Meeting with a Raven

Should she move?

The creature picked up a twig off the ground and set it on her lap. She took it and drew in the snow a face. The raven took another twig and scratched on the ground.

“You’re an interesting bird,” she said, and sniffed. Margaret looked at her watch. “Goodbye, bird. I have homework to do.” She walked off as it tilted it its head. It flew above the tips of the trees as Margaret made it home before dark.

Margaret’s routine of dinner, homework and bed was the same. She puffed up her pillow with her hands, looked at the moonlight and sighed. “I don’t want to look at Jennifer. She sucks. She’s so mean. I’m going to be a junior and I’ve got no friends.”  She went to close her eyes as something swayed on a branch outside her window-the raven!

Margaret smiled and closed her eyes.

6:30 a.m. arrived. School in an hour. Margaret ate breakfast, got ready, and walked to the bus stop as a girl her age shivered on the bench, in gothic clothing.

“Hello,” Margaret said.

“Hi,” the girl said. “My name’s Merla.”

“I go by Margaret--” The black bird landed atop of the bus stop and squawked at her.

“Oh, Onyx there you are, my little boy,” Merla said and petted it’s neck.

“That’s your bird?”

“Yep.”

“That’s a pretty name. I saw him near the pond. He’s nice. Are you going to my school?”

“Today. I’m new.”

“I know people, but they don’t know me,” Margaret looked away.

“I see. You know, I don’t have any friends. People get creeped out that I like dark things. I have another perspective on them is all. I’m Christian. God made light and dark things. He made the day and night. How can you see the stars if there was no night? My bird took off yesterday. Raven’s are intelligent birds, that people avoid-not me.”

“Cool. I could show you my school and stuff.”

Merla laughed. “Of course. We could sit together at lunch.”