Three Eyes

The Meeting:

It’s a cold night, and a fresh blanket of snow covered the ground. I could feel the air from the unsealed window creeping through tickling me awake. I opened my eyes, heart dancing with anxiety as if I was waking up for school late but it was only 2:34am. I sit up from my bed and stare out into the darkness of my room trying to ignore the ominous feeling. It wasn’t working. I got out of bed to try to pacify the initial situation of the cold wind sneaking through. I mustered up the courage to slide out of bed to secure the window. As I approached the window and jiggled it shut tight I couldn’t help but to stare out into the night sky. The stars were beautiful and shining bright with the moon. The country night sky wasn’t shrouded by city lights and high rises. The corn fields rose high enough to make you just slightly uncomfortable but I’ve always been used to it. As I studied the stars a dark figure catches my eye. I stare out into the darkness to see it again and it was...gone. I looked a little bit longer before having to give up. As I turned away I heard a voice in my head..,”Don’t look again, you don’t want to know .” I felt sweat start to drop down my neck even though my room was freezing, I turned my head to look at the window again and there the figure was waiting for my gaze. I could only see a dark figure the size of a large bird hovering near my window, until I saw 3 eyes blink. I jumped away from the window almost tripping over my slippers. What bird has three eyes? That’s the first thought that came into my mind. I backed away and sat on my bed praying I was dreaming. I closed my eyes and counted to 10 hoping it would of disappeared. 1...2.....3....4....5...6..7..8..9.10. I pop my eyes open clenching my pillow. It was still there hovering and staring at me expectingly. I locked eyes with the figure and I felt taken over. My body suddenly approached the window and before I understood what I was doing I opened the latch and began to pull the window up to let the figure in. I could feel my hands shaking but I couldn’t control what I was doing. Tears of fear streamed down my face as I backed away to my bed and away from the opened window. The figure entered my room and with a black poof an owl with three red eyes appeared and sat in front of the window on my floor gazing at me as if I had something to tell him. I was overtaken by it’s eyes.

The Entrance

I stared at the owl from behind my pillow still trembling and hoping I was dreaming. I finally mustered up the courage to ask something because at this point I wanted to run downstairs to my mom and dad for safety but something was telling me there’s no running now. “I—-um you.. what do you want?” I stuttered barely getting any words out. The owl didn’t say anything, of course why would an owl speak. I started to reflect on my own stupidity and paranoia losing too much attention, the owl was slowly creeping towards me. I trembled from the cold air and fear as the owl came closer and closer.”STOP DO NOT COME ANY CLOSER!” I screamed hoping my parents would at least hear me fighting for dear life in here. The owl stopped and blinked all three eyes, I felt shivers travel up my back up through my body. Suddenly the owl took flight but to my delight it went out the window! I ran over to the window after it to seal it shut again immediately, but I couldn’t help but to notice where the owl was flying to. The owl landed on top of the barn across from our home and stared at me again. I felt chills through my body again as it started to blink all three of it’s eyes once more. I pulled on my boots and grabbed a flashlight and my jacket. I can’t believe I’m doing this, I thought to myself. But no way I’m doing this alone. I crept into my older brother’s room and shook him awake as if the house was on fire. He jumped up in an irritated panic half way listening as I explained the situation to him.”Whatever let’s just go see what you’re talking about so you can stop freaking me out, I heard you screaming earlier loser.” I ignored his rudeness and was grateful that I didn’t have to do this alone. “First come to my window to see what I’m seeing please,” I begged him. Reluctantly he grabbed his shoes and coat and gloves and followed me up to my room. I crossed my fingers that it would still be there. As we approached the window I suddenly felt like I was being watched. My brother came to my window and stared out with me. To my concern the owl was gone. “Are you serious you woke me out of bed for noth-,” suddenly the owl came crashing into the window with a loud screech as if it was trying to break through the glass. We jumped back and screamed holding each other, while shaking. It launched back again and started to hover. It blinked it’s eyes again and flew over to the top of the barn.”We have to go the barn,” I mutter through stuttering. My brother nodded and put on his coat and shoes. We tip toed down the stairs because if our parents knew what we were doing, we’d be doing extra chores for weeks and if we explained the situation they’d never believe us. We crept out of the back door with our flashlights on slowly approaching the barn. I felt a stare on me and I looked up to see the owl gazing down at us.

