The Truth About Crest Haven

There had been rumors that the old barn owl had finally returned again, but Allen still hadn’t seen it. It had been 25 years since the bird’s last appearance, similar to the time before that, and the time before that as well. For 200 years, the small town of Crest Haven, Virginia has received the sporadic visitations from this winged wonder. Now, anybody from outside of the town might wonder why such a common bird would garner so much attention from the citizens of Crest Haven. After all, barn owls can be found everywhere. Nobody pays much mind to them since they’re a dime a dozen. How could the people of Crest Haven possibly know if a certain barn owl comes or goes? This was no ordinary barn owl. Compared to the normal barn owl’s usual brown and gray coloration, this barn owl is pure white from head to tail, but that wasn’t all. Allen knew exactly what made the barn owl so special. It was a magic owl. The legend goes that the owl would visit every 25 years for one week, and anyone who sees the owl will have their deepest desire granted to them. Most of the world might not believe in magic, but the people of Crest Haven do, because they’ve seen it first-hand.

“Hey, Allen! Allen, wait up.”

Allen turned to see who it was calling out to him. It was Johnny Palmer, Allen’s neighbor and lifelong best friend. They had done everything together growing up. They went through school together, played on the same sports teams, they even dated the same girls through high school and college. Allen couldn’t ask for a better friend than Johnny. Finally, Johnny caught up to Allen and they began walking in step with each other.

“Isn’t this exciting, the way the whole town is in such a buzz? It seems like everyone is out and about to get a glimpse of old Hooty.”

“I know what you mean. Ever since Mrs. Dabner saw him on Sunday morning, it’s like the town has had nothing else on their mind than to see that bird. Have you seen it yet?”

“I would be so lucky. I was out in the woods until midnight yesterday, but I didn't see one white feather. I’m planning to head back out around noon. You’re free to come with me if you want. Oh, that reminds me, what did Mrs. Dabner end up with anyway?”

“Oh, she got a call from her daughter in California. I guess they’d been estranged from each other for the past 40 years.”

“That’s nice.”

The two eventually found themselves on the usually calm and quiet main street, but today it was bustling with activity. People drove in their cars, rode on their bikes, or just plain walked around the town, with each person doing their best to see the elusive bird. Allen was amazed at how crazy the tiny bird was able to make people. You would almost think that the bird was made of solid gold, and to some people in town he did represent that. Allen could remember all the stories he’d been told over the years about people who’d seen the bird and what they ended up with.

Old Mr. Solomon lost his dog after 18 years together, and after he saw the owl, a puppy of the exact same breed was found underneath his front porch the next morning. His parents' drama teacher, Ms. Williams, got a call from Broadway only hours after she saw the owl. Even Allen’s own parents had a story. Before he was born, Allen's parents tried and tried to conceive, but they just couldn’t. Then, one morning as they were going for a drive in the country, they saw the magic white owl. A little under a month later, they found out they were expecting Allen. Almost every family in town could tell you a story about a relative that saw the bird and got their deepest desire. Allen wondered if he would join their ranks this year, but Allen wasn’t sure what he’d get if he did see the bird. Sure, there are tons of things that he wanted really badly, but none of them really struck him as his deepest desire. He was about to propose to his girlfriend, but he was pretty sure he didn’t need an owl’s magic to get her to say yes. He really wanted to get past this writer’s block he was struggling with, but he wasn’t sure if that was his deepest desire. The one desire that he had above everything else was to actually see the bird.

The pair finally found themselves at the Palmer’s restaurant, the Hoot and Horn Diner. As teens, they would often spend their afternoons here bussing tables and doing dishes, or hanging out with their friends. Now, they’ve made it their morning practice to stop in to get coffee and a bite to eat before they head on to their jobs. Finding their normal table, the pair were met by Johnny’s mother, arms laden down with a tray already containing their food.

“Aww, thanks Ma. You never disappoint.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Palmer. No one beats the service of the Hoot and Horn.”

“No problem kiddos. You certainly do make it easy by coming in the same time every day. How’s your book coming along Allen?”

“Oh, making progress every day.”

“Well, keep up the good work. The whole town’s rooting for you. Either of you boys see the owl yet?”

Both Allen and Johnny shook the heads, as their faces denoted their disappointment.

“Oh well, buck up. I’m sure you’ll find it when it’s your time. After all, Mrs. Weiberman didn’t see it until she was 82, and boy oh boy did she have the time of her life on that cruise. Anyway, have a nice day at work you two. Oh, and Allen, be a dear and let your mother know that I had to reschedule the book club for this week. I’m sure she’ll understand.”

