Eclipse of Vengeance

08.Close Call

Norman, Oklahoma

I slowly lowered myself into the seat beside Mrs. Martis who painted red flowers on a white canvas. Her thin weak arm, shakily dipping the brush into the white paint. The recreation room buzzed with voices and activity as other residents had decided to envelop themselves in tasks. I had to wait until visiting hours reopened at the nursing home, but I was here the second they had opened.

"Mrs. Martis?" I softly spoke as she still hadn't paid any attention to me sitting next to her.

She craned her wrinkled neck towards me, her blue eyes slowly following. Those eyes studied me, but she didn't say a word.

"I have some questions for you, if you are up to answering them," I spoke again, clasping my hands together in between my knees.

"What questions, girl?" Her words held a bit of bite, obviously still pissed about being placed here. Her eyes glided back to the painting of those red flowers.

Glancing around I made sure no one would hear what I was about to say."About the human bird," I returned, keeping my voice low. She instantly went rigid, her paintbrush froze on one of the petals.

She turned her head towards me. "The one who is going to eat your heart?" She sullenly said, her wrinkled face almost bored looking.

"Do you remember who it was?" I quizzed, not letting her words frighten me.

"Have you ever seen a human beak?" She queried, returning her gaze to the painting. "Ever seen one rip into a fresh warm heart?" She crooned, adding a line of paint to her canvas.

"Yes," I breathed, leaning forwards. "I want to stop it from happening to anyone else. So, please, I need you to tell me what you saw."

Her head bobbed side to side, almost as if she was weighing my request or talking to herself inside her head. "You'd just call me crazy, just as my family did."

"I promise you... that won't happen. I will believe you. I believe you about the human bird," I replied, keeping my voice soft.

She sneered. "Why would you believe an old bat? Why would a sane person believe in a human bird?" Those dull blue eyes back on mine, narrowing in.

"It is my job to stop creatures like that, to stop them from hurting people." I held her unblinking gaze.

"A hunter then?" She tilted her head. "A hunter of human birds?"

"A hunter of a lot of things," I replied. "Please, Mrs. Martis help me stop this monster," I pleaded, leaning forwards.

Once again she returned her attention to the painting. I squeezed my eyes shut, dropping my head fearing she would again run in circles, not telling me who the 'human bird' was.

"Mrs. Wilkins," was all she said, adding a bit of white paint to the edge of the red petal.

"Thank you," I breathed, with a small nod.

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I hauled ass across the city back to Ravenworth Estates. Every second could be putting one of these residents at risk, and now that I know who the culprit is, I have to act. My hand felt over my leather jacket, just double checking for my pistol.

I threw open my car door bolting through the parking lot towards the brick office building, I needed to catch her before she fled the city, likely the state. Just as my hand wrapped around the door it was pushed open from the other side. Causing me to take a couple steps backwards.

Mrs. Wilkins looked flustered to see me, her bright red hair pulled into a bun and she wearing wearing casual clothes. "Emily, is everything okay? Your shift doesn't start until three today," She questioned her brown eyes running over my body. It will be once I put a bullet in you.