Ravenvein

Ravenvein Part I

I kicked at a loose stone in Blue Man Ridge, the part of town with the cracked sidewalks and busted windows, and somewhere in between was a small Baptist church. My mother had died in a car accident. The police said she was found a couple dozen feet in front of the car, covered head to toe in burns, black char, and bloody gore . She fought as long as she could but she eventually succumbed to her trauma.

My beat-up sneakers scuffed across the patio of the church where we were hosting the funeral. My shaggy, greasy orange and brown hair bounced with every step. I was dressed in my father's suit which was a couple of sizes too big made evident by me constantly pulling the pants up. Meira walked beside me, her hands in the pockets of her black dress. She was talking about school. Or maybe her mom. I didn’t hear her at first. Reading a eulogy was the last thing I expected to start my summer and as much as my friends tried I couldn't get my mind off my mother.

“You’re zoning out,” she said, smirking. Meira had brown hair, brown eyes, and had the bright smile of someone who was raised in politics, because she was. Her father is mayor of Greyslake.

I blinked. “Sorry. I was thinking.”

She narrowed her eyes. “Look Gio, the hard part is over”

“Thanks Meira,” I said looking up. “Its just my dad, he lost his job so now he expects all of my checks to go to bills and plenty of beer so he can “sleep”.” I joked holding air quotes. She laughed, loud and real.

Behind us, footsteps slapped the sidewalk—faster, clumsier. Betrick, dressed in a black suit, a white dress shirt, a crimson newsboy hat, and a bow tie, grinned as he caught up.

“I bring snacks,” he said in his thick English accent, holding out a crumpled bag of chips and two cookies, one with a bite taken out. “Decent snacks.”

“Really?” Meira said ‘Thats what you bring up?’

“I was hungry. Now I’m full. Simple”

“My mom would've definitely wanted that” I said chuckling softly.

Meira rolled her eyes. I snatched a chip. Betrick eyed the Blue Man monument about a block down the street. It stood like a sentinel in the town square—tall, dark, and intimidating. A statue of a cloaked figure holding an arm out pointing toward where the original town square used to be, Old Castle. The plaque read: The Blue Man: Protector of the City, 1974–1998. Nearly every street or park in this town had some sort of memorabilia or tribute to Blue Man, The Prescotts, or The Warrens. ‘Blue Man Boulavard.’ or ‘Prescott Park’.

Most people forgot the story. I never did. Ever since we where kids the story was beat into our head. Meira and I were nineteen and Betrick was eighteen.

“It’s crazy how we’ve lived here all our lives and yet no one knows the exact story of what happened to Blue Man. Like why was he blue or why isn’t him being ‘superhuman’ more popular and well known?” I asked.

“They know they just don’t say?” she murmured. “My granddad told my dad it was just a story to scare kids out of the woods. But my dad told me something different. That the Blue Man was killed or murdered, it was a poem he used to have on the wall”

“What poem?” I asked curiously.

“He had it up for years but took it down last year?”

“My dad loved him but I think after he joined the police he began to neglect him a bit” I added.

“That is an understatement mate, he had a Blue Man Christmas inflatable that he had up every year and then magically the year he becomes deputy he doesn’t put it up”. Betrick said quickly.

“Yeah especially after he got fired, he never would talk about him and no he hates Meira because of it, no offense Meira.” I added.

“Maybe your dad knew the truth, maybe Blue Man wasn’t a protector?”

Betrick said sitting on a park bench.

“Possibly, even Meiras dad hates him so there could definitely be some truth.” I said.

“I don’t know but whatever it was it’s way above our pay grade.” Meira added,” anyways im hungry and I have to be home early for my mom’s party, maybe Vespuccis, it’s down the street?”

“Party?” I asked.

“Yeah, her book club just finished their fiftieth novel and I have to be there because she gave me the ‘honors’ of reading the first chapter.” Meira said rolling her eyes.

“Is it smutt?” Betrick asked not looking up.

“I’d say no but knowing them probably. My dad found out they read Fifty Shades of Grey and he flipped out.”

Meira said.

“Ahh yes my favorite.” Betrick said, a smile curling at his lips.

“If Christian Grey was a virgin though.” I added.

“You don’t know my private life and I wouldn’t expect you to Gio.”

Betrick replied, “it’s sophisticated.”

We gathered at Vespucci’s Pizzeria. The air smelled like garlic and regret. I leaned against the booth while Betrick slurped soda like he’d been stranded in a desert.

“I’m going to the jazz club tonight after school, I have some senior shit to go to,” Betrick announced between slurps.

“You?” Meira asked. “Why?”

Betrick shrugged. “Latisha Star.”

“The singer?” I asked.