After Mrs. Palmer left, the pair began to chow down on their meal, but there was something that was gnawing at the back of Allen’s mind. Absently, he began mixing his hash browns and eggs together, while his mind was deep in thought. Noticing that his friend was distracted about something, Johnny ventured to get to the bottom of it.

“What’s got you in LaLa Land?”

“Oh, I was just thinking.”

“Boy, that’s dangerous.”

“Very funny. Seriously though, haven’t you ever thought about what the owl is going to grant you if you see it?”

“Almost every day since I heard the stories.”

“And?”

“Well, I guess the thing that I want the most is to finally take Trish on that honeymoon we’ve been saving up for the past 3 years. After all the weekends she’s had to spend at the hospital, and the long hours I’ve put in at the saw mill, it’ll be nice to just get away. Why are you asking about this?”

Allen toyed with his food some more before he answered. “I’m afraid that if or when I finally see the owl, I’ll be disappointed. I haven’t got a clue as to what my deepest desire might be. The only thing that I know of that comes close, is my desire to see that bird, but what kind of wish is that?”

“Listen Al, you’re looking at this all wrong. We don’t need to know our deepest desires, that’s the bird’s job. If you’re so worried about what you’ll get, I can tell you right now what it will be. You’ll see the bird, you’ll have an amazing idea for your book, you’ll sell millions of copies, and become a big-time author. Mark my words.”

“Yeah, I guess you’re right. Well, I’d better head off to the paper. With it being Owl Week around here, I’m sure Mr. Harden will want me running around doing interviews. I’ll catch you tomorrow.”

All that day and all the next day, Allen thought about what Johnny had said. The bird knows what we want. But does it really? And what if what we want, isn’t really what we need. All through work these questions bothered him, and then all through his date with Ellie, they bothered him still. The couple’s date guided them to Ellie’s porch, where the two sat on the swing staring up at the sky. Knowing that something was wrong with Allen, Ellie tried to pry into his deep thoughts.

“Well, are you going to tell me what’s been keeping your attention away from me, or do I have to try and guess? If I didn’t know you loved me so much, I would have guessed it was another woman. Hmm, if I were a betting girl, I would say what’s on your mind is either that pesky bit of writer’s block you’ve got, or maybe it’s be that magical little bird that’s been poking its beak around town the past couple days. Or maybe it's both.”

Allen chuckled. Ever since the two had been dating, he was amazed at how well she was able to read him like an open book. Even if he wanted to keep a secret from her, he knew it would be an impossible feat.

“It always amazes me how transparent I am around you. Well, since the cat’s out of the bag, yes, I have been distracted tonight, and yes, those two things are definitely contributing.”

“Oh, Allen, don’t worry. There are still four more days to get a glimpse of the Owl. You have plenty of time to see him, and once you do, you’ll write an amazing book, win a Pulitzer, and become a world-famous author. And let’s not forget that we’ll both live happily ever after.”

Allen chuckled; it was as if everyone knew his dream before he even did. The more he thought about it, he guessed finally finishing his book really was his deepest desire. However, the more he thought about it, the more it didn’t seem right. Allen didn’t feel like arguing the point with himself or with Ellie at the moment. There was another pressing piece of business he needed to attend to.

“Oh, really now? Well, I’m glad that I have you around to plan out my future for me. It makes life so much easier when you can just coast along, doing what you’re told.”

“You’re bad” Ellie said as she loving thumped him in the arm. “I’m not suggesting anything that you haven’t already thought. Don’t you remember my superpower is reading minds?”

“Ah yes, Miss Mind Reader. Well, luckily for me, I still have a few tricks up my sleeve.”

As he was saying these words, Allen got off of the swing and lowered himself down onto one knee. Simultaneously, he began to pull out a small, hinged box from his pocket. If there was a picture in the dictionary to accompany the word surprised, Allen was certain Ellie’s face was the very definition of the word. Despite her claims of knowing everything, Allen guessed she didn’t see this coming.

“Ellie Montgomery, will you spend happily ever after with me?”

“Yes, yes, yes! Nothing else would make me the happiest girl in the world.”

The two embraced each other, giddy with joy and excitement. This had been a long time coming ever since Allen first asked Ellie to the Spring Fling back in high school. After an agonizing breakup, the two worked out their problems and realized that they belonged together. Now, they can start making plans to build their life together as husband and wife.

