’s favorites. Her mother would tell of her strange childhood, born and raised in Orange Park, Florida. She mentioned how sometimes a crow would fly by.

                And Claire had noticed that as well. In fact, more crows than what her mother describes. You see, Claire and her mother Jane have a pet dog. A border collie and they named him Check. What a strange name you might say. Well, Check has a birth mark on the back of his neck that looks like a check. It’s a little bald spot and the vet says he won’t be able to ever grow hair there.

               As I was saying, Claire noticed the crows, too. Check needed walks every morning and every night and as she did so, she saw the birds flying around in the sky. She always wondered what it was like to fly. What the view would look like and where the crows would go.

                She often had dreams of her flying, as well. She would grow long black wings and fly with the crows. Yes, I know it sounds weird, but she was dreaming after all. She wished and she prayed every night for it to come to reality. She wanted to be with the crows, but she didn’t want to leave her mother all alone.

                You must be questioning why Claire would want to be with crows. She has too. Quite often, actually. She asks herself why she feels something for these crows. Love? Passion? Sympathy? She doesn’t know.

                In fact, she doesn’t know much of her life she thinks she does.

***

                “I’ll be right back, mom!” Claire hollers at the front door. She has her phone in her pocket with headphones leading up to her ears. She was listening to Breakaway by Kelly Clarkson. She held the black leash that strapped onto Check’s collar.

                Her mom came rushing out of the kitchen with a towel, wiping her hands. Her brown hair was clumsily thrown into a bun and her clothes were covered with flour. “Be careful, dear. Look for cars please!”

                “I always do, mom. And what’s with all of the flour? You sort-of look like a baker.” Claire laughed.

                “I was trying to make homemade pizza tonight instead of ordering it like we always do. I hope it comes out right.” She smiled.

                Claire returned the smile. “I’m sure it will. You’re a natural.” Claire opened the front door and left. “Ready, Check?” She looks down at her dog and he wags his tail in response. “Good.” Claire laughs. The daily route for the morning and evening is really just one big rectangle around the neighborhood.

                She always passes by a stop sign about halfway through her walk. A crow always sits perched on it and every time she walks by it, she stares at the crow, and it stares back silently. “I wonder…” She murmured to herself. She stopped dead in her tracks, catching Check off guard and looking back at her with his head cocked and ears perked up. The stop sign was across the street from where she usually strolls. Her curiosity told her to go to the crow.