Eye of the Coven: Season 1

Season 1, Episode 8: I Call Upon the Ancient Power

RILEY

Riley's eyes flutter open, enveloped in a pool of darkness. She blinks once, then twice, and then three times, making sure that her eyes are actually open instead of being sewn shut like how they feel. She's flat on her back, staring up into a black pit of nothing. Is that possible? No. But so are many other things, according to people without magic. Silly, silly people. Riley sits up as slowly as she can. It's never occurred to her how much her entire body feels like mush when she's hidden away in such a pool of black. It's like every limb of her body has been slowed down for the happiness of whatever is about to happen to her. This doesn't usually end well. She's expecting the worst.

The sound of wings flapping against the air snatches Riley's attention. She peers through the darkness for any sign of a bird or maybe a faerie or a sprite. Anything with wings. But just like that, the darkness thickens, blocking her vision of anything sane in sight. The flapping of wings picks up the pace from behind her, the flapping becoming faster and more intense. Riley whips her head around. A crow that should be black, is now white. All white. The eyes, the feet, the beak. It's like some sort of angel bird. A bird that has done so much good in its life that it's never seen anything bad. It probably has never even eaten a worm or pecked at a dying fish. Do crows even eat fish?

"Hey there, little one." Riley extends her arm, holding her index finger horizontally so it has somewhere to land. The bird perches on her finger but doesn't stay. It falls to the ground, not standing a chance to survive with a witch's touch. "No, no, no." Riley squats down to the dead bird. Its eyes remain open, the snow white color of its eyes nearly blind her. She gently touches the birds soft body, no heart pulsing inside. "Healing thought sent in flight, bring the brightest of blessings this night. Send this healing light from above, surround this bird in healing love."

The spell fails. The bird doesn't move. Riley shuts her eyes, moving her hand to the neck of the bird. The sound of flapping wings echoes from where this first bird came from, louder, like another one is traveling with. "Healing thought sent in flight, bring the brightest of blessings this night. Send this healing light from above, surround this bird in healing love." Riley opens her eyes. The heartbeat belonging to this poor, innocent bird hasn't returned. The sound of wings is getting stronger, like ten more birds are headed for her but the area around her remains empty from any sign of life. She swallows hard, bringing the birds body into her hands, squeezing it hard to get her magic into the veins. She recites the spell loud and clear, "Healing thought sent in flight, bring the brightest of blessings this night. Send this healing light from above, surround this bird in healing love."

Looking down at the creature in her hands, Riley's heart plummets into her throat. It's crushed within her grasp, the neck snapped and the entire stomach caved in towards the spine. Riley's head snaps up when she hears loud footsteps coming towards her. A breathless girl comes into view, out of the black pit they're in.

"They're coming." Bandit stops in front of Riley, panting for breath. "They're coming."

"Who?" For a second, Riley's mind is diverted from the dead bird in her hands.

"The crows." Bandit grabs hold of Riley's arm to drag her to her feet, the girls racing into the darkness in front of them.

Riley is tripping over her own feet as she struggles to keep up with Bandit, the sound of flapping wings rising up behind her. She glances over her shoulder, at the red eyes belonging to the flock of birds flinging themselves like animal demons. Feathers fly off their bodies and wings, a few of them even turning themselves upside down, all of them laughing in unison.

"Hurry!" Bandit's nails are digging into Riley's upper arm.

Riley takes the longest strides she can manage as she notices a glare straight head, hers and Bandit's reflection charging at them just as fast. "It's a mirror! We're blocked in!"