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When the ravens flew overhead, most of the village went to hide. Yet, mystified, I looked up to watch their path. Even to my dismay they circled, picking their marks. I heard a whimper from the left and cry from the right as two broke off, descending in their steady spiral. One perched atop the house of my neighbor. And one took roost atop the steeple I put on my roof. It left me feeling empty, only thinking to clutch my hand to my chest. True, I have been hard of breath with the hard work as of late, but... was it truly my time?
Then it struck me. It may not be only mine. My eyes took to the window of my daughter's room, a mere babe only fresh off her mother's milk. The memory returned to when the raven took its perch not a month ago for my wife... Was it now to be that my little girl would be raised an orphan? Or would I be denied my family? Fear at both struck as I rushed inside, scooping her up to hold like the treasure she was. Only one thought escaped my lips... and it escaped again and again. "Let it be me... Let it be me." If it were her, I could not live with myself for failing to protect her. Even from death, I would try for her.
At length, the panic ended. I returned outside to see my neighbor, a great friend since childhood, trying to shoo away his unwanted visitor. In a frenzy he threw handfuls of dirt, small stones, anything to distract the fowl. Yet it only hopped out of range and fluffed its feathers in anger to the treatment. I put a hand to his shoulder, earning an enraged look in return. "Evan, stop. You are yet dead, so just continue to live. For all we know it may be your pet."
"Quiet, Geoff! You've got Shana, so at least it may not be--!!" My grip on his shoulder turned fierce as my eyes matched his in fury. Yet his broke as he realized his error. "I'm sorry... I did not mean it in that way."
I let go and turned away. "The damage is still done. Pray it is indeed not Shana, ere I spit on your grave at the funeral." I looked back at him and gave a wink to assure hard feelings were not had as deep as implied, but still left to return to work. So long as my breaths were not of those dying, I had a village to support.
Luncheon was soon upon us, leaving me free to return home. Shana's hunger sated and my belly full, I started to return to the fields, but had a thought. Looking up, the ravens were still sitting steady upon the roofs of our houses, watching us intently. I walked back inside, grabbing a slice of bread and a small cup of water to bring outside. Spreading it in crumbs by my doorstep and placing the cup at the side of the small pile earned a question from a passerby, Richard. "You would feed the bringer of death as a... common houseguest? Are you mad!?"
"The bird is not after my throat. He is a messenger. I can at least keep him from starving." It did not occur to me if or not they fed between visits to the damned, but if I was to host the messenger of death, by the gods I would at least be a decent host. Everyone walking around began taking a wide arc around my house, their paranoia understandable but extreme. I began to walk away with my task done, hearing a flutter of feathers behind me as the bird seemed to accept its meal.
"Ank ooh!" Many of us stopped to look at the raven as it started to dig in, its shrill voice the only possible source of the thanks. Slowly our movement resumed, leaving it to finish its meal.
Once again work ensues. It was only interrupted by the clouds darkening, a wrathful storm on the horizon. It was agreed to end work early, as the silos were still near full. Preparing for the incoming weather was far more important. I returned to find the cup overturned, shattered by a stone and covered in mud. The raven was roosted again upon the roof, eyes on the storm as it came closer. Was the weather to be our undoing? No, no, it helped not to fret over such details. Prepare for the worst, hope for the best, and keep the baby safe. And so I did the best I could. Windows securely locked, Shana and I moved away from anything that may fall over, and the incoming storm was watched.
And still it was watched. Lightning struck at the sky and thunder rumbled the house through, finally followed by a chorus of rain falling upon the house. Again my mind wandered to the end foretold, leaving me curious still whose end it was to be. What end was to befall us? Why us? Are there not those more evil, more deserving to lose their life? Why should a simple farmer or his daughter be doomed to perish to the unknown, haunted by a bird until the time comes? "The bird..." Finally I looked to the roof, wondering how it fared in the rain. All sense was screaming not to do as I was thinking of doing, but given the crashes of rain upon the window, pity took me. No creature deserved to stay under such a downpour.
