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Chapter #1 - Part I120Please respect copyright.PENANAO6QOB5D4O0
The man that looks like a crow
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"Is this it?" Two teenage boys ponder to themselves while coming to the crossover of two intersected roads. "I mean... the map says it is." the younger of the two says. And the older boy, who swishes the map out of his partner's hand-- scoffs, "Lemme see that-- eh!? Cooper... that rottin' brain of his. This ain't no map! It's just a bunch of scribbles!"
"Shhh! What if he followed us? He'll beat you up again." his friend remarks while looking at his friend that has bandages ravaging his face.
"Tsk. Like he'd follow, he probably thinks we'll end up dead. As soon as we get through with this crap I swear I'm gonna replace that brawny brain of his with a120Please respect copyright.PENANAQlCTssTpav
bulle-"
Crack!
"W-what was that..!?" the older boy flinches at the noise, caused by a jack-rabbit making its way inside its burrow. The younger lad chuckles at his friend, knowing full well how terrified he is of Cooper, "It's just a rabbit Jeremiah! Get yourself together."
"Oh shush it Jose!" the boy retorts, "N-now c'mon-- we don't have all day, so let's get this over with."
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The two boy's start riding their shared horse down the road on the right; the road regretfully taken. They're soon cascaded in a forest of rickety looking dry trees, and as expected, not a footprint of any other living thing in sight. Although it is mid-day, it feels as if the light grows dimmer the more they trot; feeling the humidity sweat down their skin, frizzing their hair, as the summer has boldly arrived once again in the country.
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Ca-caw.. Ca-caw..
Crows seem to taunt the boys with their annoying screeches and shouts; almost seeming like they know of the wild rumors said about their home.
"Now here's the plan..." Jeremiah begins to whisper, acting like peeked ears are on the ready to swarm, "I'm gonna go walk up to the front door and lockpick it. And once inside, you're gonna go ahead and take one of your pictures of the big crow. Now make sure you get a good shot..! Otherwise Cooper won't believe us even if it's only the slightest blurry." Jeremiah's partner nods with a serious look, paying firm attention to his friend's words... "What if he sees us before I get a good shot? What happens then? The click on my camera is-- is... es tan largo como mi madre. He'll notice for sure..!"
"Well gosh Jose, I guess we just kinda start a brawl then huh?"
"R-really..?"
"Of course not..! Who you think I am? Can barely keep a foot against Cooper--"
"Yeah that's true, you're weak..I guess that means we just run away then."
Twitch. "I-if you weren't so stupid.." the older boy mumbles.
"Huh?"
"Nothin'. Now shush, we're here..."
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The boys hop off the spotted brown and white horse, tying it up to a tree that's grown a small bit of ways away from a forlorn looking cabin. Crouching down, the two boys hide behind a desolate placed bush, "I can't believe Copper is making us do this... what a screwed up initiation." Jose whispers to his buddy, with a sassy expression. "Tck-- you know well he ain't ever do somethin' like this himself either, goes to say how much more fitting I--"
"Ok there amigo, we get it." Jose rolls his eyes, making Jeremiah swallow his pride.
The older boy starts creeping out of the forest, changing hiding positions to a spot behind a worn down well; gesturing to Jose to hurry it up, he mouths the word,120Please respect copyright.PENANAgPNnzDPfCv
C O W A R D.
"C-coward..!? No soy cobarde, simplemente no soy un idiota como el!" Jose mumbles frustratingly to himself, meeting up with his friend who now hides behind the wall of the dried up, yet damp with the lake water air cabin.
"You sure love takin' your time dontcha?" Jeremiah puffs his cheeks with a disappointed smile, shaking his head. "Cerrarlo.." Jose gives a death stare.
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Nodding at each other, the boys start their trek up the old wooden stairs that are rotted almost to nothing; with their creaking noises loud enough to scare away any unwanted guests. Looking around, they see nothing but a dreadful excuse for a welcoming matt that says, "Home sweet home... I guess someone lives here then huh..? I don't think sweet really fits it though..." Jose whispers to Jeremiah who's knelt down in front of the door, starting his lockpicking. Sweat trickles down their sun-burned summer glow complexions, caressing their furrowed brows and nervous biting of lips. Click! Jeremiah wiggles the knob of the cabin, "I... I think I locked it?" he says.
"How? I thought you were good at this..!"
"I am, I am! The door must've been unlocked already."
"Ah, tu, paleto! Should've checked before you went ahead and done it then--"
"Oh shut it Jose!"
