Black Bird

A few hours had passed when Lucy found herself back at Grans. She had received a message from Silas around 5:30 asking if she minded him coming early. She was hesitant to agree but did so in hopes that she could get this awkward meeting over with.
What on Earth possessed me to say yes?
Last Lucy had seen of Silas he had been shoving snow or dirt down her back and into her face. He was only four years older than Lucy but when they had been together he was ruthless, behaving like a five-year-old. Though it had been years since they'd last seen each other, a part of her felt that he hadn't changed. She understood Miss Anna was only attempting to be helpful, after all, she never knew what he had put Lucy through.
Get over yourself, Lucy. You'll be fine, he will be here any minute and you've got to play nice.
Lucy hadn't seen too much of either of them since she had arrived, after all, she had only came into down that morning. Lucy's mother had been distant since the death of her husband so she could understand the lack of communication between them when she got to the house. When Lucy arrived her sister had been in school and even when she had returned home she spent the majority of the time on her phone.
They were not as close as she had wanted but Lucy knew that her sister tried. To be fair, Lucy knew she was terrible when it came to communication. She wasn't a fan of social media and that seemed to be the only way Maggie wanted to share her life with her.
Deep down, though Lucy didn't want to admit it to herself, she was grateful that Silas would be coming to help. Lucy wasn't terribly strong, even though she was a fast runner her upper body strength was akin to that of a sloth.
A growl rose up from her stomach. Realizing then that she hadn't eaten lunch she wondered if Silas was planning on eating here. Maybe just a snack. Would it be rude to eat dinner and have him walk in as I chowed down? Walking into the kitchen Lucy takes out a slice of bread, slathering on some almond butter. This should tide me over till he gets here. As she stood at the kitchen sink gazing out into the woods behind Gran's home she noticed the sun slowly setting, gray clouds replacing the light.
Lucy's thoughts wandered off as she thought about the strange vision earlier. What had happened? She had never seen someone like that and all she could think of was how cold he must have been. He hadn't looked like he was shivering but the image hadn't stayed long enough for her to get a good look at him. The image was slowly starting to fade away though. Much like a dream a few minutes after waking up. She shakes her head, peering back up at the sky.
As a knock sounds at the door, Lucy takes her final bite. Trudging towards the door she takes a deep breath. On the other side stood someone she hardly recognized. He was tall maybe over six feet. Black hair hung past his ears almost covering his black almond shaped eyes. Like his grandmother, he had dark skin the color of bark. Silas was well built with broad shoulders and a sharp jaw shadowed with stubble. A denim jacket clung tightly to his arms with a white t-shirt underneath. Lucy didn't realize that she was gaping at him till he cleared his throat.
"Lucy?"
She shook her head then. He had been staring at her just as intently but didn't look uncomfortable. A slight smirk played on his full lips.
"Um yeah... Come on in?"
He took a step in. "Nice to see you again. It's been a long time."
Lucy nodded awkwardly not knowing what to say.
"So Grandmother said you had lots to unload." He turned, examining the home, "Looks the same as it did ten years ago." He chuckled then as if some fond memory was recounted. What that memory could have been was a mystery to Lucy. Silas walked into the kitchen then back, sticking his head into a door he turned back to her, "Well, where's your stuff?"
"Everything is still in my car, I just got here this morning." she moved toward the door, waving him along.
"Grandmother said you had taken a train up here."
She gave a curt nod,"I did, my car was on the train as well."
The train station had been about two hours away though and she worried the whole ride that the train would damage the car on the way up but everything was in one piece and no scratches could be found.
The air was cold and tight outside, the wind blowing was more like a whisper as it hit her cheeks but nevertheless felt icy.
Walking up to her car Lucy popped the trunk, explaining that she didn't have too much to bring in. Silas asked where he was bringing everything and she pointed to the guest house beside Gran's home. Nodding he grabs two boxes, stacks them and carries them to the small home. "Could you get the door? These are a little heavy."
Not realizing that she had been standing there ogling his strength she slips past him, taking hold of the handle. The door slowly creaks open. As the lights flick on the room is illuminated in pale yellow. Silas sets down the boxes and as he turns Lucy shrieks. Both of their eyes go wide as they look at what is underneath the coffee table.
There was a dead crow. The neck twisted around as if it had been wrung around. The ink black wings spread to their full length peeking out from the glass. The eyes, like a small pebble from the bottom of the river, were wide and lifeless.
Lucy's eyes search the room frantically. No windows were open, the door had been closed. So how could it have gotten in?
"What the hell?" She chokes out, her voice barely audible. Silas looked at Lucy with his brow raised, "That's not a good omen." His words sounded as if he were attempting to make some kind of joke. How could he though? Who just randomly finds a dead bird in their home. With a grimace, Lucy makes her way to her bedroom. The door was cracked but she could feel a breeze blowing from the inside. The curtains were billowing about, the temperature seeming to be about twenty degrees cooler.
From behind her, Silas spoke matter-of-factly, "Well there you go, you left your window open."
Zipping around to face him she scowls defensively, "I didn't do that! I haven't even been in here."
"Well, then Gran left it open."