“Oh, I knew it, I just knew it! As soon as I saw the owl on my way home from the hospital, I just knew you’d be proposing soon.”

Allen slowly pulled away from the embrace and asked, “What do you mean as soon as you saw the owl? You saw the owl today, and you didn’t tell me?”

“I’m sorry Allen, it wasn’t as if I didn’t want to tell you. I just knew that if I told you, you would have asked what my desire was, and I didn’t want you to feel pressured once I told you it was to get engaged. Are you cross with me?”

“No, no. I’m not cross. I was just surprised when you said you saw the owl. You surprised me, that’s all. Anyhow, this moment isn’t about him. It’s about us, and how happy we’re going to be.”

The couple hugged once more, and then went inside to begin calling all their family and friends to share the good news. Every phone call was met with screams of excitement and enthusiastic congratulations, with many attributing the happy occasion to the appearance of the great bird. Although he was happy, Allen started to grow more and more tired of hearing about this stupid bird. Oh well, he thought, that’s just how it goes around here. What matters is that she said yes, not how or why.

The next morning, Allen joined Johnny at the diner as usual, and was met with congratulations from the Palmers, and the other patrons. Word travels fast in a small town like this. That didn’t surprise Allen at all, but what did surprise him was what Johnny told him next. Once again, Johnny went out late at night to catch a glimpse of the famed owl, but had no success at any of the farms he had been camping out at. As he packed up to head back home, he was startled by a screeching coming from the old abandoned barn on Milford Road. Struggling to push through the derelict, old door, he was only successful enough to stick his head and left-hand in. That was all he needed though, because as soon as he switched on his flashlight, he stared eye to eye with the creature he had been searching for. He headed back home after that, and was almost too excited to get any sleep, but he did nonetheless. When he woke up to check the mail, he was greeted with an all-expense paid vacation for a Hawaiian cruise.

“And just yesterday afternoon, Trish’s boss told her she was going to be getting another week of vacation next month. Can you believe it? Trish and I are finally going to be able to go on that honeymoon.”

“That’s great, John. I’m happy for the two of you.”

“Don’t worry Al, your time will come. There’s still three more days in the week.”

After finishing their breakfast, the two went off to their jobs as usual. Across the street from the diner was Allen’s place of employment, the Guardian newspaper. The owner of the paper was Mr. Harden, a tough old man whose personality matched his name, but deep-down Allen knew that Mr. H had a soft side somewhere. Waiting for the last car to pass, Allen crossed over to the Guardian and stepped inside to find Mr. Harden deep in conversation with someone on the phone.

“Uh huh. No, not yet... Oh wait, he just stepped in. Yeah. Yeah. Ok, I’ll send him over right away.”

Mr. Harden hung up the telephone and leaned back in his chair while scribbling something on his notepad.

“Hey kid, congratulations on the big news. Anyway, I got a mission for you.”

“Thank you, Mr. Harden. Yes sir, what do you need me to do?”

“The old widow Anderson claims to have just seen the owl. I want you to go up to her place and ask her the usual gamut of questions. What were you doing? Where did it go? Has it granted your wish yet? You know the drill.”

“Right away sir.”

Grabbing his recorder and notepad, Allen went back outside to make the trek to old widow Anderson’s place. He could have gone back home to get his motorcycle, but it was only a 20-minute trip by foot and besides, it had been a while since he had gone walking through the forest. Who knows, maybe this will give him a chance to see the owl. All the way up the old road, Allen couldn’t stop thinking about what everyone had said to him this past week about how special the bird is, and how it knows what we really want. What I really want is to finally see that stupid bird!

Suddenly, Allen heard a hoot come from the right-side of the road and he stopped dead in his tracks. He waited, and listened carefully while his eyes darted back and forth over the branches and trees. There it was again, but louder and more distinct this time. Was it getting closer? Allen stood there, patient to see if the winged creature would make an appearance. Slowly the hooting became closer and closer, and in unison Allen’s anticipation became stronger and stronger as the thing he’d been waiting his entire life for seemed to be at hand. Then, without warning, a white mass swooped down upon the wooden fence between the road and the forest. Allen gaped in amazement at the magnificence of the bird. It truly was a sight to see, Allen had to admit that, but deep down he didn’t quite have the feeling he had expected upon seeing the bird.

“So, you’re what the fuss has been about for the last 200 years?”

