Chapter 8: Little Bird

Crow's Nest.

The path transitioned from umber-hued terra forma into grass. The land divided itself, one side thatched roof houses and one side communal farmland.

White Doe appeared at the door, healed scars patchworking her dark brown skin, a dark flannel conjure bag around her throat. She lifted her eyebrows.

"You could have written first," she complained.

She was used to Sadie Crane disappearing for days or weeks, but six years was going a little to far.

"I thought you were dead, little bird," she said. "Thought you'd, you'd gone off and got yourself killed. Like everybody said you would."

Her voice broke.

Sadie Crane wanted to be childish and defiant, but they couldn't find it in themself. They were here for information, not to fight with their guardians.

"I'm sorry," they said. "Happy now? Or do you want me to kiss your shoes?"

White Doe laughed. She hadn't heard that one in years.

"Write to us next time, you little shit," she said.

It was an order, not a question.

In one corner of the living room, a woman filled up her rocking chair. Her skin had the color and consistency of a well-loved brown leather sofa and she wore a vivacious tumeric-hued silk scarf on her head.

If it wasn't for those pale blue eyes like gas fires, nobody would have guessed she was blind.

"I figured we'd be seeing you again," Black Sparrow smiled.

"She Follows is up at the university," White Doe said. "Off trans--transci--transcribing old cassette tapes or whatever it is they do."

"Where's Papa Adel?" they asked.

Their neighbor Big Tree up and vanished two days ago. Papa Adel went to look after the kid.

Big Tree was all by himself, just him and the kid, when folks started disappearing. A neighbor came by one night and discovered bodies under the floorboards.

They gave him a chance to explain himself, but he ran off.

"Damn," Sadie Crane said. "That's, wow. Hell. I'm glad Papa Adel's helping."

"Sweet man," White Doe said fondly.

She made tea and cut slices of raisin bread.

"You been well?" Viola asked. "Besides all, um, that?"

White Doe threw her head and laughed. Red walkers, dead livestock, serial murders. What hadn't been going on?

"You're looking for your other auntie," Black Sparrow said.

White Doe's lips drew into the boundaries and her eyes blazed. She shook her head.

"They need to know," her sister countered. "Why do you think they came here? To not get answers?"

Viola concentrated on her raisin bread, reciting math problems to herself. De'afi scribbled in hir notebook.

Their auntie was called Bear. The middle child.

Their father thought seers were bad luck. When Bear told him what she could do, he started carrying on like he'd lost his damn mind.

Bear escaped later that night.

"Now me, I always hated Papa Asan," Black Sparrow said. "I would have left if I could. But I was a coward."

"She was a fool, gods help her," White Doe said. "He was our father! Now you're gonna sit in that chair and act like he was a monster?"

"I've got as much right to how I feel as you do," Black Sparrow cut in.

White Doe didn't reply, probably because she knew her sister was right.

Once a year for the last five, they got a letter. The letters came from all over. Ladezi, Mati, Turaq, southern Arcadia, Eudora.

"You okay, Mama?" Sadie Crane asked.

"No, little bird," White Doe replied. "But I'm glad."

She gave over the stack of letters, her fingers lingering for just a second longer than was necessary.

She exhaled slowly, letting go. She still wore the conjure bag, despite what her father thought.