Souls

No word from the Italian yet. I just hopped he was watching his back. He wouldn't like to end up dead like the poor man I was looking at now. He was a boxer, or so I was told. I didn't really keep up with such human matters. He had caused quite a stir in the building this morning. I was nearly run over by Kent Something-Or-Other. I don't think he saw me through his tears.

"Poor man..." I sighed as I watched the clean up crew take thier time with cleaning up the boxers remains from the bench where I was sitting.

He will be alright, Koraki shrugged, He is not really gone you know.

"Oh?" I asked.

No. When you die you become a crow. Only after you die as a bird do you go on to any afterlife. I used to be a great man. He said proudly.

"I don't doubt it, for you are a great bird as well." I smiled. Suddenly overhead there was a whirlling of wings and I looked up. Pigeons by the hundreds were flying by.

Stupid creatures, Koraki huffed. I made no comment and continued to watch.

There! Koraki suddenly cried. I was confused for a moment, but then I saw it too. In the middle of the flock of pigeons was one black crow.

"And so a newly departed soul takes flight."

(I know we are not supposed to write notes but too many of responces to my post have been wrong. Corbie is an old lady. Not a boy or an old man. And her crow only talks to her. Nobody else.)

Suspicion

My visits to the rooftop always made me happy. It was the few times I liked to close my eyes and pretend that I was a bird myself. They lived so much better than we did, used so much more wisdom... I could be in my own world up there. I was not interrupted from my thoughts since the half hour before when I caught the gothic girl staring at me. I smiled and waved, but did nothing further. I preferred my own company to humans. When Koraki saw that I was not in a speaking mood he would fly away to do what birds do best: watch and learn to soak up more and more knowledge. He did not come back for a long time, but I wasn't particularly worried. Despite what many people thought, Koraki was not my pet. I went inside when it became chilly and heated myself up some tea. Nearly an hour later, Koraki flew back in, looking ruffled.

"Koraki, what happened?" I asked him.

Something very bad. He said. I saw a man, Italian I think, and I got a very bad feeling about him...

I frowned and finished my tea before peering down at the leaves.

"A bag." I frowned. "and a dagger."

A trap. Danger.... Koraki translated. I bit my lip and grabbed a pen and paper, writing a quick note and attaching it to his leg.

"Can you take this to him?" I asked. Koraki nodded and flew away. The note was simple and anonymous: YOU ARE IN DANGER. TRUST NO ONE.

The Black Garden

I often go for walks for a change of scenery as I knit. Watershed Heights is too interesting to not go outside and people watch. One of my favorite places to do so was the wild overgrown rooftop garden on the top of my building. I liked to call it the Black Garden. It gave a mystical sound to it. I sat on a bench beside the parapet and watched the people on the street below.
"They look so small from here," I observed.
Indeed they do, Koraki agreed, Everything is small from someone elses veiwpoint.
"How so?" I asked.
Well, nobody elses problems are as big and important as you are, or so it seems to humans. Your own self interest dominates over others. Koraki explained, ruffling his feathers. Take for example that man down there. I followed his line of sight and saw a naked man sitting in the childrens playground across the street. Once someone sees him, they judge him for being the way he is. Nobody stops to wonder what he went through to get there or what hardships he has faced. All they know is that he is an inconvinence to them.
"I never thought about it like that. We humans are rather selfish creatures aren't we?" I asked.
Most humans. But not all of them, He said, pecking me on the cheek affectionatly. You're not like them.