The owl hooted, as if in response to his question. Don’t be silly Allen, it’s a magic bird that grants wishes. Regular birds that don’t do anything can understand human words. Of course this one knows human words too. An idea came to Allen’s head just then. If it’s magic, I wonder if it can talk too?

“Well, it appears you can understand me, but can you talk?”

At that the owl only hooted again, and continued to stare at Allen, twitching its head back and forth while it remained perched on the wooden fence. I’ll take that as a no. Allen, you have been reading way too many fantasy novels. Do you know how crazy you look standing in the middle of the road expecting a bird to talk to you? Allen had to laugh at himself. Just then, the owl hopped off of the fence and glided to just in front of Allen’s feet. Allen was taken aback by the bird’s boldness in approaching him. Inch by inch the owl made a little waddle motion closer and closer to Allen, hopping occasionally. Finally taking the time to notice the rest of the bird’s body other than its face, Allen saw a small slip of paper attached to its ankle. Allen got down on his knees and risked reaching out his hand to loose the twine holding the message in place. To his amazement, the bird didn’t startle, and it didn't try to fly away from him, but it just let him take the paper off its leg. Allen stood to his feet again and unfurled the little slip.

“Follow the bird.”

Immediately, the owl flapped its wings and flew back to its previous perch on the fence. After it landed it sat there for a few seconds, and then it turned its head to stare at Allen, as if beckoning him to follow. Allen stood frozen, unsure of what to think or what to do. Was he going to listen to some random slip of paper and follow a magic bird? It’s a magic bird, of course you follow it. As if seeing the determination on Allen’s face, the bird picked itself up again and took to the air, followed by Allen hurdling the fence and giving chase. Looking back over his 25 years of life, Allen thought that this was probably the most absurd thing that he had ever done, yet it felt so right. As the owl dipped, and weaved through the branches, Allen did his best to keep up with it. Allen followed the bird for close to half an hour, but the farther he followed, the more unfamiliar the woods around him became. He had come this far though, and he wasn’t about to give up now. Eventually, Allen noticed that they were approaching a clearing, and unless his eyes were playing tricks on him, there seemed to be a cottage built in the middle of it.

As he burst through the forest edge, he could see that his eyes were in fact not playing a trick on him. A nice little cottage made out of wood and stones, sat square in the middle of the clearing. The image reminded Allen of something out of a fairy tale. I didn’t stumble into fairy tale, did I? Stealing away his attention once again was the sound of the owl as it sat on the awning just over the door. The owl hooted a few more times and began flapping its wings as if to tell him something, then it took off and disappeared through what Allen assumed was a hole in the roof. I guess it wants me to come in. Based on that smoke coming from the chimney, I’m willing to bet that the owl isn’t going to be the only thing that I find in there. Preparing himself for whatever lay ahead, Allen carefully made his way up the path to the door.

As Allen raised his hand to rap on the door, it opened suddenly, sending Allen stumbling back from surprise. Allen’s heart raced a mile a minute as he did his best to recompose himself after that unexpected shock. Standing in the doorway was a jolly old man, probably around his 80s, with a well-kept beard and haircut to match. He was clothed in a comfortable looking blue and gray flannel shirt, well-worn denim jeans, and slippers on his feet. In his mind, Allen thought that this man looked like Santa Claus in his off-season.

“My dear boy, I do apologize. My intent was not to startle you. Here come inside, and let’s take a look at those scrapes you have there.”

Allen had been so focused on following the bird, he had neglected to notice the cuts and scrapes he had acquired running through the brush. Unsure of a reason not to trust this man he just met, Allen complied and followed him in. Once inside, Allen’s amazement continued as he saw all the beautiful craftsmanship inside the cottage as well. There were bookshelves filled to the top flanking one wall of the living area. There were busts and mounts of numerous creatures scattered throughout the entryway and sitting room. Above the mantle of the fireplace was a beautiful painting of a forest scene not too dissimilar to the one Allen stumbled upon. And sitting perched on a little stand in the corner of the room was the great white barn owl. To say Allen was confused would be an understatement. Baffled, perplexed, dumbfounded, awestruck, all of these and many more words would properly describe how Allen was feeling right now. Leading him to one of the seats in front of the fire place, the old man pulled out some bandages and started inspecting the wounds that Allen received.

“There we go. Only one serious cut by the looks of it. A little alcohol and a band-aid ought to fix you right up in no time. Can I get you anything else? I just made a batch of cookies, and the last tray only came out five minutes ago, so they should still be warm.”

