Keepers of Time by M. N. Kinch

Author:M. N. Kinch [M.N. Kinch]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: McKella Sawyer
Published: 2024-03-05T00:00:00+00:00

19

Gabby

I wish I could have gone outside to hear Joan play, but Thiago and I were so busy with customers that I didn’t even get a bathroom break until well after lunch. Then after my shift, I remembered it was my turn to do laundry, so I spent the evening at the Wash ’n’ Run, sitting on a dryer trying to read an ancient copy of Ovid’s Metamorphoses that I found at a flea market, but of course, I could only think about the watch.

When I finally make it home, I jog up the stairs to the apartment with the laundry bag slung over my shoulder like Santa’s bag of toys, my mind on the pocket watch. I need to see if I can talk to the blond woman again and figure out what the hell we’re supposed to do.

The apartment is dark, and I deposit the laundry bag on the dining table for now. When my eyes adjust, I see Luna framed by the window and cast in moonlight. Something moves on the windowsill.

“Luna?” I say, my stomach jumping. What is that? The thing on the sill moves again. As I approach, I see a smooth and silvery shape perched outside on the windowsill—an animal. Then I realize it’s a barn owl, watching Luna just as intently as she watches it.

“What the hell…”

Luna doesn’t move. She gazes at the owl standing on the sill, her fingers lightly brushing the glass between them. The owl looks up at her with round, liquid black eyes, nipping lightly at the glass where her fingers touch, almost affectionately. A small smile plays across Luna’s face as the owl fluffs its feathers and shakes like a small dog shaking water from its fur.

“Luna, what are you doing?” I touch her shoulder. She doesn’t react, but the owl’s head swivels toward me. I swear I see its black eyes widen in surprise before it spreads its large, milky wings and tips off the sill, gliding away into the night.

Luna watches it go, smiling. Her silver eyes are focused.

“Come on,” I say, unsettled. I gently take her arm to lead her away from the window. “Let’s go to bed.” She keeps her eyes on the window as we step away. I throw one last glance out into the darkness where the owl disappeared.

Luna does strange things sometimes, but what on earth was that? Did that owl just randomly show up on its own? I shake my head. It’s nighttime, and barn owls live everywhere. That one just decided to hang out by our window for some reason, maybe watching for mice in the street below. Animals have always been drawn to Luna. Stray cats follow us on the street, barking dogs fall silent and wag their tails when she’s around, and birds and butterflies frequently land near and even on her. It makes sense that an owl, out for its nightly hunt, would do the same.

I help Luna brush her teeth and change into her pajamas.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.