Scarecrow by Rhonda Parrish

Author:Rhonda Parrish [Parrish, Rhonda]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: horror, fantasy, mythology, Japan, magic, deities, occult, robot, science fiction, dark, disturbing, fairy tale, folklore, Oz, scarecrow, steampunk, metaphysical, fae
Publisher: World Weaver Press
Published: 2015-08-04T06:00:00+00:00

Black Birds

Laura Blackwood

Lisa woke to a crow perched on her dresser. She tried to ignore it, though she knew it wouldn’t ignore her. It flew to the bathroom, the rustle of its feathers like silk being rubbed together, and preened itself on the towel rack as she showered and got ready for work.

It spoke as she was putting on her makeup. “Your face can’t distract from those sixty extra pounds. That GoodLife membership was money well spent, huh?” Nothing she hadn’t thought to herself now and then. No need to answer. She had too much work to do today to get distracted.

On the drive in, she played catchy pop songs and sang along while the crow clicked its beak and grumbled. It hopped about her desk as she worked, bright black eyes missing nothing.

When she emailed the wrong version of a press release to the proofers, it spoke. “Wow. Only four months in and you’re getting sloppy. Maybe this job should’ve gone to someone who can actually pay attention?”

Lisa attached the right document and joked about Mondays in her follow-up email. She closed her eyes, inhaling deeply. Time for some positive self-talk: it was just a slip up. Anybody could make it.

“Lisa?”

Her eyes snapped open. Katja stood at her office door, holding a time-off request form. Heat stung Lisa’s cheeks at the thought of what she must have looked like sitting at her desk, eyes closed, desperate for calm and the day not even begun yet.

As Lisa joked about needing more coffee and asked how Katja’s weekend was, the crow tsked. Its “Way to look professional!” was just a little bit louder than Katja’s answer.

* * *

Winter collapsed on Edmonton the second week of October, and a magpie joined the crow. It was beautiful: a tail long as her forearm, black feathers interrupted by shocking white or shifting to bottle-green depending on the light. They both watched her cut into her filet mignon during her bimonthly night out with the girls, listening.

When Lisa started spacing out as Katy and Vanessa enthused about their favourite TED Talks, the crow muttered, “Bored of your best friends already?” The crow liked questions and never expected answers.

The magpie screamed, “Bitch!”

Lisa had to get out of her own head; she made herself pay attention. She talked about her new job, told some funny stories about her co-workers, asked about Sarah’s wedding plans and asked Vanessa how her volunteering was going.

“Really?” The crow cocked its head at her. “Surface-level conversation with people you’ve known all your life? Ash was right—you’re so closed off. There’s just nothing below the chit-chat, is there?”

As if a fun night out with friends demanded so much depth.

Katy looked up from her phone. “Lis, you haven’t unfriended that bitch? She dumped you months ago.”

The response, by now, was automatic: their lives had been going in different directions, but she and Ash had agreed to be friends.

Vanessa switched topics quickly.

“She’s embarrassed by you,” the crow said. “They all are. You can’t even break up with someone right.

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