A Gathering of Crows

TWELVE

The first things Levi became aware of when he regained consciousness were the warm feel of sunlight on his face and the smell of incense. There were soft pillows beneath his head, and if he wasn’t mistaken, a feather comforter pulled over his body. He heard water dripping and then a moment later, a cold, wet cloth was placed on his forehead, chasing away the warmth from the sun. Levi opened his eyes. Myrtle stared down at him. Esther stood over her shoulder. He was lying in a bed. The room seemed strangely familiar. His finger was splinted with popsicle sticks and his wounds were bandaged with gauze.

“You’re awake,” Myrtle said. “Welcome back. How do you feel?”

“Much… much better, thank you. Where are we?”

“Your room,” Myrtle said. “We moved you up here after… well, after everything happened. We didn’t know what to do. The men folk said that you’d told them we couldn’t get out of town. So we brought you up here and I went home and got some of my things, and we’ve been caring for you as best we can.”

“The soul cage is most likely gone,” Levi said. “I would guess you’re all free to leave town again.”

“Is that what it was? That’s what was keeping us here? A soul cage?”

He nodded.

Myrtle frowned. “I’ve read about them. I thought they were tiny things.”

“Not this one. It took an incredible amount of power to construct, but it surely vanished when its creators left this level.”

“Level?”

“Level of reality. Plane of existence. When they left this world.”

“Will they be back?”

Levi paused before answering. He was keenly aware that both women were staring at him intensely.

“I don’t think so. In truth, there is still much I don’t know about them. But I don’t think they can return, and after I’ve finished my business in Virginia Beach, I’ll take measures that I think will insure they never bother anyone again. Their mortal remains—the remnants of what they once were before their transformation—must be located somewhere on Roanoke. All I have to do is find them and destroy them.”

“Do you think it’s safe to wait that long?” Myrtle asked.

“What do you mean?”

“Well, your injuries. I would imagine it will be several days at the very least before you’re up and about again.”

“I appreciate your concern, and everything you’ve done for me, but really, I’m fine.” After quickly verifying that he was dressed beneath the sheets, Levi pulled back the heavy feather comforter. Then he pulled up his shirt and peeled back the gauze, wincing as the medical tape pulled at his hair. The ragged slashes and tears that had crisscrossed his chest and abdomen only hours before were now closed. Only pink lines remained. He held up his splinted finger. While still puffy, it was no longer crooked. The bone had obviously been set.

“How…?” Myrtle’s hand fluttered to her throat. “I’m a fast healer.” He took her hand and smiled.

“And I had you looking after me. I’m sure that helped, as well. You’re quite a capable woman, Myrtle. God has given you the talent of healing.”

He released her hand and Myrtle blushed. Beaming, she stood up and almost tripped over the chair. Esther turned around and Levi noticed she was hiding a grin behind her hand.

“Why don’t you be a dear, Myrtle, and run downstairs and get Mr. Stoltzfus some water? I’m sure he’s thirsty after his ordeal.”

Myrtle nodded, still blushing. “Yes, of course.”

She bustled out of the room and they heard her humming as she went down the stairs.

“You’re quite the flirt, Mr. Stoltzfus. I reckon Myrtle is quite smitten with you.”

Levi chuckled. “Thank you, Mrs. Laudry. Thank you for letting me use your home. I’m sorry for what I brought into it. I know that my ways are not your own, and I respect that. I’ll be out of your hair within the hour.”

“No. I’m the one who is sorry. I was wrong about you, Levi. You saved us. I may not agree with your methods, and I darn sure don’t understand everything that happened here last night, but I do know one thing. God sent you here. God has his hand on you, and he placed you here in Brinkley Springs so that you could confront those demons.”

“Yes, I believe that He did.”

“This isn’t the first time such a thing has happened,either, is it?”

“No.”

Her expression turned sad. “That must be a very lonely existence.”

“No lonelier than Christ felt when he prayed in the garden the night before his crucifixion. I do what I’m called to do, Esther. It’s not like I have a choice.”

“Well, I thank God for you, Mr. Stoltzfus.”

“Thank you.” He paused. “Are you okay?”

Esther dabbed at her eyes with her sleeve. When she spoke again, her voice was thick with emotion.

“I don’t know. I lived here all my life, and now… it’s all gone. Brinkley Springs was dying before they came. I knew that. Another ten or fifteen years and this would have been a ghost town. But still, I never imagined it would die like this. Murdered. All those people, folks I’ve known for years. Still, it would have been worse had you not been here.”

Levi nodded, unsure of what to say. He doubted that any Bible verse or homily he could offer would comfort her.

“It really is amazing how quickly you healed.”

“In truth, it wasn’t my wounds that concerned me the most. It was the spores in my lungs.”

“Spores?”

“Yes. To rid us of our enemies, I had to transport them elsewhere—to a place where the very air will kill you.”

“Will you be okay?”

He nodded. “I will be. Had I not had the opportunity to meditate and clear my system, I might not be, though.”

“Meditate? We thought you’d passed out from blood loss.”

“And I had. Blood loss and shock. But even in that state, I was aware. I knew what I had to do. It’s really nothing more than another form of prayer.”

“But how did you—?”

The door opened. Myrtle entered the room, holding a bottle of spring water. Behind her were Donny, Marsha and Randy. All three stared at Levi in astonishment.

“There’s no way you should be awake, let alone sitting up,” Donny said. “But I reckon I’m not surprised.”

He stuck out his hand and Levi shook it firmly. “How is everyone?” Levi asked.