“She plays every Thursday. Got a voice like melted gold. I saw her once from the alley out back.”

“So you were loitering,” Meira said.

“Loitering with class,” Betrick said. “Anyway, I’m going again. If I don’t come back, it’s because shes kidnapped me so don't save me.”

We laughed.

“My dad’s getting a worse, a lot worse.” I let out.

“How so?” Betrick asked.

“We were fighting and he broke the TV, I don’t know he’s just erratic.”

“My dad’s going over there this week I think, maybe that’ll be good for him?” Meira said twirling a strand of her hair.

“Yeah definitely.” I said eating a pice of pizza.

“He needs rehab or something.” Meira said

“Couldn’t agree more.” I replied.

The Old Jazz Club smelled like cedar, bourbon, and stories too sad to say out loud. Betrick sat near the back, nursing a ginger ale and fiddling with the edge of his coaster. The air hummed with quiet piano and cigarette smoke. Then Latisha Star took the stage.

She wore a dark black dress that shimmered like stars under the lights. Her afro bounced gently as she leaned into the mic, eyes half-lidded, voice deep and golden. It wasn’t just the way she sang—it was the way the whole room tilted toward her. Even the glasses seemed to listen.

Betrick forgot to blink.

He watched as she sang, hitting every note with ease. Betrick stared, memorizing every curve of her body.

When her set ended, she slipped past his table, drink in hand. She didn’t look at him at first, but he still panicked a little.

“You’ve got a crush,” she said without turning. Her voice poured out like silk.

“And how would you know that?” he asked wearing that same smile.

“The staring.”

“I was observing,” he said.

She finally turned, eyebrow raised. “Oh for sure.”

“I’m Betrick.”

“Latisha.”

“You wanna see a movie this weekend?” he asked, voice cracking slightly. “Every Saturday night they play shitty horror movies at the cinema. I’ll also bring backup, Giovanni, and Meira. They’re good people.”

She sipped her drink, studying him.

“I’ll think about it,” she said.

By Saturday night, she had clearly thought about it.

The Grand SKT. ARMY Theater stood at the edge of town, a place that never quite finished falling apart. The marquee read: Aliens Vs. Dinosaurs..

“Real classy,” Meira said, arms crossed. Her wide brown eyes caught the flicker of the neon as she leaned toward me. “This better be so bad it’s good.”

I chuckled. “It’s gonna be awful.”

Betrick swaggered up, grinning widely. Latisha walked beside him, arm linked through his. She wore a long trench coat over a black dress covered in thin white stripes, her eyes lined with silver. She was radiant. She waved at Meira and I like they were old friends.

“Y’all ready for two hours of terrible acting and unnecessary explosions?” she asked.

“You know it,” Meira said, bumping her hip against me.

Inside, the movie was worse than expected. Betrick whispered jokes the entire time. He and Latisha sat at the end of the row, next to an older couple who didn’t think he was as funny.

“So then the demon’s like, ‘Sir, this is a Wendy’s,’” Betrick whispered.

The couple shot a dirty look. Latisha leaned in close to him, stifling a giggle.

“You’re gonna get us kicked out,” she whispered.

“Worth it,” he whispered back, eyes glowing.

I looked over briefly. Meira was watching the screen, but a smile tugged at her lips.

I wasnt sure if it was the popcorn or the movie messing with me but I felt like the air was heavy and my brain was waiting for something. Meira's hand lay on the armrest. My heart raced, “I mean every other guy here has their arm around their girl, but shes not my girl, yet.”. I reached my hand out and brushed my fingers along the side of hers when she firmly grasped it.

A smile she tried to hide bled onto her face. I was happy.

After the movie, we walked out into the cool night. The sidewalks sparkled faintly with leftover rain. Betrick and Latisha lagged, fingers brushing.

I turned to Meira. “So. That was something.”

She laughed. “Betrick’s gonna marry her.”

“Think so?”I replied “Not what I was referring to, I thought”

“She listened to him like he was saying prophecy.”

We looked back at him just as Latisha kissed him on the cheek and tugged his hoodie down over his eyes.

“Yeah,” I said. “He’s doomed.”

“Well my friends I’m gonna turn in for the night” Betrick announced, Latisha giggled on his arm and I looked at Meira giving her the “Oh God” look. “Sounds good be safe y'all.” Meira said watching them as they turned and left and immediately looked at me and a smile broke “They couldn't have made it more obvious”.

“No possible way” I said, I wanted to bring up the moment at the theater or maybe how we might be able to–. I was cut off.

