Vined Crows

My father wouldn’t accept that they were dead. He reasoned that they were on a trip, or that they’d gone to sleep, or that they had gone searching for them, or any other reason, but never that they’d died.

“Let’s build a nest, whilst we wait for them to come back.” The hours of screaming his song had ruined his voice, made it so dry it felt uncomfortable to hear it. “That- that’ll be a good way to use the time

The sudden increase in speed jerked me back from my thoughts. I looked up to see his wings frantically shift, like a plane tumbling around in a storm. We dove down for one of the giant purple trees at a speed too fast.

I could hear my own ragged breath, my own heart pulsating. I looked up at him, trying to see his eyes; figure out if they had gone mad, but I could only see his sharp orange beak. I braced myself, clenching all my muscles, hoping to only lose a few feathers.

My brain told me I’d die. The speed increased and increased, like a meteorite only growing quicker before the crash. The wind howled, and suddenly we rose up and the speed declined, and his claws let me go. I was still alive.

My heart skipped a beat as I fell down onto the branch. I felt safe in his claws, away from the horrors of height. I rolled around on the branch, feathers flying out. Strangely, my right arm felt nothing, as if it was limp.

“You can stay with me until your parents come,” he says and a part of me itches to say, you’re already here dad.

hahhahahhahahahahahahaahahahhahha.

“Okay.”

The last thing I want is to be stranded on the ground again, being surrounded by predators was certainly not a pleasant experience. Technically I’m still surrounded by predators, even up here, I really need to get out of the wilderness.

I’ll stay with the father until I can fly. That way I’ll get food without ever having to go down to the bottom. I’ll have to tell Jonte that when he wakes up. I’ll also have to start practicing flying.

“I’m going to go collect sticks,” he says and flies away, leaving me alone without any guidance. It’s almost as if he doesn’t care for me.

My eyes frantically search around the trees, trying to spot the black cat. I can’t spot it, maybe we're on a different tree from her, but I know for a fact that I’ll meet her again. And when I do, I’ll kill her.

How dare she threaten my life.

I’ve got nothing else to do, so I figure a chat with index could be useful.

Hey index, how many parasites are there?

The number of parasites has been going down exponentially. When stage 3 takes place, I imagine there will be only 3 000 000 left.

That’s… A lot of parasites.

Index, can you tell me more about this world?

No

Can you at least tell me why I was chosen, index?

Of course

Really?

No

In the corner of my eye, I spot two small black figures flying towards me. I think away Index, and try to focus on the two black figures. The details grow more clear as they come closer. It looks like two crows, except they have two thick yellow vines growing out of their temples.

Their eyes lock with mine. They don’t seem very hostile, but even if they were. It’s not like I could escape. I’m powerless, pushed to the currents of fate with no control.

The crows land just beside me. They lean forward and study me. Their eyes scan all over me. I can feel their eyes on my right wing, do they know? No. There’s no way.

“Hey-a kiddo, want some drugs?” The larger crow said.

“What?” I said.

“I’ve got the-” The larger crow was interrupted by the smaller one.

“Shut up Jack, we’re here on official matters.”

“ohhh-kaaay, liam,” Jack sighed and stepped back.

“Kiddo, we’ve got little time, gots to tell everyone of this,” Liam said.

“Yes, little time,” Jack said.

“The great crow sage has heard voices,” Liam said.

“The great crow sage,” Jack whispered, attempting to add an air of mystery.

“Shut up Jake,” Liam spat.

“Ohhh-kaay,” Jack said.

“The voices say there are imposters among us. Be careful of who you trust, we birds must be careful if we are to survive!” Oh fuck.

“Really?” I asked.

“Yes really child, do I look like some sort of junkie to you?” Liam asked.

“Well you are,” Jack said.

“Fuck you Jack,” Liam said.

“Nah man, I’m not gay.”

“What?” Liam said, baffled.

“Aren’t we on time constraints?”

“Right, right, we need to get going, kid. Make sure to tell your parents when they come back.”

And they flew downwards, towards another branch. There seems to be another family living on this tree. I might pay them a visit when Jonte wakes up.

Dad comes back, his beak filled with sticks. He throws them down on the floor, and looks at me.

“I saw those vined crows. Did they say anything important to you?”

“Nope.”

“Then what did they say, I can’t imagine they’d fly so far for nothing.”

“The sage has died and a new one will be appointed,” I realized how stupid that was the second I said it, and I wished I could take it back.

“Really!” He outburst, smiling. Fuck, fuck fuck fuck.

“Yeah,” I said, I can’t take it back now.

“Then that means I can ask another question. It’s decided then. Tomorrow I will fly to the sage and ask her who killed my family. I must have revenge.”

fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck.

“Okay…”

“Cheer up little one. The world has smiled upon us,” he has regained his spirit. And I thought I was being clever.