Raven

★★★★

Daylight pierced the window blinds, falling in the space next to Bella, though her arm could feel the heat. She twisted her body and reached for her phone. Turning it on, she saw she got up half an hour before the alarm went off.

She did not lie down lazily but got up. Her puffed face with scattered hair gave her an adorable look. Getting out of bed, she went to her unwashed clothes, which she had used for a few days and did not wash.

Tossed them one by one into a wooden basket and decided that she'd wash them before taking her bath as the washing machine was downstairs and she didn't want noises in this early morning while her father was still sleeping.

When she grabbed the last pink color dress which she wore the day before yesterday but she felt a hole as her fingers crossed the fabric. Turned that side toward her, she found it was a big palm size hole made on her dress. However, it was not a simple hole it looked like a burn hole.

Bella's complete face wrinkled upon that gap. She let her thoughts wander. Still, she didn't get any suspicious thing that could make this hole, except for one reason, if Bethany and Danny had smoked in her room while she was sleeping, but smoke burn cannot be this big.

She had no answer, nor did she have any recollection that could make this gap. That's why she didn't take that dress for washing. Instead, she placed it on her bed and took a picture of her friend to see.

After one hour, Bella came out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around her chest and walked up to the mirror again. Her eyes fell on the dress, causing her to stop for a few seconds, then she proceed to the mirror again.

Her white jade naked shoulder was open causing her wet hair stuck on there, making her more allure to look. Her hand reached for that knot in front of her chest of the towel, and slowly she let the towel fall, only a thong left on her body. Looking at herself in the mirror, she grabbed the dress which she decided to wear today, peach in color, but would give her the shuttle a fresh look.

Her naked figure was still standing in front of the mirror while she was concentrating on opening the zip behind that dress. Isabella loves to wear frocks that are probably knee-length, and for that reason, she has a bunch of different color dresses.

She put on her dress, looking in the mirror when she saw a raven in her window. She was scared and turned back with her unzip dress while placing her hand in front of her chest.

"Shoo! Go away," she shouted and came to the window. The Raven flew away but didn't go far. It sat on a nearby tree.

"I've never felt ravens are so creepy until last night," Isabella muttered and zipped up the chain. "Does this raven also think I am creepy? That's why we've encountered again?" Whispered Bella. She closed the window as she was about to go downstairs to have breakfast.

Almost done locking the window latch when that raven flew toward her window at a lightning speed, causing Isabella to scream and back away.

And the Raven crashed upon the window pane and shattered it into pieces while it also wiggled its body before dying.

"Bella, what happened?" Bernard's voice rang outside the door. Bella opened the door for her father to enter while she was still in shock, thinking why something like this was happening in the early morning.

"Dad, that bird," Isabella pointed behind her. "When did this happen?" Bernard asked, moving toward the bird but carefully, not to put feet on the broken pieces of glass.

"Just now, it soared toward me like an arrow. I was shocked. I didn't think it will do something like this," Isabella said with a huffing voice as her heart still drummed loudly, the impact was pretty fast for her heart to be stable.

Bernard came back to her while rubbing her back and assured her, "It's alright, Bella. Sometimes those birds can't think straight and this thing happened. It is natural."

"Is it?" Bella questioned, only to calm herself as she had different unusual thoughts in her mind right at that time, which was something that had frightened her.

"Yes, it is normal. Also, a couple of days before I heard that two other Ravens had crashed at miss Penny's house. Let's go downstairs. I will clean your room later," Bernard suggested, holding her daughter's hand, to take her downstairs. Bella looked at the bird one last time, then grabbed her bag and followed her father.

As a door shut behind them, the dead bird suddenly jumped back to its feet and flew through the broken window.

"Dad, aunt Merry is here?" Isabella asked on the stairs, as she could hear utensils sound coming from the kitchen.

"Yes, that oldy called me in the early morning and didn't use the doorbell because she didn't want you to wake up. But she made my head squall out," Bernard grumbled as he described his morning hours, although he didn't need a reminder because it was now his habit to wake up early and make breakfast for him and Bella. Today was exceptional.

"Dad, I am sorry," said Isabella with a grin and patted her father's shoulder as they came downstairs.

"I can hear you, old fart," Merry angrily said and exited the kitchen with coffee and snacks for the three of them.

"Good morning, aunt Merry," Isabella greeted and hugged her, also it was her tactic not to make them fight again.

"Good morning, my sweetheart. Let's sit," Merry said and Isabella nodded while Bernard made a bitter face toward Merry.

"Why did you scream? I was about to go to your room, but your father said nothing maybe you saw a cockroach," Merry said and gave Bella butter toast.

"Yes, there is nothing big. It's just a bird that hit my window. That's why I screamed," Isabella answered, munching the bread.

"Did you hurt?" Merry asked while her phone rang and she stood. Her phone was in the kitchen, so she went there.

"Dad, why aren't you eating?" Isabella asked and kissed her father's cheek to cheer him up.

"Annoying lady," Bernard whispered but felt happy, seeing his daughter smile and the loving gesture that had weakened him every time.

"Yes, I will be there by 6 o'clock," Merry talked on the phone and came outside.

As she hung up the phone, she moved toward Bella, "Sweetheart, are you free in the evening?"

"Why?" Bella drank her coffee and answered.

"I've been invited to the opera this evening and I don't want to sleep there. Please go with me," Merry pleaded, acting pitiful, and Bernard sniggered.

"I won't give you any word because I have a lot to do today, but I will try my best to go with you," Isabella said when everyone heard a car honk outside the house. They already understood that Isabella's friend came to their house to pick her up.

"Okay, bye to both of you. See you later. Love ya…" Isabella walked out, but Bernard was distressed as today her love was not only for him but also for Merry.

Outside the house, everyone saw Danny's car and inside Danny and Bethany were both waiting for Isabella, but before entering the car she turned back and said something which irritates Bernard further, "Aunt Merry you can take dad, in the evening."

"Never," remarked Bernard, and went inside, while Merry tittered, "I didn't want either, old fart." Merry strode to her house.

Bella got in the car and didn't feel that the atmosphere wasn't right. She casually sat and shut the car door.

"Why both of you are so quiet?" Isabella asked cheerfully, as her day had started very nicely.

"Bella. Paoli…" Bethany started, then looked at Danny, and she completed the sentence.

"Paoli is no more. She jumped out of the hospital window last night."