Dark Wings, Deadly Whispers

𓆟𓆟𓆟

-The Arrival -

Gut wrenching screams filled the night coming from the little cabin Edward built for he and his lovely young wife Sadie. She was in labor. The time had come for her to give birth. Yesterday, Piety had sent for the mid-wives.

Simultaneously, Cornelius had sent for the Elders of Pennybacker Settlement. He met them quietly at Williams barn. The faint light of lanterns winked from the double doors.

At the same time, the faint light of lanterns lit the room in Sadie's home, bathing the little sitting room in a faint glow.

Piety took to her room to pray for her sons wife and their baby. Though Edward was gone, her dreams of a child to bear his name rested deeply in her heart and tears threatened to spill from her eyes and she sought Gods blessing for this child.

Her greatest desire was to hold the babe in her arms, to coddle him or her to her chest and see Edwards likeness in its features. She had tried so hard to have Sadie move into their home but she never would, saying it didn't feel right for her to leave her and Edwards home. She wanted the baby to be born there. Piety understood. But it was loathful hard.

Cornelius also prayed. He and the Elders. Silently. Within their own thoughts. The Elders, prayed for the child to be male. Begged. For their sanity it had to be a boy and not a girl. They weren't sure they could handle another, 'offering.'

They had originally hoped after Edwards death, the offerings would stop and said as much to Cornelius who only sighed with distress, explaining it wasn't possible.

"The last seven years have been prosperous for our Settlement. And quiet. This child can be no different than the others if it is born female."

Cornelius turned away from them.

Their glances were accusing. It almost made him rethink his decision. If only for Piety's sake. He knew how she looked forward to this grandchild.

She had tried so hard throughout Edwards life not to show favoritism towards him but it always showed itself in one form or another. Only the fact that all their children were older, kept the peace. They were little to not at all bothered by their Mother's doting over Edward. Similarly, Cornelius had escaped thus far of his grandchildrens births. All of his children had somehow managed to have sons first.

Cornelius subconsciously clenched his teeth because he had a terrible gut feeling his luck was about to run out. A chill settled around him.

A ghostly rattling echoed in the shadows, thrumming ominously, gaining intensity, Cornelius felt the blood drain from his face.

A wail erupted from deep inside him. He turned slowly to see the Elders, face's white with fear, mouths agape with screams frozen in their throats.

From the dark recesses of the cavernous barn they came forward, materializing into view, their eyes dead, their bodies nothing more than bones with peeling flesh, a putrid rot filled the air, the aroma of death. Black robes swirled in the night breeze that lightly blew through cracks and crevices making a cacophony of eerie moans and whistling portents.

Cornelius wanted to vomit. Their arrival told him all he needed to know.

𓆟𓆟𓆟

Piety was gripped with the sudden feeling that somehow, Sadie needed her. She got up from her prayer Prie-Dieu, straightened her dress, tied her bonnet and sat down to put on her boots and lace them up. As she entered the hall downstairs her daughters looked up from their mending. She smiled faintly at them as she donned her cloak and they stood up.

"Mother? Where are you going at this hour?" The eldest of the two, Annaliese, asked intently.

Piety donned her heavy cloak. "To assist Sadie. I should be with her in her birthing. She is all alone, and normally the Father would be present," she trailed off.

"We must go with you Mother," Annaliese persisted.

"No dear. My presence will be enough. We don't want to overwhelm her. I will be back tomorrow. Tell your Father when he returns from William's," Piety assured her daughters.

Annaliese looked at her sister and they nodded. "Yes Mother and please give Sadie our regards. Tell her we will come around to visit later, when she is accepting guests."

Piety smiled. "Of course."

Their Mother left and Annaliese took her sister Iris's hands. "Isn't it exciting. Our newest baby Iris! Oh, I hope it's a girl! We have enough nephews," she sighed. "Just think, if she has a girl all the fun it will be, dressing her, brushing her hair, ribbons and bows, making paper dolls and such things!" Annaliese hugged herself. "It would be such a joy!"

Iris nodded profusely. "Yes! Wouldn't it be so grand!"

𓆟𓆟𓆟

The night sky was slate, brooding and heavy with omen. A tepid rain fell silently dampening the ground, muting the steps of both man and beast. A swirling fog further hid the six men, cloaked with their evil robes of deceit.

Until tonight, Cornelius had been the only one present who could see the mutated and corrupt bodies of the spirits who visited him when a woman's time came and she was marked to bear a girl child. On those nights they appeared in solid form. Chanting with their rattles and whispers of premonition.

Sounds no man should hear chilling him to the bone. Screams of desolation came unbidden to further burden his nightmarish duty.

He took a lantern and began his walk, the elders following him and the cloaked ragged bird people came too.

Embodiments of their greatest fears; greed, starvation and plagues, these monsters whose origins spawned from superstition and desperation, clawed relentlessly at Cornelius' mind, driving him to mental insanity, like the voices in his head they both taunted him and filled him with depraved desires.

The filthy, sacrilege borne of desperation to survive drove him to madness, trapped in his own need, he bowed to their wicked bloodlust, trapped somewhere between heaven and hell Cornelius felt the rush of blood in his ears, and the pounding death of righteousness in his soul. He was turned foul, lost to salvation and he knew it.

1051 words