The Boy and The Friendly Crow

It was the end of the spring season and almost every year it was raining. The rain did not stop for three days and some parts of the town were getting flooded. We had been indoors the whole time and my mom was comforting me since I was a little scared from the noise of the strong winds and thunder. The trees were shaking in the storm. Some heavy branches had fallen off and the light branches were hitting the house. My father had spent the three days drinking, no surprise there since he is always drinking. I was only seven but I knew that my mom was good and my father was bad. My mom was kind and loving. Always worrying about others, even animals. She always said to me, "Be kind to even the most little of creatures because then help will come from unexpected places". Suddenly we hear a knock on the door, "There is no way that is someone at the door right now", said my mom "Probably just a branch," said my father. Then there were some rapid knocks on the door. "That must be a person", said my mom, she got up and went to go see what or who was knocking. "Leave it alone, nothing but branches or maybe some critters," said my father. My mom ignored him and she went to open the door. It was red and had no peephole like the fancy doors I have seen around my school or glass to see who is on the other side. So my mom had to open it. "If the rug gets wet you will clean it up all by yourself since you had opened that door" yelled my father from the beer room, that is what my mom called the living room since it was always covered in cans and bottles of beer. When my mom opened the door she was not expecting the Sheriff Big John. That is what everyone called him since he had a big belly, "Why are you outside in this rain? You are going to catch your death out there" said my mom. Big John looked tired and out of breath. He yelled "why are you still here, there was a warning of a hurricane. I was driving on my way back when I saw the truck park in the front, which meant you were still home and came to warn you. now hurry up to your cellar, I got to head back to the station". My father said "was that Big John? what nonsense he was spouting about?" My mom quickly grabbed me from my arm and pulled the beer out of my father's hand "hurry we must take shelter down in the cellar, this is not just a rain but a hurricane, that is what Big John was spouting". My father looked mad "did you just take my beer out of my hand woman, how many times have I told you not to do that". My father got up and hit my mom "I do not care for some bigger rain or more wind, leave me be here and you take that sissy boy with you, you mom him too much he might as well be a sissy" He looked at me with those eyes like there was no love for anything or anyone. "you hear me boy, you good nothing...", “Stop it, this is no time for this", said my mom. "I cannot deal with you right now" she lifted me in her arms and ran out the door, leaving it open. My father got angrier and yelled, "woman I told you to not let the rug get wet". He stood up and walked to the door and watched us rush to the cellar, but on the way there my mom felt a sting on her right leg. She wrestled with the doors a bit and we got inside. Before we got in, my father smiled showing his teeth and closed the door to the house. My mom and I went down and she managed to close the doors. It was dark and smelled awful. My mom turned on the lights and we went down the stairs, as we walked down, I noticed my mom limping. I asked, "are you alright mom?" She smiled sweetly and said, "I'm alright sweetie, just tired". We made it down and I noticed a box of beers not finished all the way, maybe that is what was causing the awful smell. There were scattered piles of rags and old clothes all over the floor. There were also boxes label donations, my mom always donated to those less unfortunate than us. I kept looking around and saw my baby crib and a stationary bike that was covered in a huge layer of dust. Then I saw an old mattress cushion, had someone slept here in the past I thought. “Look, we can sit on that old mattress cushion and there is a box label blankets behind it, we can cover with those”, said my mom. Again my mom limped as we walked to the mattress cushion and she looked in pain. "Are you ok mom?" I asked, she nodded and said "is nothing" We sat down on the floor and heard how the storm got more stringent. The wind was making a huge noise and stuff hitting the cellar doors. My mom held me and started to hum a sweet melody to calm me down. I fell asleep. I opened my eyes and saw my mom wrapping a piece of clothing around her right leg. “Mom, are you ok?” I asked, she smiled and said “is nothing serious is just a scratch, I probably got it from the chicken wire that was near the cellar doors”. She held me in her arms again and said “do not worry my boy I will always be here for you, even when I am not” her arms felt warm and I felt safe. Not knowing if my father was ok or not. The storm raged on, the wind howling like an angry beast, the rain was so aggressive some water had gotten through the cellar doors. My mom had covered us in a huge old blanket that had some holes, my mom blamed it on the moths. At that moment nothing else mattered. I felt secure even with the hurricane outside, I was at peace and content. Several days later my mom was in the hospital and every time I asked the doctor or nurses when my mom could go home, everyone disregarded me. Days went by and my father only went to the hospital when the doctor called him on the phone, but he only came to look at the nurses, leaving me alone in the room where mom was. "My sweet sweet boy", she said, "I want to share a dream I had", she coughed a little "have you ever fly in a dream", she said with a weak voice and I nodded no. "Well I had a dream, I was soaring above the pine trees like a bird, I could feel the wind on my face and the sun shined on so bright. I once read that those are special dreams, meaning that your spirit left your body but only for a little bit", she coughed again but she had a smile. "For you see I am still here with you, but it felt so peaceful", she shed a tear and ran down her face. "To be free and be at peace from all the pain", my mom grabbed my hand. "I am here for you mom. I wish I could do anything to make you feel better", I said. "There is nothing you can do that the doctors cannot mend", she said "but make me a promise", "Sure anything", I said. "Remember to be kind to even the smallest of creatures", she said, as I heard these words I started to cry. "I promise mom, I promise!" I said, holding tightly onto her hand as she closed her eyes one last time. A warm summer breeze came through the window and it filled me with calmness, but only for a moment. I could hear birds chirping outside her window and the sound of cicadas. It was going to be the longest summer this town had ever seen.