The Winged Guardian - 11 At Steak Stake

Rare? Medium-rare? Well done?

“How would you like yours done?”

“Stix and friends love it raw. I’ll have medium-rare please.”

I lined the plates of meat slices in front of the ravens. The biggest, most expensive piece went to Dylan. These were my thanking gift for them as a replacement for my soul. Dylan told me that it was Stix that went and told him I was kidnapped. He lectured me for an hour about drawing the summoning symbol and carried on telling me the advantages of having Stix around.

“Weren’t you lucky? That I helped you on time?” Dylan put another piece into his mouth. “Umm…this is good!”

I was wondering about demons’ foods when I heard the word ‘help.’ My auto-response was turned on. “I–I didn’t ask you to come!” And suddenly felt bad because if it weren’t for him, I would be a soulless body by now.

“Okay. Okay.” Dylan said and continued with his food. “But it was nice hearing you call my name. It was the first time!” He smiled “Call me again, come on.” I shied away and ignored him.

Stix’s friend number 3– that’s what I called them now– asked for more meat. He sure ate a lot! Unlike me, I had no appetite. My tongue tasted like earth.

“By the way,” said Dylan. “What did you do to them? Why did they want to kill you?”

“Only God knows!”

“You mean Satan.”

“What?”

“Never mind.” Dylan went on. “You’ve never done anything to them?”

I shook my head until it was going to fall off. Dylan lost in his thought for a while and came out with a conclusion that got me even more confused. “You humans are so weird!”

I thought I wasn’t weird and Stix’s friend number 4 requested a refill. “They’re yummy, are they not?” I said to him. “I’m glad that at least you eat like us.”

“Who told you that?” Dylan talked again. “Only small creatures like Stix and friends eat like you. I don’t!” And I watched him munching on the tenderloin with disbelief. “Soul’s my only food. I’m only eating this for fun, for a change.”

I almost fainted. Is he keeping taps?!

But nothing happened and Dylan left, trusting me with the ravens again. Since then, I allowed them in the house during meals. The birds proved themselves useful and reliable. I was still in the dark about who did that to me. Bully at school was ok but hiring someone to kill me was probably too far. Maybe it was the Queen, it seemed kind of her thing.

I decided to go to school the next day despite the demon’s advice. I couldn’t stand stepping out of the house after dark. But the fear couldn’t hold me back during day time; I needed to go see Dale.

I opened the kitchen window and called the ravens for breakfast. I gave them each a piece of bread. They all aa-ed in joy. Actually, they are pretty cute.

Stix took place on my shoulder on the way. The other three were flying closely behind my back. It may be a weird sight. But, it was actually kind of cool and fun having them close by.

Stix aa-ed at his friends next to my ear. I blenched. “Ow, Stix!”

The bird nudged his beak and head against my cheek like a cat purring at its owner. Oh my god, I started to love them!

The other ravens wanted attention too. They tried to find space to sit on my body. One got the other shoulder. One got my head. One couldn’t find anywhere and kept hovering in front of my face. Stix got jealous suddenly and the bird fight began around my head.

“Stop!” I yelled, only once, and they did stop obediently. “Good boy.” I added. They all resumed their positions. Not bad! Having clever, obedient birds as pet. I could enjoy this!

So I played with them. No, more like they played with each other and I had fun watching, giving comments sometimes. We had become good friends in such a short distance. And when the gate came into sight, I told the ravens to hide.

They made me happy. And I walked into the school with a small smile on my face, temporarily forgot the dead box experience. I was pretty confident. If anyone bullied me again today, I would just give them the I-don’t-care attitude. They would soon be bored and I would be free. Oh yeah, that is– only if I could keep Dylan out of this too. He would just make the mess messier.

Dale was at the music club alone working on the itinerary for the concert with a bloated face. Half of his cheek was under a white plaster. “Dale.”

Dale made a twisting face. I took a few seconds to realize he was smiling. “Leigh!”

“Your face—are you alright?”

“Not a big problem. It will get better before the concert.” He said. “By the way, where were you yesterday? When I woke up, Sonnia said that you already went home.”

I avoided his eyes. “Um…yea. School’s become an unpleasant place.”

“I know.” Dale said understandingly. “You should change your drawing model. Anyone but Dylan Ziarre is fine.”

“I will consider that.”

“And I heard that Ziarre stood up for you when the Queen was onto you too.”

“Oh, er–” Well, this is hard. “Er–”

“He seemed to be very good to you. He is nice to everybody. But he seemed to care about you more than other people.”

The whole explanation swirled and mixed in my mind, and after summing up and filtering, all that left was “Er–” I would very much like to tell him that Dylan was doing it after my soul.

