WISE OLD OWL

He sat as still as the darkness that surrounded him. His eyes were wide and focused waiting like he did every night. Centuries had passed but this ritual never changed. If only someone would get cold enough, scared enough or lost enough to seek shelter in this barn and free him from this curse of being the all seeing barn owl with nothing to see. He would give them all his wisdom just to become a normal bird with a normal lifespan and not immortal fixture in this cold abandoned barn. What good is knowing everything when you are alone and have no use for knowledge? Winter will set in soon bringing with it the blinding snow that sometimes leads cold strangers to unexpected places such as this.
Winter came and left leaving behind only disappointment just as it did every year. It was the warm days of Spring that led young Marleah to grace his presence giving him hope of soon being free of this lonely existence. She was small with almond brown eyes and sandy hair. He could tell at first glance that life had not been good to her and wondered if that was her reason for wandering so far. She didn’t seem to be afraid but she really had nothing to be afraid of , instead , she had just stumbled upon what most people spend their whole lives searching for and never find. Her luck had changed because she was just about to become the wisest human this world has seen in 800 years. He hoped she used this gift for good unlike he did. With his wisdom came power and with that power came riches beyond belief. Those riches became his downfall and at one point made him selfish and cold-hearted. These turn of events left the Great Master no choice but to exile the wise old bird leaving him alone with nothing but his wisdom and knowledge. His bondage would remain until someone worthy enough held one of his feathers in their hand. “She has to pick up my feather”, he thought to himself. “She has to be wise and aware enough on her own to see the beauty hidden in this ratchet place.” He knew if she didn’t pick up that feather then he would be doomed for centuries. His fate was in the tiny hands of Marleah.
He watched her as she walked cautiously through the remains of what used to be a warm and thriving shelter for livestock. Many lifetimes of hard times and cold winters slowly took it’s toll leaving behind the shambles Marleah carefully walked through now. It wasn’t even a place for animals to dwell much less a small girl. Needing a place to rest her weary frame she knelt to lay when a small lone feather caught her eye. He saw her gaze upon it with half lidded eyes and hoped exhaustion didn’t get the best of her before she could pick it up. Then it happened …What he had been anticipating for the last 800 years was finally taking place right before his ancient eyes. She had picked up the feather releasing him from his bondage but also of lifetimes of wisdom and knowledge he would never again have the chance to utilize or share. In one small instant both of their lives had changed. He could finally prepare to grow old and leave this world he’s known for over 800 years behind. He flew away leaving behind all his great wisdom and knowledge to the young girl who would one day grow to be the wisest woman in the world.

Written by Erin Terrell