“About how you’d expect,” Donny said. “Jean Sullivan’sbeen crying a lot. Her son seems okay, though. Kids adapt quick, you know? Paul has been pretty quiet. I think he’s still in shock. He’s outside, surveying the damage.”

“His dogs?”

Donny shook his head. “They didn’t make it. That was the first place he went. He came back here, after. He didn’t say much, other than that they were dead. I got the impression that whatever happened to them, it wasn’t pretty.”

“No,” Levi said, “I don’t imagine it was.”

“We locked Gus in one of the bedrooms,” Donny continued. “He’s not violent or anything, but obviously, he’s not right in the head. We didn’t want him running off into the woods or anything.”

“I checked on him a little bit ago,” Marsha said.

“He was drawing mazes on a notepad. But at least he was calm.”

“And Mr. Perry?”

“He’s taking a nap downstairs on Esther’s sofa,” Donny said. “I think this experience wore him out.”

Levi nodded. “I think it wore us all out.”

“I want to do what you do,” Randy said, stepping forward. “I mean, the way you took care of those fuckers… I can do that, too, right?”

Levi glanced at Donny and Marsha, and then back to Randy.

“Is it true?” Randy persisted. “Can you teach me to do what you do?”

“No,” Levi lied, thinking back to when he was Randy’s age. “I can’t teach you. I was wrong.”

“But… but all that stuff you said about my aura and shit? I thought I was special.”

“I was mistaken. I was under a lot of stress. The truth is, you’re normal, Randy. You’re not magic. You don’t have the ability. You’re just normal. And trust me, that’s a very good thing to be. Don’t despair over it.”

Randy’s expression turned to confusion and disappointment. Levi hated that he’d lied to the teen, and hated even worse the pain he saw in Randy’s eyes. But that pain was much better than the pain a life like Levi’s would bring him. He glanced at Marsha and Donny again. Both nodded at him in silent understanding.

“You’re sure?” Randy asked. “You’re sure that I’m not like you?”

Levi nodded. “I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life.”

Dee whinnied happily as Levi fastened her harness.

“I’m glad to see you, too, girl. You missed all the fun.”

The horse stomped her foot and snorted.

“Oh, don’t start that. Trust me, you were much better off down by the riverside. You lucked out this time.”

“She’s beautiful.”

Levi turned. Marsha and Donny were crossing

Esther’s yard. Marsha gazed at Dee lovingly.

“Can I pet her?”

“Of course,” Levi said. “I think she’d like that.”

Marsha stroked the horse’s flank, and Dee swished her tail and nodded her head.

“No traffic yet,” Donny said, looking down the street. “But they’ll be coming through soon—folks from other towns, passing through here on their way to work, and long-haul truckers on their way north or south.”

“Yes,” Levi said. “Are the phones or electric working again?”

“The power is still out. So are the land lines. But cell-phone service is back up again. Spotty as ever, but it was like that before they came.”

“Have any of you called the authorities yet?”

“No.” Donny ran a hand across his crew cut. “To be honest, Levi, we’re not sure just who the hell to call. I mean, who do you report something like this to? You got any ideas?”

Levi shrugged. “Start with the local authorities. It doesn’t matter, really. Once word gets out—and it will get out—everyone will descend upon this place. The state police. The National Guard. The FBI. Black Lodge. The cover-up will begin almost immediately. They’ll blame the events here on terrorists or something similar. Perhaps a biological incident. They’ll attempt to buy your silence and complicity. If they can’t do that, then they’ll discredit you.”

Donny raised his eyebrows. “Black Lodge? Those guys really exist?”

Levi shrugged again. “So I’m told. I’m surprised you know of them.”

“I heard some stuff when I was in the army.”

“Well, just be careful. If you’re still inclined to leave, Donny, I’d do it this morning, before word of what’s happened here gets out. I imagine the next few weeks will be very trying for everyone involved.”

Marsha stopped petting Dee and moved to Donny’s side. He put his arm around her and hugged her tight.

“I’m not leaving, Levi. I’ve decided to stick around. The town needs a defender, now that you’re moving on.”

Levi smiled. “That’s excellent, my friend. It sounds to me like you’ve come home for good.”

Donny kissed Marsha’s head. “Yes, as a matter of fact, I think I have.”

Still smiling, Levi climbed up into the wagon and reached out a hand. Donny shook it. His grip was still firm and strong.

“I hope,” he said, “that you can do the same one day, too, Levi. I hope you can go home for good.”

“Thank you, Donny. That would be nice, but I’m afraid I walk a different path, and I must go where it takes me.”

“Take care, Levi.”

“You, too, my friends. Good luck to you both.”

He took Dee’s reins in his hands and flicked them.

She began to trot, and the wagon rolled slowly behind her. The sun cleared the treetops, climbing into the sky. In the distance, Levi heard the sound of motors. He glanced back once as they rounded a corner. Marsha and Donny stood with their arms around each other, watching him leave. Levi raised his hand and waved. They returned the gesture. It occurred to him as he watched the young couple fade from view that maybe Brinkley Springs would live again. Maybe they were the seed that would spark new growth. Maybe the town would get a second chance at life.

His smile faded as he remembered Donny’s final words.

I hope you can go home for good.

“I hope so, too,” Levi whispered. “But I don’t know that I’m ready yet.”

Dee whinnied and tossed her head.

“Come on, girl.” He flicked the reins again. “We’ve still got a long way to travel before we even consider going home.”