The Barn

We unlocked the barn doors and crack them open just enough for us to be able to slide through. We enter into the dark barn that has a more antagonizing feeling this time around. As we look around the dark barn house we don’t notice anything out of the ordinary. As me and my brother decide to retreat, we hear a thud. The door closed and we were in utter darkness outside the light of our flashlight. Suddenly in the darkness I see three eyes blink from above us near the exit. I hold in a scream and hold my brothers hand signaling him to look. He notices and clenches my hand. I can feel his regret of coming here with me in his trembles. Suddenly the three eyes disappear and we flash the light around to see where it went. As we searched we couldn’t see a thing. We pulled the flashlight off the ceiling waiting to escape again hoping this time it’s not near the entrance. We waited in fear and anticipation hoping it wouldn’t re-emerge during our escape. As we found our way closer to the door we saw it’s eyes flash again near the upstairs back wall of our barn and this time the owls three eyes were red. My brother began to back away towards the door still trying to make it open but it seemed to be sealed shut. He started to plea with me and beg me to help him get the door open but I couldn’t focus on helping him. I stared at the owl feeling more afraid than ever but I was so captivated my it’s gaze I didn’t feel my feet moving towards the stairs and slowly up the steps. I trembled as I approached it without breaking eye contact. I knew what I was doing was most likely not right but I couldn’t help but to follow my feet. I held my breath and clinched my wet sweaty fist. As I approached the upstairs I could see the owl more clearly and I expected it to attack me or lunge at me but it just sat there waiting for me. I didn’t understand why I couldn’t hear my brother anymore but all I could see and hear was the owl and that’s all I wanted to see and hear. I examined the owl from a far but I knew I had to get closer to be able to do anything. As I got closer to the owl it looked like it was hovering over something, it appeared to be hovering over...another owl but this owl seemed to no longer have the breath of life. The owl laying on the floor looked as if it’s wing had been torn into and I didn’t understand but I was overtaken. I slowly approached the two owls confused with uncontrollable tears streaming down my face. I got down to my knees near the two and started to allow my body to move without thinking. The three eyed owl eyes were still red and there was an overwhelming feeling of dread when I stared into it’s eyes. I carefully picked up the dead owl off of the barn floor and held it close to my body and cradled it as if it were a baby. As I embraced the owl I was suddenly over taken with visions of flying through the forest avoiding being seen. I see myself taking cover in the trees from rain and devouring other animals too distracted by the rain to notice me. I see the night sky and stars glimmering. I see myself having chicks and losing them and having more and losing them. Finally I could see a coyote pursing me and almost killing me as I escaped and hid inside of a barn. I could see myself laying here for hours bleeding out from my wounds until my final breath. I saw the owls last few moments and I felt the pain that it endured in it’s time. My heart couldn’t help but to melt at the plight of this owls life.

The Truth

I laid the owl down back onto the barn floor and let my tears flow out of my eyes like a river pouring back out into the ocean. I felt sure of what I needed to do without having any prior knowledge. With a loud voice filled with confidence and love I spoke,” Be at peace,” while standing and facing the three eyed owl. Suddenly with a powerful light the owls eyes three disappeared and the feeling of dread disappeared and a new feeling was there instead. A feeling of true love. I felt peace and joy fill the barn and over take me. Within a blink of an eye the owl transformed and became a dove and flew out of the open barn window and up into the sky, and strangely the owl on the the barn floor disappeared. I sat there in tears trembling unsure of what happened. All I can hear is you’re late. You’re late...I’m late? I suddenly jolt up to see my brother’s face staring at me in a panic. I sit up from my bed immediately jumping into his arms. He pushes me off of him.” We’re gonna be late for school loser! Get up!” He storms out as I sit back on my bed. A dream? That was a dream? It felt so real. I jumped out of bed and ran to my window. Sealed tight. I stared at the barn and without putting any real clothes on I grabbed my coat and dashed to the farm to uncover the truth. I walked into the barn and looked around. Everything normal as usual. I walked up the steps and reluctantly went to the same spot where me and the owl had met before. I didn’t see anything, turning around defeated, I started my dissent down the stairs. As I look up I stare at the hole in the top of the barn and I stop in my tracks. Tears start to roll down my face as I tremble and cry. I couldn’t believe my eyes as I watched a dove slowly fly by. I knew my friend found peace.