"But why would she do that when it's forty degrees outside?"
Lucy was incredulous, why would she leave it open? And how could a crow just fly in here and die like that? Right in the middle of the living room? Silas put his hand on her shoulder, reassuring her that he would take care of the bird.
He walked back outside as she stood eyeing the crow. She didn't know what to think but she knew Silas was right. Having a dead bird just show up in your home was never a good sign. And this poor bird looked as if it had been placed there on purpose.
But who would do that? Why would anyone do that?
Soon Silas comes back in with a trash bag and gloves. Before he had a chance to pick it up Lucy grab hold of his arm, "Silas, look at it. It doesn't look like it died here."
He studied the carcass but shrugged, "I dunno what to tell you Lucy but we should get it out of here. I wasn't kidding before. Dead crows are not a good omen."
Lucy let's go of his arm and he scoops the dead bird up plopping it into the bag. Twisting the bag tight he brings it to the trash cans by the side of the house, dropping it in with a thunk. Pulling off the gloves he slips them under the lid and looks back at her with a smile. Lucy's heart flutters for a brief moment as blood rushes to her cheeks. Why was she feeling so embarrassed?
In just a few minutes Silas had proven he wasn't anything like when he was younger. Still, though, there was something off about him that screamed not to trust him. Maybe it was that he was more of a stranger than she had thought. Yet, his easiness with the dead bird her my home made her question what was really going on in his head. Quickly reminding herself that she was just being paranoid she returns to the car.
The pair unpacked the remaining boxes from the car. Nightfall descended as the temperatures dropped to freezing. They both slumped onto the couch looking at each other. There was an unpleasant static between the two but Lucy still smiled,
"Thanks for your help."
"Sure it was no problem..." he trailed off, sounding as if he was wanting to say something else. His jaw clenched, eyes darting around the room, "Listen, a few friends have invited me out tonight, since you just got here I know you might want to get settled but you're welcome to join us. " He added, "If you want of course."
He was right, Lucy was wanting to get settled in, unpack everything and just curl up in bed with a good book. After the crow fiasco, however, she had no desire to stay here alone. "Actually, I would love to go. To be honest with you I am still a little freaked out by the whole dead bird in my home thing." She laughs uncomfortably, avoiding his gaze.
He shrugged, "Hey I get it, I'd be a little unnerved too." He paused for a moment eyeing her up and down, "Well, why don't you get ready? Everyone is meeting around seven and I want to stop by my place to get changed too."
Lucy looked down at her attire; she was wearing simple black leggings and a long sleeved shirt. The ride on the train had been long, requiring something comfortable to maximize the best nap. But if she was about to go out and meet people this wasn't exactly wow material. On top of the pressure on impressing, the weather was steadily dropping. Giving Silas a timid grin Lucy retreats to her room to rummage through the boxes for something warmer to wear.
A few minutes later she locates a pair of dark jeans. Pairing a zig-zag printed forest green sweater with the jeans she pulls on the black boots she had been wearing earlier that day. Lucy takes another long look in the mirror. Her hair was a frizzy mess, with no time to do anything decent to it, she throws it up in a high ponytail.
Not wanting to assume he'd be driving her, Lucy quietly asks if she should follow him in her car.
Silas looked up from his phone with a raised brow saying flatly, "I wouldn't have stayed here if I expected you to drive." Wow, okay. She rolls her eyes, following him out the door to his Jeep.
The car ride to his apartment was silent. The radio was hardly audible but she could faintly make out that it was The Beatles.
"I like them too." She shares with him in hopes to start a conversation. He doesn't look at her but turns the volume up.
Blackbird singing in the dead of night
Take these sunken eyes and learn to see
All your life
You were only waiting for this moment to be free.
Blackbird fly Blackbird fly
Into the light of the dark black night.
Lucy had heard the song hundreds of times, the song was one of Hailey's favorite songs. Something about the lyrics tonight though left her feeling cold. The bird's dead eyes were stained in her memory. The window was open but Gran wouldn't have done that. From what Lucy knew only the night before had Gran gone in to turn on the thermostat. So why would she have left the window open? That didn't make sense.
The building's old, Lucy reminded herself, maybe a latch came undone.
That still didn't explain how the bird ended up in the living room like that. Maybe it somehow got stuck underneath the coffee table and hit its head on the top. Crow's were smarter than that though. Lucy recalled a video she had watched when she took a psychology course. Her professor told the class that crows and ravens were known as problem solvers and in the video, a cage was filled with traps and different ways for the birds to get their food. Every time they had been presented a new challenge and every time they got to their food.
So maybe the bird was ill.
Soon they pulled into a complex and Silas parked. "Stay here," he commanded as he got out of the jeep leaving the keys in the ignition, "I'll only be a minute." He jogged up to a door on the bottom floor and disappeared inside the home. Lucy took a look around. There didn't seem to be a single place that could escape the woods in Water's Edge. Large oak trees hung over the roof blocking the light from the lamp post.
"Caw!"
Lucy jumped. A crow had landed right in front of her on the hood of Silas' jeep.
"Caw, caw!"
What's with this town and crows! "Shoo!" Lucy rolls down the window to shoo away the bird. Weren't crows diurnal?