“Uh, no, no thank you. I’m just fine for now.”

“Alright, but don’t be shy to ask if the aroma starts tempting you.”

“I’m sorry, but who are you?”

“Ah, yes. Perhaps it would be best to get business out of the way first. Well, my name is Isaac Shepherd, and I am the White Owl.”

Allen sat there even more confused and with even more questions rattling around in his brain than before. Isaac Shepherd, why does that name sound familiar? I’ve heard that somewhere. And what does he mean he’s the white owl? Is he magic too? Can he transform between his human and bird bodies? As if reading Allen’s mind, Mr. Shepherd started to explain himself a little more.

“No, I am not the physical white owl that people have been seeing. That would be Archimedes over there and many of his ancestors before him. No, I am the power behind the White Owl. The one making people’s wishes come true, at least for the last 50 years I have been. Before that it was my father, and then his father, and then his father.”

“I’m confused.”

“Yes, yes, I’m sure you are. There’s a lot to unpack. It all started with my great-great-grandfather when he helped grant a dying little girl her last wish. Since then, it has evolved and changed, and been passed down from father to son until it reached me.”

“So, the bird is not magic?”

“No.”

“But what about all the miracles that have been happening for the last 200 years?”

“My dear boy, none of the wishes that have been granted have been miraculous feats by any means. Most of them were accomplished by a simple phone call, or a gift of money.”

“But what about my parents? They couldn’t have kids until they saw the owl, then they had me. The same goes for numerous couples in the town’s history.”

“Well, that can be chalked up to two factors, God’s grace and the power of persuasion. The number of people who actually could not bear children is a number I don’t know, and for those people it was a gift from God that they were able to conceive a child. Sadly, they began attributing God’s power to the power of the owl. As for the rest... It just comes down to coincidence of timing. If it was near the 25-year mark, and a couple was trying for a child and failed after a few attempts, they would just end up waiting for the appearance of the owl. At that point it became a situation of correlation equals causation. No miracle has happened here that was outside the control of the Almighty.”

Allen sat there in silence, thinking of all the stories he had been told throughout his life, and as he thought back, he realized that the old man was telling the truth. Except for the births, none of the wish fulfillments could be classified as miracles. They were just the kind benevolence of a Good Samaritan.

“So, the owl’s not going to clear up my writer's block and help me sell millions of books?”

“The only power that the bird has is the power of suggestion. Sometimes people just need a little push to realize what they’ve had in them all along.”

“If all of this is true, why are you telling me?”

“Two-fold Allen. First, I’m getting old, I've never been married, and I’ve never had any children. If this is going to continue, I need someone to replace me in my duties. Second, I have seen the way that this whole owl thing has become a sort of religion for the people of Crest Haven. That was never the intent of my ancestors. They merely wanted to share the abundance that God has given them with those less fortunate. Therefore, the curtain needs to be pulled back, and the system needs to change. I think you are the solution to both of those problems.”

“Why me?”

“Because Allen, you were the only person in town that didn’t get swept away with the cult of the owl. And because you were the first person that I can remember, whose wish was merely to see the magic behind the owl.”

“How did you know what my wish was? I didn’t even know what my wish was.”

“I’m able to know the wish of everyone in town, and you’re wondering how I know yours? I have my ways and my agents Allen. You’ll learn them too if you agree.”

“How am I even going to do this?”

“I will teach you all that you need to know, and show you my eyes and ears in town. The rest will be up to you.”

Allen sat motionless for a long time, deep in thought. This was an opportunity of a life time, and a chance to do something greater than himself. There was no reason not to do it. Maybe this was his wish all along. Not only to see the Great White Owl, but to become it. To have the same power to bring people joy.

“You’ve got a deal.”

“Excellent. You don’t know how relieved I am to know this will be falling to someone who will handle it with the same love that my family has been doing it with since it began. Now, you better head back to town before someone starts missing you. You need to turn in your article about the widow Anderson.”

With a wash of understanding, Allen smiled and headed out the door back toward town. The whole way down the path, he was filled with so much excitement that he thought he would burst. It was a shame that the owl wouldn’t be helping with his writer’s block, but this outcome was far better. Then, Allen was suddenly struck with inspiration and hastened his pace to get home. Once he burst through his front door, he searched desperately for a pencil and paper. He had to write this down while it was still fresh in his mind. Finally, he found what he was looking for, and taking the paper in hand he sat down to begin writing.

“There had been rumors that the old barn owl had finally returned again...”