Bleeding Bird

IV

Since Auntie Jude's house was famous for being a mysterious deterrent for crows, it made sense that a boy's school was set up nearby. Donna and Lillian didn't even bother grabbing their crow masks which relieved Helen as she didn't want to wear one herself.

They slipped out of the house and made their way across the field up to the road. Just as they did, two familiar forms came into view. One was tall and lanky, and the other was tall and well built. There was a horse between them.

"It's Horatio and Will," Lillian said.

"Oh dear," Donna rolled her eyes.

As they grew closer, Will waved. Helen recognized him from meeting everyone this morning. He had been overly friendly.

"Helen!" Will called, "How are you?" he asked as they grew closer, "do you like the grounds?"

She nodded.

"Good, Lillian, we were taking Henderson for a ride. Seems to be doing good," he beamed, "wow, it is so good to see you three."

Donna forced a smile. She struggled even more when Horatio, the boy from the barn, caught up with them.

"Good evening," he nodded to each of them, offering a special smile to Donna who glared at him extra hard, wrinkling her nose.

"Where are you going? Will asked.

"Tressenon," Lillian admitted.

"Oh, looking for a fun evening?" he asked with a knowing grin.

The girls laughed, and Lillian spoke up, "We have to show Helen the ropes."

"Alright, may we go?" Will asked.

"I guess," Helen said, looking at the other girls for permission.

"I'm just kidding," he laughed, "but sometime. We should. Good luck!" he continued on, Hortatio following.

"It's a long walk," Horatio said, "be careful. It's supposed to rain tonight. It will be dark."

"We got it, Horatio," Lillian said, "we've lived here just as long as you."

"Well, the rain frequently corresponds with onset of crows at this manor. When crows do show appear, it is during the rain," he continued.

"Shut up," Donna said.

"Well," he froze, eyes growing wide as he looked to Lillian and then back at Donna, "Well, I'm just saying, it's dangerous."

"I think we've got it," Lillian laughed.

He nodded and bid them farewell, slipping back to the house after Will.

The walk was not even close to being over when they entered a thicket. As they walked, Helen heard a noise. For a moment, she wondered if it was a crow, and then, heard talking. "Lillian, Donna, boys."

The other girls froze. Collectively, they hurried to a particularly tall bush, and peered through the branches. A group of five boys a little older than them stood in a clearing, three or so younger boys standing in front of them. They were undoubtably students from the academy the other girls spoke of. They were well-built and strong, having trained most likely to fight crows, if necessary. But these academies were hard to get into, meaning the boys also had sound minds. Nothing was better than a boy with a quick wit.

"It's Collin," Donna said, "and Stephen."

"Donna really wants to tutor like Meredith," Lillian explained. "That kid," she nodded toward an extra-square young man, "he's Collin. His younger brother, Stephen," she nodded toward one of the younger boys, "came from the same city as Donna. She used to help him with his counts."

"I help him get into that school," Donna said.

"What are they doing out here?" Helen wondered outloud.

"Sneaking out—a little Raven Whiskey initiation," Lillian said, her eyes glinting.

Sure enough, one of the older boys pulled out a shimmering bottle and lifted it. It glinted in the moonlight. He took a quick swig and, dragging his sleeve across his mouth, he handed it to one of the other boys. They continued passing it around. As they did, the girls whispered about which ones had the best jawline and torso and legs and arms and eyes and hair. Chances were, the boys were missing girls as much as the girls were missing boys. But even as the girls stood there, stifling giggles, a breeze came up behind them, rustling the leaves.

"There you are," a voice sounded loudly behind them, "what are you doing?"

They whirled around to see Horatio.

"It's going to rain," he held his hands out, palms up.

"Shut it," Lillian shushed him.

The girls turned back to the bush, but it was too late. The boys rounded the shrub, "what are you doing out here?" Collin asked. As he was closer, Helen saw what Donna must see in him. He was strong, but he was too square for her taste. He also wasn't as tall as she would have liked, and had an odd sort of drawl to his voice.

"We're—" Horatio paused.

"We're walking," Lillian, Donna, and Helen blurted.

The boys eyes them, but when Collin went to continue, Horatio held up a long finger.

"Don't shush—" Donna started.

But that's when they all heard it. A rushshhh. It was the leaves above them, churning in the wind. But it was growing. The sky had morphed into a deep darkness, and thunder had begun to rumble across the clouds. Above it all, was a distant, but growing croak.

Crows.

"We need to get back," Helen said. Images of her father working with crows crossed her mind. He'd be ashamed of her if he knew she was out here like this. Her aunt might just kill her. "Stay in the trees," she said.

A few of the boys began running in the other direction, but Collin and Stephen remained. Collin looked up to the sky and shook his head, "I'm not crossing the meadow between this thicket and Tressenon. You all have masks?"

The girls shook their heads, but Horatio shifted a chord that was around his neck. Attached to the end was a sharp, black raven mask. He tugged it over his face, adjusting it.

"Hm. Stephen?" Collin said.

His little brother drew a mask out of his bag and handed it to Helen. She hardly knew what to say so she simply pulled it over her face. She still wasn't convinced they helped, but even just wearing one made her feel a little safer.

"I have one more," he said, holding it out.

"Don't need one," Lillian said.

He offered it to Donna. She accepted it, and slipped it over her face.

Just then, a dark cloud emerged from the west. The sky was full of birds, diving and twisting in the air. They had no defined positions or formations. They may travel in flocks, but they were not flock-animals. They did not work together. They were all equally starving, equally ready to strip your skin from your bones, equally ready for a little stretch of their wings as they dove to scratch out your eyes, and equally ready to hunt you for the mere sport.

"We need to run," Helen said. "Now."