I was safe by the wind that came blowing. The document flew around the room and we both had to run around catching. My hand fumbled for a flying paper and met his wounded face as he yelped. I quickly apologize.

“I’ll have to thank Conner Rider too.” Dale said touching on the bandage with care. “I didn’t know he’s that cool. He even scared those DW away!”

Nor did I. He was obviously some kind of demon hunters. He warned me against Dylan. What else could he be? Maybe I could ask him to help–

My thought was interrupted by the uproar outside the window. Michelle banged the door open and said, “Leigh you have to hide!” when Adam saw me, shouted and pointed. “There she is!”

The Queen’s guy friends pushed Michelle aside and came gushing through the tiny exit. I watched them opened mouth, Dale likewise, but they were only interested in me. Both my arms were locked by stronger arms. They cried victory in unison and carried me on their head like I was a hero. No–I felt more like I was a pig about to be slaughtered.

I was transported to the basketball field putting down in front of the Queen and her acquaintances for final judgment. People, including the DW, gathered around curiously in circle and I was trapped. Many of us including me had no idea what was happening. Natalie waited until everyone was quiet and settled, then she announced.

“She ‘s a WITCH!”

This is the WORST BULLY ever!

Natalie leered and pulled out her i6. There was a tiny photo and I couldn’t see what it was. The Queen and her friends started sending it around. The Dings and Buzzes went off non-stop. My phone got something too and I went rigid when I saw the photos.

All eyes on me. Hundreds of them pierced through me who had already turned into a dead log. The circle was quiet again except the queen who wanted to announce something I didn’t want to hear. I couldn’t feel the phone in my hand anymore even though it’s still there. My eyes met Sonnia, Dale, and Michelle who, with their phoned in their hands, stared at me in horror. My heart all at once shrank. What were they thinking of me?

“TIE HER!”

The Queen announced again and all her tumultuous guy friends grabbed and dragged me to the basketball pole. They tied me to it with ropes and clothes. Other people merely moved their eyes, but not their bodies. They were scared like every time when Natalie did it with someone. But this time, I wasn’t sure if they were scared of the Queen, or they were scared of me. Teachers and staff were nowhere to be seen which was kind of normal because they were afraid of Natalie’s dad power. I’m doomed! No! No. I’m not doomed. I’m just not going to care. Yes! I don’t care. I don’t have to care. The Queen will get bored and this will end very soon. Getting tie to the pole isn’t that bad. It’s a rare experience. Very…very…rare.

My determination was swayed by what they lugged out next. Natalie’s admirers arranged the old wooden tables and chairs pieces that were neglected for years in the gym’s store room around my legs. I doubted if they would really only tie me to the pole.

Stix and friends, sensing danger, rocketed down from the tree nearby pecking on the ropes. They were strong and bold, loving and caring, loyal and obedient…at the WRONG time! I wanted to cry!

“See! See!” Natalie cried excitedly and chortled as if she had just done a world-class discovery. Others curiously looked my way and the birds. “I told you! She’s a WITCH!”

I sighed and Stix and friends looked at me wondered if they had done something wrong.

“She practices black magic! The crows, bird of death, are her servants!” She waved her phone showing the photo of me giving Stix and friends food this morning, and of me talking and playing to them again. “That’s how she lures Dylan!”

And now we’re back to this.

“She has to be managed the way witches were managed in the past.” Natalie still talked. “BURN HER!”

I should have imagined. If she could bury me alive, why couldn’t she burn me alive too? Stupid me.

There were totally two different groups. One hollered in agreement and passion to burn me. The other was like me, like trees, stood still, rooted to the ground and head full of saw dusts and not an idea of how to get out of this situation.

They lit the fire. Oh my god– they actually light the fire! You know, I still had a faint hope that they were just joking with me. Stix and friends were threatened by the heat and had to fly up higher. They circled above the pole crying for help too. They probably didn’t know what to do. The flame fingers slowly crawled up towards my feet. I glanced at Dale, Sonnia, and Michelle pleadingly. Please help me.

Sonnia who was shocked by everything heaved in a breath and shot off calling Dale and Michelle with her. I watched them bearing my last hope away. I couldn’t draw the summoning symbol here. I couldn’t move my hand. And it would just provide more proof that I was a witch.

I DON’T WANT TO BE A WITCH! I DON’T WANT A DEMON!

“How would you like yourself done Leigh?” The Queen raised her voice behind the flame fence. “Medium-rare? Well done?”

This is like a déjà vu.

“Don’t worry. I’ll make sure you’re overdone.”