Crooked Wings

 The wind had a crisp chill to it, and something was brewing in the lands. Skeletons filled the waters of the swamp. No one ever talked about what happened here, for it would remind them of the terrible events that took place in this unmarked graveyard.      Over by a small mountain was a cave and inside that cave was a girl in a long and very deep dreamless sleep. `     A thin leather bracelet snapped and slit green eyes opened full of anger and resent. Her long black silk dress dragged behind her as she paced back and forth.      “Where is everyone, where am I?” she asked herself she was so confused as to where she was. Several blurred memories rushed through her mind, she couldn't recall the death and destruction she caused.     With the magic that pulsed through her veins she destroyed the cave wall that kept her sealed in the prison like cave. A swamp was in front of her as far as her eyes could see. She took a deep breath and walked till she was standing in front of a large mirror standing on a flat stone.      Raven leaned over at the mirror but slipped and fell inside the mirror. When she opened her eyes she was in a white subway tiled bathroom, standing on top of a toilet.      She walked out of the bathroom. Soon she was standing in a rather busy and very dirty alleyway. Crowds of people walked by her, not paying any attention to where they were going.      "Hello Raven, it has been a while since I've seen you hasn't it?" Hollered a girl her age, with bright brown hair wearing a white turtle neck with gray sleeves and a pink collar.     "Pigeon is that you?" Raven asked. I think that's her it has to be.     "It is I, Pigeon" She responded with a silly expression on her face, as she waved to Raven, "Do you want to go back? I hear that Mrs Owl is going start classes soon?"     "Not right now, I have to go find my parents! Do you know where they are?" Raven responded back to Pigeon.      Pigeon's face dropped, "They are missing, me and Gull looked for them every where but we couldn't find them!"     That sentence made Raven fearful of what that might mean. Are they dead? Raven didn't want to believe it. She hoped that she was wrong and that her parents were alive and that she would see them again. "What are you waiting for lets go find them!" Pigeon shouted to Raven hoping it would help her feel a little better.     They walked into the bathroom and Pigeon grabbed Raven by the arm and pulled her into the same stall as her. Pigeon stood on the toilet.     "Wait a second we flush ourselves in?" Raven asked in a grossed out voice. She stepped back and groaned.     "Yes we do, what is your big problem?" Pigeon responded in a sarcastic voice. Of course you don't have a problem with it, you represent rats with wings!  Raven thought, but then she remembered that pigeon was gifted with mind reading abilities.     Raven stood up on the toilet with Pigeon, she pressed the button to flush the toilet. They reached the magical world of the bird people. Suddenly Pigeon screamed at the top of her lungs, at the terrible scene in front of them. There were dead bodies everywhere. A stab of horror was on her mind, she looked over and Pigeon's tears were like rivers.     "What happened here? Raven asked. The view of the bodies was overwhelming.     "This happened when Jay dumped you on twitter an hour before the school dance" Pigeon explained, "You got all angry and you destroyed everything. Maybe you could use your magic to make graves to match the bodies."     "Okay i can do that" with a twist of her arm the swamp of corpses turned into a valley with peach trees and marble tombstones. The front 2 graves made Raven's heart ache with a fierce pain, she clasped to the ground tears like waterfalls rushed down her face.  "Do you want to leave?" Pigeon asked in a soft voice feeling like it was her fault.     "Yes" Raven barely choked out in a hoarse voice. Raven stood up and brushed her dress then wiped the tears off her face.     They walked over to the mirror but before they could leave, a twig snapped from behind them. They both turned around and saw Vulture, Raven's grandpa. He was in his bird form as Condor landed by Vulture.     Raven sniffled "Hi Grandma, hi Grandpa i missed you both so much" Raven turned into her bird form       "Would you like to come stay and live with us?" Vulture asked in a raspy voice.     Raven only nodded, rubbing her face in Condor's chest, getting her tears all over Condor's brownish grey feathers. They all walked through the mirror and into the Human world. They walked across the street towards a black truck.      "Oh Raven, we think you should do normal schooling, as in non-magic schooling." her grandmother announced, as she opened the passenger side door.     "Why? I don't want to!" Raven protested.     "Because we are moving to New York City, and I don't think there is a way to get here from New York." Vulture joined the conversation. He climbed up to the driver's seat.     "Could I come with you guys? My parents would be happy to get rid of me?" Pigeon asked.     "If she goes i guess i'll go with you to." Raven admitted.     "Then you two should go pack your bags," Condor replied.      Pigeon and Raven looked at each other for a moment then they hopped into the truck. Pigeon pulled her phone out of the back pockets on her jeans. Then she plugged in her ear buds and started singing Blackbird by the Beetles, even though she didn't hit a single note properly.      They packed up all their stuff, and put them in the moving van, They drove for a few hours until it was night fall. They parked the truck in a Motel's parking lot. They got out the pillows and blankets.       “Goodnight guys” Pigeon announced quietly as she laid down to get some shut eye.      By tomorrow morning they will be in New York City, and they were all excited about it. Pigeon’s obnoxiously loud snoring made it hard for everyone to sleep. Pigeon kept tossing and turning, a.k.a slapping and kicking Raven in the face.     “PIGEON, WOULD YOU STOP THAT PLEASE!” raven squawked rudely.      Pigeon quietly mumbled something under her breath, and then almost automatically rolled on top of Raven.     “I know you represent a very stupid and extremely annoying bird but could you please get off me!” Raven tried to shove Pigeon off while they were both chuckling. After a few minutes everyone was back to sleeping. Pigeon started snoring again, Raven picked up her pillow and hit Pigeon in the face with it, “be quiet please”     They all slept quietly for the rest of the night. The sun was rising as Raven woke up to the smell of fish sandwiches.     “Raven it’s breakfast time, we bought you a couple fish sandwiches from Wendy’s” Condor whispered in Raven’s ear.      Raven sat up and yawned, “Alright i’m up.” She grabbed her fish sandwich and started eating.     Everyone sat in their seats then buckled up, ready to go. Before they started driving, Condor Turned around, “This is from your parents,” she said and handed Raven a small box covered in pink wrapping paper. “Happy birthday!” Pigeon grabbed two more presents out of her back pack, then handed them to Raven.     “Thank you.” She opened the gift from her parents to see a phone, the case’s design had small black feathers with a white background, Raven had never been so happy. The next present she grabbed was from her grandparents, she ripped off the wrapping paper and she uncovered a small, thick, leather covered book, “What is the book for?” raven asked.     “It was made by your cousin, look inside.” Vulture urged.     She opened the book, on the first few pages were phone numbers of other magic people. She flipped through the pages and stopped on the page titled; MEMORIES. The pages had pictures of her parents, but the images in the pictures moved. Tears of joy fell from her eyes as she watched the pictures.     "We should have had her open that one last," Pigeon suggested a little late. Raising her left eyebrow     “True” Condor responded to Pigeon's statement.     "Oh sorry guys," Raven apologized to them. The last gift was from Pigeon, she tore off the wrappings and underneath was a wooden box. Raven looked inside, there were feather earrings, a peacock pin and an eagle necklace. "Thank you Pigeon, but where did you get these?" Raven asked curiously.      "I stole them." Pigeon said with pride.     Everyone's jaw dropped as they gave Pigeon a shocked look.       "Just kidding, I won a contest and I used the prize money to buy it," Pigeon claimed.     She didn't need to do that for me, I owe her big time. Raven thought. Raven smiled at her, "Thank you so much."      "I'd do anything for you," Pigeon replied with respect.     Raven thought that was a weird response, then again it was Pigeon who was the one talking. Soon they started driving, while Pigeon was helping Raven get her phone set up. After a few hours they saw a huge, green sign that had the words NEW YORK CITY written in white bold letters.     “Yay were here!” Pigeon shouted in Raven’s ear.     Raven turned to her side then slapped her in the face with the back of her hand.     “Ow” Pigeon shouted with a whiny tone in her voice. “That hurt a lot” she rubbed her face in the spot that Raven hit her.     Pigeon looked out the car window. Raven followed her gaze to see pigeons. Pigeon stared out the window and her eyes locked on something. Sitting on a billboard was a young but large kestrel with deep red feathers and big wings, and sitting next to him was a eagle and peregrine falcon.  What are those birds doing just sitting together watching? Raven thought to her self as the falcon turned her head to their car. "Pigeon that bird just looked at us!" Raven conspired with her.      Soon the car stopped and the were in the driveway of a brick house with three levels. Bushes grew on the edges of the sidewalk.      "Well This is our brand new house" Condor announced in a loud voice full of pride, joy, and a strong amount of hope.   Pigeon hoped out of the car to get a better view of the house. She stood still in utter shock, "It's so big" she said in a soft awe struck voice.     Raven giggled as she walked by with bags in her hands. "What a goof ball," she muttered as she opened the front door to the house. The inside of the house was beautiful there were winter white and the trim was dark brown. Raven rushed over to the stairs as Pigeon walked in to the house, "First one up get's to pick their room!" Raven challenged Pigeon.     Pigeon dropped her bags on the floor and then dashed quickly up the stairs after Raven.     Right when they made it to the middle of the stairs,"Girls, no running inside the house!" Vulture demanded in a loud and authoritative voice. They both stopped immediately and then Pigeon took the opportunity and ducked and passed raven as they continued walking up the rest of the way up the stairs.      Pigeon looked in the first room on the right, "Yup this room is diffidently mine!"   Raven walked in to the room across the hall from pigeon's. "this one Is perfect," raven mumbled. They both unpacked their bags and set up their rooms so they could go to school tomorrow morning.      "Dinner time!" Condor called out to pigeon and raven.      They both came bolting down the stairs and then they walked into the dinning room. They looked at the table on the plates were slices of cooked fish sprinkled with salt and pepper with a side of dill pickle chips. They took their seats at the table, said grace the began to feast on the food in front of them.     After dinner they sat down in the living room to watch Rio then Rio 2 while eating popcorn. "Okay girls its time to got to bed, you two have school in the morning." condor said softly.     "Okay i'll see you in the morning, love you and good night." Raven yawned and her eye lids drooped heavily as she walked up stairs. Pigeon followed her then walked into her own room. They all went to bed so they would be ready for their first day at their new school.