Is Death Scary?

The driver slammed her foot on the brake pedal forcing the little girl to lurch forward. Luckily, the mother did remember to clamp the seatbelt before they started on their journey.

“What happened Mommy?”

“I don’t know Melissa. Something flew into the windshield and I need to see what it is.”

“Don’t leave me here! I’m scared!” cried the little girl.

The mother tried to reassure her, “Don’t be afraid. I won’t be long and I will leave the headlights on so that you can see me, okay?”

“Nooo! Let me go with you!”

“It will just take a moment. I’ve got to be sure that whatever we hit is okay,” The mother opened the car door. She reached for one of the little girl’s blankets draped across the backseat of the car.

“Why do you need that?” The mother noticed how scared her little girl looked. She didn’t blame her. She was scared too but had to hide it. Mothers had to be strong going out into a dark night on a dirt road during a new moon.

“If whatever I hit is injured, I’ll need to wrap it up in this so we can take it to the vet. Understood?”

Melissa smiled, “I’ll hold it for you.”

“Well, let me go see what it is and will decide then if you can hold it for me.”

The mother stepped out into the night. She used her phone to light the way. The little girl watched as her mom walked to the front of the vehicle. Melissa was ready to scream when she saw her mother disappear. She stifled the scream when her mother reappeared holding something wrapped up in her blanket. The mother came back to the driver’s side of the car.

“What is it Mommy?”

The mother opened the back door and placed the blanket and contents onto the back seat. “It’s a young barn owl.”

“Is it injured because I can hold it.”

“It died upon impact so we will leave it back here until we get home.”

The mother closed the door. She went back to the driver’s seat and started the car. Melissa stared at the blanket.

“That is sad. Are we going to bury it when we get home?” asked the young girl.

“Of course. But we will do it tomorrow morning. Right now we have to get to the mall to get your medicine. I didn’t mean to run that low on your inhaler. I just got distracted with work.”

“That’s okay Mommy. I’ll be alright.”

The mother looked in the rearview mirror at the blanket. Those eyes of the barn owl were blank but haunting. It brought back memories of her brother teasing her with a frozen owl. He kept putting the dead bird in her face, “Look, this bird is going to give you nightmares tonight! You do know that it is a sign of death.”

She would answer, “No kidding, Sherlock! The bird is dead! Now, go bury the poor thing!”

“You don’t know do you?” he teased. “If you cause the death of an owl or you find a dead one it means death is around the corner.”

“That’s if you believe in superstitions which I don’t. Now go bury it!” she demanded of her brother.

“No, I got to cut the talons off first!”

“That’s disgusting! Why would you cut off his claws?” she asked.

“For good luck, dummy! You want to help me?” again he teased.

“I’m telling Granny!” she threatened.

The mother remembered her brother laughing at her. “Granny will actually help me dissect the bird.”

She knew her brother was right. Their grandmother would literally teach her brother how to cut the claws off properly and with respect for the dead. “Then let’s get Granny to help.”

They took the bird to the old lady. Her brother had to tattle-tale on his sister, “Granny, I would have done this on my own but Lily is afraid of the death omen.”

“Oh, you mean about a dead owl,” the old lady laughed then began to do her impression of a barn owl screech.

“MOM!” screamed the little girl.

The scream brought the mother’s attention to a black cow in the middle of the dirt road. It was too late to slam on the brakes, so she swerved around the beast without hitting it.

“Wow! That was close.” The mother pulled over to calm down from narrowly killing another animal.

“Thank you, Melissa, for alerting me. That black cow needs to wear your glow rings to stand out in this darkness.”

The little girl laughed at the idea. “That’s funny.”

The mother turned the ignition and looked again in the rearview mirror. Her grandmother helped her brother cut off the talons. “It’s not that these are good luck. An owl is your protector.”

“But doesn’t it mean death when it crosses your path?” asked the young boy.

“It depends. You can also believe that the owl is trying to warn you to choose a different path.” Wise words from her grandmother.

“Mommy. Are you all right?”

“Yes. You know, I think you have another inhaler in one of the kitchen chores for emergencies. Let’s just turn around and go back home, okay?”

“Okay, Mommy.”

The end.