Bleeding Bird

VIII

The butler might have said something to Helen but she didn't hear it. Immediately, she and Rush sprinted back into the field. He grabbed his mother's arm, nearly pulling her over as he tried to tug her to her feet. And Helen drew the little boy out of the field. But at that moment, the birds paused above them. They circled, and dissipated.

Rush and his mother exchanged glances and they all ran back to the house. Helen's mind was rushing. What on earth was happening here? The birds didn't just stop pursuit. They did not give up. The butler slowly, but surely closed the doors and they were safe in her aunt's sitting room.

"Goodness," Auntie Jude stood fifteen paces away, brows raised. She was a broad-shouldered woman. She wasn't necessarily heavy, set or overly strong, but she was sturdy. She had grey eyes and grey hair, knotted up with odd bird pins holding it together. Auntie Jude always scowled and looked down on you, even if you stood taller. She was currently adorned in some deep purple dress that Helen would have worn to a funeral.

"Well," she bit her lip. "Get upstairs and change. We will readjourn here shortly."

Helen left their group, hearing the cemetery woman nervously address Auntie before being lead to a bathroom where she could clean up as well.

"It's about time," a voice said from her bed.

She looked back sharply from the mirror to see Lillian and Donna sitting there. Donna had clearly showered and had changed into nice clothes, but Lillian's hair was still a little frizzy from the rain. Frankly, she looked more comfortable than Donna.

"What happened to you?" Donna asked.

Helen wasn't entirely sure. "I...we got separated at some point, and I ended up running through the cemetery." At that, Donna and Lillian exchanged glances. "And I made it to the big monument when somebody reached out from the grave to pull me into this house hidden in the tombs. I couldn't leave. They brought me here today." "They?" Lillian asked.

"They all came out?" Donna verified.

"Yeah," Helen nodded, "just the two sons and the mother."

"Rush, Stein, and Mrs. Musgrave," Lillian said, nodding.

"We make their dinners," Donna broke in. "Every week we send them rations. They, they don't come out."

"Well, they did today. What do they do?" Helen asked.

"Watch over the cemetery," Lillian said. "Whenever someone in your Auntie's family dies, they're responsible for burying it, and they guard something. They care for it. Make sure it doesn't fall into the wrong hands as much as possible—not that it works. I really didn't like here anyway."

Helen looked up, "who?"

"Meredith," Lillian shrugged, "I'm guessing she's dead."

Helen swallowed, "you think the beasts got her?"

"I think IT got her," Lillian said, "the thing they're guarding. Meredith just became its keeper three months ago. Before that, Jude had someone else for five months, and before that, someone else for seven. Before that, she had the same person for fifty years."

"The time span is getting shorter," Donna whispered. She had busied herself with something as if to avoid the gossip, but she was clearly listening.

Lillian nodded, pursing her lips, "wonder who it'll pick next."

"Maybe Horatio," Donna muttered, "Can we send him up as an option?"

Lillian laughed, but scolded her, "hey, he came looking for us last night."

"Don't care, he's an idiot," Donna shrugged.

Lillian rolled her eyes.

"What is it though?" Helen blinked, "what are they guarding down there?"

"It's—"

Her bedroom door opened, and a servant entered. "Miss Helen, your presence is requested by your auntie—and your presence alone."

"Thank you," Helen said carefully. She glanced at her new friends. Donna continued whatever little project she'd busied herself with, and Lillian just raised her eyebrows, pursing her lips. She hadn't had time to change, but she hoped her auntie didn't mind. Knowing her aunt, however, she was certain that she would. Fortunately, there were greater things to handle.