Keene Brian - A Gathering of Crows

“You, too. Thanks for taking care of my sis, yo.”

Randy reached his hand out to Levi, but Levi hesitated. He seemed deep in concentration.

“What’s up?” Randy frowned. “Do I have a booger hanging out of my nose or something?”

“Your aura,” Levi whispered. “It’s interesting, to say the least.”

Randy’s frown deepened. He glanced at his sister and Donny, but they only shrugged.

“What’s up with him?”

“Apparently,” Donny said, “he sees auras. And yeah, I know how that sounds, but after some of the shit we’ve seen tonight, I’m inclined to believe it.”

Marsha took her brother’s hand. “Where’s Mom and Dad?”

Randy’s expression clouded. He took a deep breath, tried to speak and then sagged forward. Donny and Marsha caught him before he could collapse.

“Jesus,” Donny grunted.

“Randy?” Marsha patted his cheek with her hand.

“Randy!”

“He’s passed out,” Donny said. “I’m guessing shock. I’ve seen this before.”

“Is he going to be okay? He’s got a lump on the back of his head. And all this blood! What’s happened to him? Where are my parents?”

“We need to get him inside,” Levi said, stepping forward to assist them. “Quickly.”

Donny picked Randy up and gently placed the teen over his shoulders.

“Hurry.” Levi’s tone was insistent. He stared up into the sky.

“Why?” Donny glanced around but didn’t see anything.

“Because they’re coming.”

“Shit.”

“Yes.”

Donny carried the unconscious teen toward the house. Marsha trotted along beside him, stroking Randy’s hair and begging Donny to be careful with him. Levi ran over to the truck, shut off the engine and the headlights and then closed the door. The wind picked up and the tree limbs rustled in the breeze.

“Your will be done, Lord. All I ask for is time. For their sakes as well as mine.”

Turning, he hurried after the others. As they reached the bed-and-breakfast, the door opened and Esther stepped outside. Myrtle bustled around behind her in the doorway.

“What’s happening?” Her eyes widened when she saw Randy. “Oh, goodness! Is he hurt? Is he… dead?”

“He’s okay,” Donny panted. “Just passed out.”

“Well, get him into the sitting room.” Esther moved aside and let them pass. Then she beckoned at Levi. “What is happening, Mr. Stoltzfus?”

“I’ll explain what I can,” he said, slipping past her and into the foyer. “But first, I want to make sure we’re safe. I don’t have much time. Do you have a Magic Marker I can borrow, or even a pen or pencil?”

“Oh, yes. I have some in the kitchen. Which would you like?”

“It doesn’t matter. But I need one quickly.”

Nodding, Esther hurried into the kitchen. Myrtle shut and locked the door, and then she and Levi joined the others in the sitting room, where Donny had laid Randy on the sofa. The teen’s cheeks were pale in the candlelight, and his breathing was steady but shallow. His eyes flickered beneath the lids. Marsha sat beside him, stroking his hair.

“Is he going to be okay?”

Donny lifted Randy’s wrist and checked his pulse.

He nodded. “He’ll be fine. His pulse is strong, and his breathing is steady—if shallow. Just let him rest for a bit.”

Esther returned from the kitchen and handed Levi a black Magic Marker. He dashed back into the foyer. Esther, Myrtle and Donny followed him. Levi uncapped the marker and then glanced over his shoulder at Esther.

“I apologize in advance for doing this, but it’s the only way to keep us safe. This will protect us. I’ll pay for the paint and repairs later, if you wish.”

Before she could respond, he stood on his tiptoes and began to write on the wall just above the closed door. He didn’t talk, didn’t explain to them what he was doing. He seemed totally absorbed in the task.

The three could only watch him and look at one another in confusion. He wrote,

When he was finished, Levi stepped back and studied his handiwork.

“Oh my…” Esther’s hand went to her chest.

“What is that stuff?” Donny asked. “Is that Latin or something?”

“I recognize some of it,” Myrtle said, sounding excited. “It’s a powwow charm. Isn’t that right, Mr. Stoltzfus?”

“Three different charms, actually.” Levi turned to them and smiled. “You are partially correct, Mrs. Danbury. But I must hurry. Please excuse me one moment. While I’m doing that, it might be best if you snuffed out the remaining candles.”

“But then we’ll have a hard time seeing.”

“Yes, but perhaps those outside will have a hard time seeing us, as well.”

“But you said that inscription above the door would protect us,” Esther said. “Why do we care if they know we’re in here?”

“Because I don’t want them surrounding the house. When we’re done, after I’ve rested a bit, I need to go back out there. That’s easier to do if I can sneak outside, rather than running a gauntlet.”

He turned away and repeated the inscription process over every door and window in the house, while the others returned to the sitting room. When he was finished, Levi joined them. To the others, he seemed exhausted.

“Mrs. Laudry—”

“Call me Esther, dear.”

“Very well. Esther, would you be so kind as to grant me a drink of water?”

“Certainly. We have bottled water in the refrigerator. I would imagine it’s still cold, even with the power being out. I’ll get some for everyone. Myrtle, would you help me?”

“Sure. Good thing our eyes have adjusted to the dark. I don’t fancy breaking a hip on top of everything else tonight.”

“Oh, hush.”

The two old women bustled off to the kitchen again. Marsha hovered over her brother, seemingly oblivious to anything else in the room. Donny and Levi studied each other.

“You look beat, Levi.”

“Not yet.”

“No, I mean you look tired.”

“Oh.” Grinning, Levi scratched his beard. “That I am. But it will be a long time before I sleep. I don’t think any of us will sleep before dawn—except for the boy there. His name is Randy?”

“Yeah.”

“He has… abilities.” Levi’s tone was flat—a statement rather than a question.

Donny shrugged. “He’s pretty good at fixing cars, but other than that, I don’t know. Why?”

“It’s… Never mind. We have more urgent matters to discuss. I just find him fascinating, is all.”

Donny looked over at Randy and Marsha and then back at Levi. “Fascinating?”

“He reminds me of… someone else at that age.”

“Who?”

“Here we are,” Esther said as she and Myrtle came back into the room, juggling plastic bottles of water. “It’s still cool. I’m sorry we didn’t pour it into glasses, but these seemed easier, given the circumstances.”

Levi smiled as he accepted one. “I’m sure this is fine. Thank you both.”

He unscrewed the cap and took a long sip while they handed bottles to Donny and Marsha. Marsha opened hers, but rather than drinking, she raised her brother’s head slightly off the couch, put the bottle to his parted lips and poured a small amount into his mouth. Randy swallowed and then smacked his lips. His eyes remained closed.