Craaven

Chapter 8: Brighton, England 1979 August 7

The walk with her was probably the best walk I've had in a while. After the initial discussion about how my staying with her would work, we moved on to other subjects to get comfortable with each other again. We talked about our favourite things and what we liked to do. I learned more about where Michelle came from; she grew up in the country and then moved to the city to be closer to her older brother- who ultimately got her into her thieving habits. She and her brother travel quite a lot apparently.

Will was quiet the entire trip and I think it was mostly because of how tired he was, but I wasn't too sure. I do know I ended up having to carry him in my arm like a baby because he was having trouble keeping balance on my shoulder. Poor old man.

With the ten pounds I stole from the man on the pier, I bought Michelle and myself some ice cream cones and we ate them for the remainder of the walk. It was almost a surprise when we finally arrived at a fancier hotel and Michelle headed in; I was convinced we would be walking for another two hours or so.

I felt extremely out of place. Everything was clean and pristine, including Michelle and there I was, dressed in oversized heavy clothing and covered in dirt. I looked like that one pesky stain that you can't quite get out of a white carpet. Still, I remained as casual as possible and ignored the disgusted stares I received while following Michelle to her hotel room.

I was surprised that we got to her room without any trouble but I was relieved as well. Her room was small but it was still nicer than I could have ever imagined. There was only one bed and a lounge chair in the corner but it was still spacious and I felt very comfortable. The lounge chair was the first place I went to and I flopped into it with a comfortable sigh.

"This is a nice place!" I stated. Michelle nodded.

"So we agreed that you'd stay here until I leave for America but what then?" she asked with a tone that didn't match my happy-go-lucky tone at all. My face dropped as I thought about it. I knew I would have to return to my normal everyday life in that tree in the park in only two days and I was used to it, it wasn't like I had only been homeless just recently. But I didn't want to go back to that. Michelle made me feel comfortable and safe. I didn't want to be alone again with just Will. Will is fine, don't get me wrong, but our age difference gives us little to no common ground to talk about things. He didn't understand most human topics anyway so it was hard for me to talk about some of the things I enjoy.

"Didn't you say your brother was a smuggler?" I asked. Will, although half-asleep, looked directly at me as if I were crazy.

"Oui. Why?" Michelle nodded.

"Can he smuggle Will and me to America...?" I wondered sheepishly.

"I don't think that's a good idea- it's a dangerous business and my brother might not allow it," Michelle explained but I was persistent. Now that I think about it, I was probably pushing my luck. But it was still worth a try.

"Please? We don't even need to stick around when we get there, I won't bother you again," I persisted. Of course, I was only lying to myself. I knew that even if she took me along with her, I wouldn't want to leave her side again. Michelle hesitated to say anything again and she stared at me long and hard while chewing the inside of her cheek.

"Edgar, there is no way you'll be able to get past any sort of security. My brother smuggles drugs, not people," she eventually stated.

"That's okay, I can just become a raven, no big deal," I stated, and immediately regretted my decision because the look that Michelle gave me was enough to tell me exactly what she thought of me at that moment.

"Uh-"

"What on earth are you talking about? Are you daft?" she wondered.

"No! No, I swear!- ahh- it's complicated!" my face was probably redder than a tomato and it only embarrassed me further because I look weird with a red face. To make it even better, William muttered quietly that I had, indeed, messed up badly.

"It's hard to explain-" I stated.

"What's hard to explain? Have you lived with that bird for so long, you think you are one?" Michelle questioned, her weird expression only worsening as she made assumptions in her mind about me.

"No! Well... technically- but it's not like that. I'm not- I'm not crazy!" I defended myself. Michelle was clearly not convinced and I had no other choice but to prove myself before she kicked me out because she believed I was insane. I transformed myself into a raven right before her eyes and I was met with terrified screams and exclamations in French. She backed into the wall behind her and stared at me in horror and I simply sat there on the lounge chair and hoped she wouldn't start throwing things and calling me a demon.

Thankfully she didn't and she ceased her screaming long enough for me to say, "Please stop screaming, I'm not going to kill you!"

"What are you!?" she yelled.

"I'm human! I swear! It's just a necklace!" I stated and turned human again to show her. I took the necklace and held it out to her. She remained against the wall for a while, staring at me in horror and breathing heavily. I remained on the lounge chair, still, holding out the necklace and hoping with all my might she would calm down and listen long enough for me to explain myself. To my relief, she hesitantly stepped closer and stared hard at the necklace.

"It's magic... I don't know how it works or where it came from but it lets me do what I can do. I don't think I'd survive without it," I explained softly. Michelle extended a shaky hand and poked nervously at the small bird skull at the end of the necklace. It did nothing but sway in my hand and stare back at her with its green crystal eyes.

"It's magic...? Like witchcraft?" she wondered in a quivering voice.

I nodded, "Don't ask me how it exists 'cause I honestly don't know." Michelle continued to poke and prod the necklace before I finally let her hold it and she stared at it in awe.

"Where did you get this?" she questioned softly.

"A relative gave it to me before they died," I answered. The lie was becoming easier and easier to use without me feeling guilty about it. The memory still haunted me on occasion but I was learning to handle it.

"Okay... okay, I think I'm calm... this is cool, I have to admit," Michelle chuckled awkwardly and handed the necklace back to me.

I smiled out of relief, "See? I'm not crazy!"

Michelle managed a light-hearted nod, "I'll talk to my brother... but if he says yes he can't know about this." I agreed and she wandered away to the hotel phone to presumably call her brother. I didn't know what to do, since Will had passed out while Michelle and I were talking and there was nothing entertaining to do in the first place. So, after a while of listening to Michelle speak in French on the phone, I got up and made my way to the bathroom to learn how to use the overly complicated shower.

I was well overdue for a shower anyway and I'm sure Michelle could smell me from a mile away but she just chose not to comment on it out of politeness. The feeling of being greasy was bothering me anyway. Who knew feathers could be so damn oily?

...

Honestly, the shower made me feel ten times lighter once I got out. My skin was as pale as ever (but slightly pink from the heat of the water) and my hair felt less revolting to touch. The only issue I had was with my clothes, which I couldn't exactly wash right away so I was forced to put them on again despite how hard I worked just to smell nice.

Thankfully, though, when I got out, Michelle first told me that her brother agreed to me stowing away with them (which was exciting) and was kind enough to offer to take my clothes to get them cleaned. I took that offer up right away and for the next several hours, I relaxed in a fluffy hotel robe and watched television. I felt as if I were living like a king and I was enjoying every second of it.

Michelle joined me on the bed when she came back from the laundromat and I have to admit, her sitting next to me was more than just comforting to me, it felt right. I wanted to cuddle up to her so many times but I didn't want to seem desperate, so I resisted, keeping my eyes focused on the TV while simultaneously thinking about what she would feel like if I laid my head on her lap.

She fell asleep before I did and I remained awake for a while to finish the movie we had been watching. It was a pretty basic movie from what I remember. I think I only finished it to see how stupidly they could end it.