Chapter 7 Meeting Of The Owl

It was a cold day when Fina and Nina walked through the thick snow, and were staring at the large brown Owl lurking in the hole in the tree, who craned his neck, and stared at the two girls who were watching him very closely.

It simply waited for them to speak, although the girls at this point felt like they were about to pass out. Even the thick fur coats they wore that day, were not enough to keep them warm -- and they started feeling the bite into the skin that was still exposed. Eventually it was the large owl in the tree that broke the silence. “You can make a pact, and continue your untold story.” the owl raised it’s neck, then hooted. “If you will make a pact, and speak with tact, you can continue your untold story.” The owl peered at them ominously. “Now speak with tact, to me the wise old owl, torn and un tethered. Make a pact to the devil.”

Fina wasn’t sure as to whether to trust the owl, who gave off a distinct type of supernatural feeling that she could not describe succinctly. Nina, who passed out being carried by Fina through the snow, had just barely woken up when she saw the Owl. She did not really want to make any deal with the devil, but also wanted to get back with her mom and pop in the car, for surely their beady eyed crone for a mother would miss them. Who is probably many miles away down the snowy road. She waited for a moment, through the snowy wind that was about to topple over them both. Then the Owl craned it’s neck again. “I want you to give me your soul.” he said, pretending to be somewhat serious, though it could not help but curve it’s beak in a smiling position, that gave Fina a bit of the chills. “Bah Bah Bah, just kidding. Are you two lost. I can give you directions.”

“We want to be able to reach the fare,” Fina said, who hugged Nina tightly to keep her warm in the snow, because she did not want to let her go. “get back with our parents.” Then the smile that came from the wise old owl, was a little bit less wide, and gave the most peculiar sound of shreakish laughter after his smirk came back. The laughter of the bird-ghoul slowly died down into a whisper.

“Oh the winter fare?” the owl said. Then looked into the direction of the road. “My family used to go in that direction all the time, that forest used to always give a bad feeling. So we simply stopped going. Why are you wanting to go to the fare?”

“To meet back up with our parents.”

“To meet back up with your parents?” The Owl said, ancoring himself on Fina’s shoulder. As soon as nina began to wake up completely, she climbed off of Fina. Both were startled her breifly when they were swooped up by the owl.

“I can lead you in the direction of the fare.” Owl said.

“Is something bad about the fare?” Fina said.

“Just don’t go into the tomb, there is a reason why your people celebrate the coming of the Grim Reaper. Though just between you and me, that thing -- that thing is not a merciful god. I’ve heard, even the gods of death are afraid of them. Be wary.” He carefully landed the two girls, who were close to the road again. The two girls - Fina and Nina - walked on.

They walked and walked through the forest of the snow. Which was like a maze of death, except with a maze there was at least some promise of an escape. The forest felt like it was looping and looping into infinity.

They eventually found their parents car. It turned out that Bernina and Lucas’s had broken down just ahead. Slowly Fina and Nina walked to the car wearily, as they were unsure as to whether there mother would be happy to see them. Fina felt silly about it, so she jerked Nina by the arm and they ran over to the car to greet their mother to go to the winter fare.

“And just where have you to been?” Bernina said with her beady eyed stared, that bordered on a growl.

“Weren't you wanting to look for them earlier?” Lucas said.

“Uh ... I figured we would find them eventually, yes!” Bernina said, threatening to hit her husband with her cane.

“Get in the car, now!” Bernina said, and Fina and Nina boarded into the car. It was not the eery silence that gave them chills far colder than even the snow of the forest maze where they were luckily to get alive. But that silence that was not quite silence. The silence was defeating. Then she spoke with a high pitch. “Are you two aware of how worried sick I was, what if you two had been killed out there? Who’s going to clean my dishes!”

Lucas could not exactly believe she was worried, but said ... nothing. Not a peep. Bernina insisted switching to drive, because she felt that he was not getting to the winter fire fare soon enough.

They parked at the winter fire fare gate.

And then got out of the car. Fina thought: Thanks Mr Owl, you have our souls to take. There waiting, in the night. You gave us the light in the snow tossed in the rain. Maybe as long as your there, we really never will get lost. Other people may never find wild animals that talk like you.

A bird, lost in the maze ...

Of forest night.