Les Oiseaux de Mauvaise Augure

"Charity.... Charity."

What?

"You're not dead."

Oh.... Really?

"Really."

Oh.... Huh.

"Aren't you happy?"

Yeah, I guess.

"We're all gone now. You can breathe. You can carry on."

Oh.... That's right. I forgot.

"Charity.... Wake up."

I took in a sharp breath as I opened my eyes. I quickly closed them again once they met the harsh white hospital lights that I was far too familiar with. I squinted them open, glancing around my room. The bright orange light of the sun flooded into the room, contrasting with the fluorescent artificial lights. I looked at the machines I was attached to, and found the call button on the remote on the side of my bed. A nurse came in about ten seconds later.

"I'm glad you're awake," she said with a smile. "Everything okay?" I swallowed, trying to soothe my dry throat.

"Is Joseph Cross... safe?"

"The young man you were brought here with?" I nodded, suddenly feeling desperate to know that he was safe.

"He was in pretty bad shape, but he should be okay." I let out a breath, filled with relief. "Would you like to go see him?" she asked slowly. My heart lifted.

"Yes, I would like that very much."

It took a while for the nurse to hook up my mobile IV. And, she wouldn't let me walk on my own. She put me in a wheelchair and guided me through the bright white empty hallways to the elevator. We went down to the first floor, intensive care, and my stomach churned with guilt and worry. Joey had to be brought to the ICU because of me.

She wheeled me further into the wing, stopping at a room with a huge glass window. I peered in, craning my neck to see above the bottom of the window ledge. My body was in a bit of pain, but... I've certainly been through worse. I could see Joey's pale face sticking out between the stark white sheets of his hospital bed.

"Can I go inside?" The nurse paused for a moment.

"Well..."

"Please. I just want to hold his hand," I whispered sheepishly, looking up at her. Her face was twisted in thought.

"He isn't allowed to have anyone inside."

"Please," I begged. She paused for another moment.

"Okay. But, just for a little while." I let out a breath of relief.

"Thank you."

She opened the door and wheeled me inside, bringing me to the side of his bed.

"I'll be right out there. I can give you a few minutes. Then I have to bring you back to your room to rest." I nodded as she left, closing the door almost all the way.

I looked back at Joey, lifting up my hand. I let it hover over his own, afraid at first to touch him. I finally settled my hand on his. His skin was cold. I swallowed hard, not wanting to cry in front of him, but feeling tears come quickly to my tired eyes. I cleared my throat, holding his hand just a little tighter.

"I'm sorry Joey. I am so... so sorry about everything. I never wanted any of this to happen. Especially not to you," I whispered to him, trying not wake him. I swallowed again, a lump forming in my throat. "This is all my fault," I whispered even quieter.

Suddenly he stirred, his eyes fluttering and his hand squeezing mine. I sat up straighter in my chair, bringing my other hand up to his.

"Joey." His eyes squinted in the bright lights. He turned slightly towards me, wincing. I moved forward in my chair, putting my hand on his cheek, stroking his cheek bone with my thumb. "Hi," I said pathetically, trying not to cry. It was so silly, but I just felt... happy.

"Yeah, change is hard, isn't it?"

"Anna," he croaked out. He closed his eyes tightly again, swallowing to probably soothe his sore throat. I knew that feeling. "Are you okay?" I laughed.

"Shouldn't I be the one asking you that?" He gave me a ghost of a smile. "Are you okay, Joey? I was so scared." He nodded, somewhat disoriented, keeping his eyes closed.

"Sleepy." I laughed lightly, but suddenly felt the urge to tell him everything at once. My truth, my past, my horror story.

"Joey, what if I told you that Anna isn't the name I was given at birth?" Joey didn't open his eyes, but he leaned his head in my direction.

"After all this? I think I would believe you," he said, sort of slurring his words messily. "What is the name you were given at birth?" I felt tears come to my eyes, and I sniffled, and held my breath, trying not to sob.

"Charity," I whispered. I felt some tears fall as I blinked and I had to sniffle again. Joey opened his eyes, looking directly into mine. He smiled, reaching out a shaky hand to wipe some tears away.

"Like an angel."

-*-

"Ready?"

"Set."

"What if he doesn't like me?"

"First world problems."

"Don't be stupid."

"Well, ain't that the pot calling the kettle black."

"But, what if?"

"First world problems."

"He's going to love you, dummy."

"Do dads ever really love any of the boys that their daughters bring home?"

"But, I look like shit now from changing that tire, Charity."

"First world problems."

"No turning back now."

"Abandon all hope, ye who enter. La di da, open locks, whoever knocks."

