"The Little White Crow Bears Red Eyes"

~ Ribbons × and × Promises ~

TEASER

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Before she cried blood.

Before her eyes were something to fear.

Before her family looked at her like a ghost, they couldn't bring themselves to bury—

There was a day.

Sunlight poured through the trees, warm and golden, catching in the wind-blown strands of her sister's hair as they ran through the tall grass. The air smelled of clover and dust. The late afternoon was humming with life, with bees, with laughter.

"Catch me, catch me!" Bee shouted, her little legs moving far too fast for someone her size.

"I am catching you!" she called back, grinning.

She let Bee get ahead. Just a little.

Her sister wore her red ribbon again—tied clumsily to one side of her hair, bobbing as she ran. She wore it every day, even when their mother told her not to. "Red's a bold color," she used to say, like it was dangerous to love something so bright.

But Bee didn't care. Red was her favorite.
"Because it's the color of hearts and sunsets and the best candy," she had said once, like it was the most obvious truth in the world.

The older girl finally caught up and scooped Bee into her arms, spinning her around until they both collapsed into the grass in a breathless heap of laughter.

"You cheated," Bee huffed, half-giggling, half-pouting.

"You say that every time."

"That's because you do."

She smiled and poked Bee's cheek. "You're just mad because you're small."

Bee crossed her arms with mock indignation. "I'm not small. I'm bee sized."

That made her laugh—really laugh. That was the thing about Bee. She could make her forget the world, even on a bad day.

Lying back in the grass, Bee curled up beside her, small hands fidgeting with the hem of her sleeve.

"Do you think we'll always be like this?" she asked quietly, suddenly.

She blinked, looking over. "Like what?"

"Together. Happy. Safe."
Bee stared up at the clouds, her voice feather soft.

Something about the question made her chest ache, though she didn't know why. Not yet.

She turned to look at her sister fully, brushing a strand of hair from her face.

"I promise," she said. "As long as I'm here, every day will be like today."

Bee smiled, that red ribbon catching the sunlight like a flicker of flame.

And for a moment, just a moment, the world stood still.

No curses.
No death.
No fear.

Just the two of them, lying in the grass.
Red ribbon.
Golden sky.
Laughter in the air.

Before everything went to hell.
Before the blood.
Before she failed to keep her promise.

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444 words