"Hurry it up will ya... it was unlocked si? What if the crow isn't home-- a-and he's hunting or something... and comes back seeing us here and starts hunting us too!" the younger boy whispers anxiously, biting his fingernails.
"An' what if he is home and hears you yapping? Shh..!"
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Click! The door unlocks. Letting the boys sigh in relief as they are desperate to get this over with. Now holding their breaths... they slide the door open, and before they barely set more than two feet inside the dreary coal smelling room, a sudden realization comes over them; once the sight of a man widens their eyes. And mumbling to themselves the boys lay their mouths agape saying...
"His pale complexion that the sun never touches--" Jose says with his mexican accent.
"H-his long black longs that he ties messily in a ponytail--" Jeremiah sputters with his hillbilly hick tone.
"His scruffy excuse for a beard--"
"His lanky stature--"
"His black clothes that he's worn down to their stitches--"
And stuttering together... "And his bare naked feet." 120Please respect copyright.PENANAvjEFtFMbBg
The two boys look at eachother with widened eyes, and trembling pupils; sharing a moment they scarcely have, as it's interrupted by the mellow gray tones coming from the outstretched man that sits sloppily in his rickety old chair saying... "That's all everyone has ever seen of him, a dark, gloomy man, looking like he's on his way to a funeral everyday. No one has ever seen his eyes however, cuz they always be hidden away behind his pathetic bangs-- and that's why they call him..." The man raises his head, turning it towards the boys, "The big crow."
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And hesitantly shifting their eyes at the man, Jeremiah smiles awkwardly saying, "Uh... H-h-h-he-he-helLO--" the older boy's voice cracks, revealing his nervous heartstrings that tug on him to retreat. Jose, repeating the same mistake, begins to stutter, "M-m-mind if we take a p-picture amigo? N-no bueno..?"
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Cricket... Ca-caw... The three remain still. Until... BAM! The big crow charges at the boys, and Jose throws his camera in fright, hoping to hit the man who chases them out of his house. Screaming, they awaken the crows that live there-- and naturally, the crows screech along with them. And tryna untie their horse off the tree, Jeremiah yells, "WHY'D YOU KNOT IT SO WELL JOSE? YOU KNEW THIS WAS A RETREAT MISSION."
"Oh SCREW IT JEREMIAH-- HE'S WALKING OVER HERE--"
The man slowly... walks towards the boys, and even though he's a ways away, they decide to leave the horse tied to the tree and make a run for it on foot.
"M-my Pa's gonna kill me for losing Becky!" Jeremiah yells through his breath.
And they run, run faster, and keep running, all the way back to the intersection of the two roads.
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"Ah Senor ayudame! I thought we were corpses back there." Jose pants, bending over himself.
"Well we may not be corpses back there but--" Jeremiah stumbles onto the dirt road, panting, "You being an idiot is gonna make us corpses back home-- HOW COULD YOU LEAVE WITHOUT TAKING A PHOTO-- One job Jose! ONE. JOB. Gosh... Cooper's gonna beat us to death now."
Thinking to himself for a moment, he catches his breath, letting silence tell his partner that he agrees; throwing his camera was the stupidest thing he could've done. Well... maybe not as stupid as his next suggestion of thought, "N-not unless we don't go home."
"Whatcha mean?" Jeremiah peeks one eye open.
"I have an uncle that lives in the mountains... I know where too. We could just live with him for awhile. He's close to his brother... my padre, you've met him once too-- Winston. Remember?"
"Winston.. You babblin' 'bout that weirdo that practices the ways of a hermit?"
Jose shrugs, "It's better than getting beaten up by Cooper's possy." he says while helping his friend off the ground. And nodding, Jeremiah is obliged to agree, "Yeah yeah... Well we're gonna need a horse for sure this time. And not just any horse! A hearty boy, with sturdy legs that can climb the ways of the mountain..."
He snaps his fingers, "And I know just where we can get'im! C'mon Jose! We're on our way to livin' good!"
Smiling, the two teenage boys giggle to themselves, walking along the country dirt roads of wavy valleys, and drought fields; onward towards a foolish, but eventful time of their lives.
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So what do you think, stranger? We know one rumor is true, he sure does look like a crow! Well... close enough to one anyways. Curious yet? Or is it still just me wondering what this man is all about? Well, if you're not curious... maybe next time you will be. As you've probably heard at least once in your miniscule lifetime-- third time's the charm!
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