Bleeding Bird

VI

The dress she was given was too big but she was glad to get out of her soaking wet dress. As she laid down to sleep on the double bed, she couldn't help but feel exposed. Here she was, her first week at the estate—her first day, caught in a storm, and stranded away from her aunt without any way of telling her she was alright. Not to mention the fact that she was with these random people whose purpose for living not only on grounds, but in this odd fashion, she could not understand.

Besides, she worried about Lillian, Horatio, Collin, Donna, and Stephen...she had brought them up but the woman just stated that they should know better and could fend for themselves.

As she lay, fighting for sleep, but hesitant to do so, she listened. The woman whispered to Rush, calling him over.

"I want," she whispered, "for you to sleep in front of the door. It will be strong tonight."

What that meant, Helen had no idea. Her eyes closed, she heard Rush stand from his bed, cross the room, and settle into the door he had opened earlier looking for the mysterious "Meredith."

Helen had only been here at the country estate a day, but she already knew this was not going to be the rest she had been needing. Auntie was guarded and odd, but bearable. The house was beautiful, and spacious, and seemingly safe. Despite its many windows, she assumed it was safe. The Birds didn't attack all houses or all people all the time. It was select. It was deliberate. But no human cold ever define the reasoning—just that there was some. Her aunt had promised her father it would be a good place for her, but Helen wasn't sure if any place was good for her anymore.

She slowly drifted to sleep. Her mind shifted from one of questions, to one of certainty, of meaning, of needing. In her mind, she was still in the little box of a room. She saw the mother sleeping soundly on her back, and the little boy huddled under his thin rucksack blanket with his toys, and then Rush leaning against the door. But she rose, her bare feet touching the cool stone floor. The warmth of her blanket leaving her. But she didn't shiver. She slipped under the stairs, and opened the door—

"NO!" a woman's voice dragged her to the land of the awake. She squirmed in the woman's grip.

"No," she repeated.

Rush sat up, looking ready to leap to his feet and hold her back as well.

"I'm sorry," Helen said, "I must have been sleep walking, I-I don't know what's going on. I don't do that much, but today, I've done so twice...I'm sorry."

"Well, get back to bed," the woman said. She gave Rush a meaningful look and settled against the other chamber's door as well.

Rubbing her eyes, Helen collapsed back in bed, falling immediately asleep once more. But this time, she did not wake. She merely dreamt of her reflection, staring back at her through a crisp, clear mirror.