"Caw!"
The crow made no attempt to fly away. Lucy slumped back into her seat as she made eye contacts with the corvid. He looked awfully familiar, could this be the same bird from Gran's bookstore? Lucy shook her head laughing at herself. Birds didn't follow people around and even if they did it would be impossible to tell. These blackbirds were impossible to tell apart.
Lucy turns away from the bird's gaze, deciding to send a text to Hailey. She had promised to let her know when she arrived but it had slipped her mind since she had gotten in.
Not soon after Silas came back outside. He spotted the bird, which had been cawing about since it landed. He successfully shooed it away and climbed back into the jeep.
"Sorry about the wait. You ready?"
She nodded and he slowly began backing out.
"Listen don't worry about the bird," he started saying. She looked at him with a thoughtful expression. How'd he know that that was still on her mind? "Things like that happen around here. This is a rural small town, ya know? Don't let it get to you."
They went quiet again. She appreciated his words but something was telling her there was more to the situation. If the bird had been in the bedroom or somewhere near the window that would make sense. Lucy shook her head, there was no sense in ruminating over it. She was headed out for the first time in a few weeks and was hopeful in making at least some connection with the people here.
A few minutes pass before they pull up to a small bar. 'Open' and 'Carona' signs blinked red, yellow, and green. There were men and women in leather jackets crowded near a few trucks with beers in hand. The two climb out of the jeep as a gentleman of about twenty-six steps outside to light a cigarette. He was tall, like Silas, with sandy blonde hair. The abrupt illumination from the lighter showed icy blue eye framed by styled brows.
"James, hey!"
The man looked up with a grin, " Silas how's it going? I wasn't sure you were going to make it!" James attention turned to Lucy, "And you brought a friend." Silas grimaced for a brief moment before introducing her. "Actually, she just moved here. Grandmother asked me to bring her." Lucy winced. Was that really the only reason he had invited her? For a moment there she thought they had been getting along. However, with that statement, it seemed that he had only done so in order to appease Miss An na. Lucy wanted to run; she felt embarrassed that she had thought maybe she could become friends with Silas and his group.
"Lucy come on in, let's get you a drink."
James flicked his cigarette butt over the rail ignoring Silas' comment. Lucy let out a small sigh and followed behind the two men. The inside of the bar was dimly lit with loud music blaring overhead. The scene was that of a typical bar with men dressed in leather and long gray beards, young women and men dancing together in front the flickering purple and green lights. There were booths along the perimeter where people crammed in next to each other laughing with drinks in their hands.
James led the pair to a corner booth, sliding in next to a man around the same age. "Tobias, this is Lucy. She just moved here." The chestnut haired boy waved his hand passively with no expression. Lucy immediately like Tobias. She could tell he was quiet but not rude. He seemed to be the kind of guy who only spoke when he had something interesting to say. Lucy smiled at him and slid in across him. Silas stayed standing, arms crossed as he looked around. "Can I get you a drink?" James asked with a grin.
"Sure, can I get a Manhattan?" Lucy wasn't about to pass up a free drink.
Silas' brow raised with a question but said nothing. James chuckled, "A whiskey lady, coming right up!"
"Where's Greta?" Silas finally spoke up.
"She had to drop Danny Boy off at a friend's, but she should be on her way now."
James came back within minutes, handing Lucy her drink and Silas a beer. All three boys eyed her as she took a sip. They must have been expecting her to make some face or set the drink down. She took another sip and reached for her phone.
She wasn't very good in new situations, whenever she was met new people she had Hailey with her. Hailey was energetic and outgoing. She knew she was gorgeous, flaunting her smarts and good looks she could befriend anybody. Lucy checked her phone to see if there was anything from Hailey.Nothing yet. What could she be doing?
All fell silent as they listened to the music, sipping on their drinks. The silence wasn't awkward like Lucy had expected and she was grateful for that. She closed her eyes, feeling the bass vibrate through the table into her glass clinking the ice together gently. When Lucy opened her eyes again a tall well-built woman was walking up to the table with a bright smile with white teeth.
"Silas, good to see you, James, Tobias," She nodded at each of the men as she said their name. Scooting in next to Lucy, the woman extends a French-tipped hand, "Hi, I'm Greta! Who are you?"
"Lucy, I-" before she could finish Silas interjected, "She just moved here."
Lucy's focus shifted between the two. There was tension in the air as Greta and Silas stared at each other. Were they together?
Had they been together? Greta looked back at Lucy with a smile.
"Finally another woman for the group! These three can be so exhausting!"
Lucy giggled, whether or not Silas and Greta had been in any kind of relationship it didn't seem to be a problem to Greta. They spoke for awhile for Greta suggested getting up and dancing. James attempted to join them but was scolded.
"No sir, this will be bonding time for us girls! You can back up."
James pretended to look hurt, bumping his fist against his chest. The chestnut haired boy, Tobias, commanded Silas to sit and so he slid into seat the two girls had previously occupied. Taking hold of Lucy's hand, Greta pull's her to the middle of the dance floor and for a moment Lucy was able to forget about the strange beginnings of her day.