I laced my fingers with Joey's, knocking on the white hospital door.

"Come in!" I heard him say on the other side. I gave Joey one more smile before opening the door and walking into my dad's room. He was sitting up in bed, reading. He looked much better than he did yesterday. He had plenty of color in his cheeks and his eyes didn't look so hollow anymore.

"Hey, Daddy, look who I brought." Joey waved his hand as he walked in behind me. He walked forward to my dad, holding out his hand.

"Hi, I'm Joey. It's nice to meet you, Mr. Fuller." Dad eyed him up quickly, shaking his hand firmly.

"Nice to meet you, too. Charity told me a lot about you." Joey laughed.

"Only the good stuff, I hope." I smiled at them both.

I had been out of the hospital for a month now. Joey had been out for a week, and Dad had just woken up yesterday. I had visited Joey every day when he was in the hospital. And, when he had finally gotten out, he came to stay with me at my apartment.

"Blood on his carpets and monsters in his closets, right?"

He had suffered a concussion, a few fractured ribs, and plenty of cuts, gashes, and bruises. I had only suffered dehydration and a few bruises and cuts. I got off pretty easy.

"Oh yeah and you can't get their eyes out of your head because you're a mur-der-er. But, now you've got your knight in shining armor to protect you and he's slain the dragons! The birds have flown away! No more omens to read!"

I had told him the truth, bit by bit while he recuperated. Like a storybook. And, he listened, and understood, and let me cry. Is that what good therapy is like? I suppose I wouldn't know. But, maybe I should look into it...

Time flew by as I talked to my dad, catching him up on current events, and helping him get to know Joey a bit better. The sun had just started to set when he started to look very tired.

"We should let you get some rest, Dad." He smiled, nodding.

"I'm surprised my nurse didn't come in about an hour ago to shoo you away. She's very... good at her job." I gave him a big hug and kissed his cheek.

"Get some sleep. I'll be back tomorrow." Joey shook Dad's hand again.

"Good night, Donald."

I laced my fingers in with Joey's again as we left, squeezing his hand quickly. When we got out into the hallway, I bumped my shoulder into his.

"That wasn't so bad, was it?" He smiled down at me, shaking his head. "He liked you."

"I don't know," he sighed.

"Are you kidding? I told my dad all about how you saved my life. He knows how much you mean to me." Joey got a look on his face. His eyes seemed to glaze over as he stared off, thinking. I knew that look.

It took Joey a while to find the cabin. Especially since his eyes kept going out of focus and he would black out while he was driving, and wake up in a completely different part of town every couple of minutes. But, he eventually made it up to the mountains, a foreign area to him. He had never been to the town or these mountains before, and he could only hope and pray that he was going the right way.

But, when he made it to the winding road, he let out a sigh of incredible relief, blacking out again and waking up in front of a cabin. The cabin where the old man lived. His engine was shut off, and he growled impatiently and angrily. He turned it back on, and continued on down the road, barely appreciating the fact that he had come across a familiar land mark.

The road continued on for a while, and the cabin stood out to him like a haunted house in a horror movie. His blood ran cold at the sight of it, and he made sure to park a little bit away, not wanting to arouse suspicion. He limped the rest of the way to the cabin, peering into the window. His blood ran cold again seeing the dead body on the floor, surrounded by the pool of blood.

He gulped, and went to the front door, opening it slowly. He closed it behind him gently, and went to the room that glowed in the TV light. He tried not to inhale the scent of blood that filled the room, but it was unavoidable. He backed away quickly, trying not to gag. He looked behind him, and stumbled down the hall to the kitchen for the phone. And, when the same smell of death hit him, he had to cover his nose and mouth. He noticed the mangled body in the corner of the room. He struggled to look for any mail with an address on it. The address of the cabin that he could give to the police. He finally found an overdue electric bill and immediately went for the phone.

I squeezed Joey's hand a little tighter, trying to break the spell he was in. He looked at me suddenly and I gave him a small smile.

"It'll get easier." I leaned my head on his shoulder. "We've got each other. And, I'm not letting you go for anything." He kissed the top of my head, and I felt myself blush. I could've died from happiness.

"Even though everything that happened to you, and happened to me was terrible... I'm kind of glad it did happen. Everything happens for a reason, right?" I looked up at him, biting my lip and putting my other hand on the top of his arm.

I told you we understand each other.

"We've got a long road ahead of us." He smiled.

"Damn straight we do."

His eyes sparkled in the orange glow of the sun, and it felt like home.

There were no monsters.

The sun was bright.

And I held my salvation in my arms.