I set Shana gently upon the pillows at the room's center and walked to the door, opening the window by its side. With a single whistle I gave the fowl its welcoming in, counting to ten to see if it would take the invitation. As my count struck nine I saw its figure, as dark as the outdoors, flailing around before slipping past me. In a wild circle it flew, shrieking some and spraying water from its wings around the room. I locked the window again and rushed back to Shana, hunched over her with an arm ready to swat away the bird. Was it truly just wild? If so, it was at least dinner to be.
Finally it settled. Its curious eyes looked around, surveying the home. Mine, however, never left it. I recalled a poem, made not too long ago by a sinister sounding man. A raven scared its host to death by simply uttering one word again and again. Yet this one... It knew how to thank, and had courtesy to do so. Were all such beasts evil as made to be? Finally its eyes met mine, and the emotionless stare left me with no answer. However, my insatiable curiosity grew. "Why?"
"Why? Die!" it responded with what seemed like a laugh. "All do, all do, ooh see!"
"Then who?" I curled a little more around my baby. "Who of us? At least tell me that. Please just... let it be me."
"Me? Ooh!" The bird fluttered from its perch atop my cabinet and flew by my head. Shana shrieked and began to cry as I turned to swat the thing, my curiosity replaced with impatience and fear. Yet my arm was caught in strong, slender fingers. A lady stood before me, tall and fair, clothed in robes of coal with eyes, hair, and wings black as night. Yet despite my shock I saw just a little hint of warmth. She showed at least some compassion. "You are a strange human. But I like you." Her voice was still shrill as a bird's, but gave an echo through the home that for some reason soothed the panic. "I wish all air breathers hated me not for what I do, 'tis no fun having to dodge your stones."
"What are you?" Of course I was still scared. But this was no mere illusion. This angel's hand still had my arm held, cool but not cold to the touch. There was no mistaking the feeling to be true.
"I am a messenger of death, human. You are who I came for." A whimper from Shana distracted me, leading my eyes to her. Her brow was wet, and splashed again by a drop of water. I looked up to find a leak in the roof, my eyes wide in shock. Was my house as a whole unfit to weather the storm? The thought distracted me long enough for the angel's hands to take a hold of Shana. I started to tug her away and scream, but before I could gather the rage, she spoke again. "I am saving her."
"From... from what? Dying with me!?" It was too surreal to believe. An angel of death, saving a baby? I was not ready to give her up just yet. I believe in odd things, but...
"No. But from living a life scarred. You have been a nice human. My queen is death, but she is a loving mother. So I can tell you this. You were going to die a proud father, taking the rubble upon your back to shield your daughter... But not from everything. She would have grown with a body marred by stone and wood, able to trust the world nevermore, a fear of betrayal and storms." I took in every word, emotions changing by the syllable. Fear of death, relief at her safety, pride at saving her, and dismay at its cost.
"You would... protect her? But how?" Shana's tears subsided slowly. I knew she was too young to understand, but... could she feel it that she was being saved?
"I do not know yet. The business is tricky. She must live to die as she would have with you, but you have been kind, so her life deserves to be one of joy." Her wings wrapped around her body and encased the two together, spreading again to reveal Shana in a cradle made of what seemed like metal. Black steel, adorned with little shapes as if toys for a baby. "Rest assured, I will keep her safe until then."
She will... when I die. "But wait!" I stood up and shook my head. "I'm not dead yet! Don't take her!" The moment I started to run at her is when the roof gave out, the cross of the steeple coming down first upon my head. All went black as my consciousness left. I thank whatever god of luck, fate, or death that I could not forsee or feel the wave of wood that followed it. To this day I still thank the angel for saving my baby, counting the days she's had a smile. Eventually she'll be able to join me and spend the time together I wish we had.
__________________   Goten is dead!
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