Maude's Hidden Past

Maude was asleep. Nothing unusual about that it was nighttime after all

The same dream occurred each night which disturbed her. Not in a scary twisted way but an exhilarating excited way. And it always ended the same.

Maude worked at the local post office, it was an old building which was very draughty but she enjoyed talking to people and got to know all the village business, always talking with one of the women about a local scandal or what was on the menu for dinner that night. It was the hive of the village ,especially with the Vets right next door. And most of the village had a pet. With Maude’s sunshiny attitude people always gravitated towards her, this was her true character and here she was allowed it to shine. Also this way any parcel she got, no one was any the wiser.

There was always something happening but not really anything going on and Maude loved it like that and she loved it was never about her. In her old life, it was always about her - she couldn’t escape it but here was new and she could be anyone. Anyone at all.

The older generation of women in the village were always trying settle Maude down “you should be married” and “ a nice girl like you all alone” were the standard comments used in her company but this wasn’t unusual for them to speak this way so she brushed it off with the “there wasn’t a great lot of talent in this village” This seemed to plicate the women enough so they moved onto a different subject.

She had Steve, the Vet next door to assist in any of the stuff she couldn’t handle but with her past - Maude could handle pretty much anything that came her way. Things always seemed to work out for her.

Her childhood wasn’t the best and even though this had provided her with grit and determination - she felt it best to leave out some of the more cruel details as she wasn’t one for sympathy and it made her feel weak. To combat this she wore crystals for protection, the locals liked to joke with her she was a hippy or a witch or both! She had found some book in a charity shop by a real Native American Indian about crystals and from that moment on was obsessed.

However over the time she had lived in the small village she was getting more drawn to the woods behind her little cottage and even in her head toyed with the idea what it would be like to ride an actual broomstick, even though she knew this was nonsense and joked a Nexus 2000 is the only one she would be seen on and that would be faster than her current mode of transport. There were a-lot of children in the village and the joke wasn’t lost.

Her little car had seen better days and made funny noises time to time but it still got her from A to B albeit a little slower than she would have liked.

This recurring dream disturbed her and caused her to be waking up at 2.21am. Night after Night for a week now. It was taking an hour or so to settle after them so she was feeling tired at work, this one Monday afternoon when it was strangely quiet, Maude sat by the heater under her desk as usual. Daydreaming, as she did from time to time, and not even realised she had fallen asleep. All of a sudden she was flying over the hills as fast as lightning…feeling the wind in her hair and taking her breath away swooping and dipping over the landscape, she could see lots of trees, and those trees feeling very familiar to her.

Woken up with a start as Mrs Doyle came in complaining about her newly retired husband getting under her feet as usual, Maude had a flash of recognition, a vision of being a small girl, with her Mother collecting herbs in the woods.

Her face must of shown distress as Mrs Doyle actually stopped talking for a moment and asked if she was ok?

“Oh yes, Of course” Maude replied and quickly got to the job at hand not wanting Mrs Doyle to ask any further questions as no one needs a newspaper when Mrs Doyle is around!

The day carried on as usual but she couldn’t wait to get home as what occurred earlier was replaying over and over in her mind.

Upon getting home, Maude thought there must be a connection to the both of them. Maude’s mother died when she was just 5 so memories are few and hazy at best.

Her father was bitter toward her, she did look a-lot like her mum - maybe that was it. But he never really gelled with Maude and was always distant.

What Maude didn’t know was her father didn’t agree with “that way of life” but accepted only because he loved his wife.He didn’t really want children and saw Maude as a burden. In reality, his mates down the pub used to make fun of him incessantly, it didn’t help that his wife name was Samantha, like in Bewitched and this cause him to distance himself from these friends. Secretly, he felt the same as them and he missed his friends when Sam died. They were there for him and supported him, well, drank with him anyway. They’re never really was much need for a young girl around. She assisted his living. Thats all he said she did. And when she was old enough, she packed up and left without much of a plan.

But that was a long time ago and she had blocked a-lot off it out, until now.

Why the hell now? she said out loud to her pet goldfish.. all 9 of them. Very Fung shui of her.

Maude decided to not allow her memories torment her even more that evening and opened a bottle of good red and settled down with a box set.

When she woke up, it was dark and cold. The Tv still had the menu asking if she was still viewing.. of course she wasn’t still bloody viewing and tried to find the remote in the dark, She looked at her watch. 2.21am…Jesus.

Without thinking and leaving the tv menu on, she got up and put on her big winter coat and shoes that were by the door and went outside.. she started walking. Walking slowly towards the woods. It was a small and family village so Maude didn’t feel any danger by going out at this time of night. In fact it felt very refreshing and right. The large moon lit her path, a full moon she noticed and for the time of year very mild. She didn’t need this big coat on.

Just as she crossed the stream over some rocks on the left bank something caught her eye and there he lay, still, like a dream.

Maude made her way towards the object not quite believing her eyes, but on the floor lay a barn owl.. just blinking at her.

Instinctively she whipped off her coat and very gently, breathing ever so hard and trying to stop herself from having a panic attack, picked up the majestic creature and wrapped it carefully in her coat.

What the hell shall I do now was her first thought then her very quick second was this was my destiny.

“I need help” something told her.. startled ,she replied out loud. “ We all need help Love! ” “what kind of help?” instinctively came out of her mouth.

“I’m hurt, please help me”

Maude looked at the Owl…”No, No , no no no she said. “Thats not you talking to me, is it?”

“Im hurt, please help me” repeated the words in her mind.

“Holy Shit” said Maude…. “Im talking with an Owl”…this is the coolest thing thats ever happened to me or Ive gone batshit crazy…either way she had to help this poor creature.

Maude had already got a plan hatched before she could think anymore and it involved Steve, but she promised herself not to mention the conversation between her and the owl. That is just for her and was sure that everyone else would think she had lost the plot. She set off back, checking every few steps if he was ok.

I got back to the Village at 3.15am…. Was it a reasonable time to be waking Steve? Does he even know about birds, are they a speciality or something. I scolded myself for not knowing more about birds of prey… he was a vet and here I had a sick bird.

Steve was his usual self and was happy to help once he could focus on the job at hand. He also didn’t ask any probing questions so I said that the Owl flew into my window in the night.He didn’t seem to question it.

Our owl friend was severe dehydrated and had an a damaged wing. Steve hooked him up to a drip gave antibiotics and painkillers and said to me to go home and if he makes the night then he could survive. I preyed for the little Owl. Im not religious.

I went home but couldn’t sleep. How could I? Lots of things was swirling around my mind for the first time but it seemed like knowledge I had always known. The Owl also showed his gratitude before I could feel him resting safely. This gave me hope.