“Well I think my rides here”, she said as a black SUV pulled into the parking lot of the gas station with whom I could only assume had Danny Prescott lingering in the front seat.. “Yeah of course, uh be safe see you tomorrow.” I walked a couple more blocks past Warren towers and into the parking lot of the high school. I got to my car, started it, and began driving home. I pulled into the house twenty minutes later, shut off my headlights, and opened my glove compartment to pull out a small bag of pot, enough for a bowl. Perfect.

I packed and lit the bowl inhaling the smoke and blowing it into the claustrophobic air of my small Impala. I inhaled the hot white smoke and exhaled it bringing the familiar buzz of euphoria and temporary forgetfulness. I took another hit and lay my head back gazing at the old Atlanta Braves hat my dad had gotten me that lay on my dashboard. When I finished the bowl and walked to the back door of my house, my eyes red and bloodshot, tired from the stress of school and working a dead-end job. My dad sat in the kitchen holding a mug of hot black coffee. “Come here son”.

“Dad its been a long day i really don't need this”. I said a little louder than I had meant to.

“Giovanni I have given you grace since your mom passed but damn it you have to get your life together, smoking and staying out all night with that damned girl, that’s unacceptable. You look like shit, when was the last time you were sober huh Gio?”Now that I had thought about it, two maybe three weeks. “You have no motivation, you had everything going for you and now the former deputy’s son is an embarrassment.”

“Whatever dad.”

“I would say graduate but you don’t have the heart in you.”

Whenever these conversations started my mind went to another place as quickly as it was brought up.

“You’re lazy boy, I didn’t raise you like that, you ain’t one of mine.” He said drunkenly. I shook my head as I walked to my room only my footsteps breaking the silence. “You have two weeks till I kick your ass out.”

I opened my door and walked in, past the dusty trophies and dirty clothes that littered the floor. When she died I didn't just lose my mom but my number one supporter, my coach, and the role model of my life. She made me fall in love with soccer and pushed me to my ends to practice and keep with it till I landed a tryout at the biggest club soccer team in Blue Man Ridge but when she died my dream and love for soccer died with her, I hated it. I lay in bed, dirty, half sober, and teetering on the edge of sleep dreaming about her, how much I needed her.

The next day, Meira and I walked up Blue Man Boulevard that led to the downtown. “My moms pregnant.” Meira said.

“Oh congratulations.” I said not knowing what to say.

“Yeah it’s pretty cool. They said since I’ll be moving out soon they decided they wanted to raise another.” Meira said raising her arm.

“Couldn’t be me.”

Wefound Betrick sprawled across a bench outside Vespucci’s Pizzeria. He wore sunglasses and a dumb grin.

“Well, well,” Meira said, arms folded. “Someone looks smug.”

“I had,” Betrick said, pausing to brush his nose, “the night of my life.”

I raised an eyebrow. “With Latisha?”

Betrick sat up dramatically. “We went on a spiritual journey. There were stars. Candles. Slow jazz. I think I saw Jesus.”

Meira rolled her eyes. “You’re saying you got laid?” as she poked me with her shoulder and smiled in that “I'm right” look.

“I’m saying I ascended,” Betrick said proudly. “I am no longer a boy. I am a man forged in velvet sheets.”

I snorted. “Okay calm down Shakespeare.”

Meira laughed harder than she meant to. “You’re ridiculous.”

“I know,” Betrick said. “And now I’m wise. You may address me as headmaster.”

“Please never say that again,” I muttered.

“Don’t be jealous brother,” Betrick said putting an arm on my shoulder that I quickly brushed off.

“Im not jealous I’m just patient.” I joked.

“I don’t know Gio you sound jealous to me.” Meira said covering her smile with her hands.

“He’s jealous for you mate.” Betrick said lightly punching Meiras arm.

“Betrick how about you worry about your grades rather than my love life.” I said cracking a smile. Meira smiled.

The day passed with more teasing and laughter than usual. Meira and I walked with Betrick past the welcome sign in Old Castle, where the wind rustled the trees. People moved in and out of shops in the outskirts of town as the sun once again reunited with the horizon. Nothing felt too serious.

Old Castle never felt empty.

That was the first thing I noticed.

People always said it was abandoned, or dying, or forgotten—but that wasn’t it. Empty things feel hollow.

Old Castle felt… full. Full of an evil aura.

I stayed close to Meira as we walked through.

Not in a weird way. I just checked every few seconds, I’d check she was still there. Her shoulder, her arm, the way her flashlight shook just a little, it seemed like normal stuff but that’s what I was looking for.

“Why are we here,” I asked her.

I kept my voice low, like if I spoke too loud something might hear it.

She didn’t look at me. Just kept walking.

“It’s a short cut to downtown.”

“Uhhh..okay?”

“It’ll be quicker,” she said again, quieter this time.

I didn’t push it.

Because there was something in her voice I didn’t recognize.

And that scared me more than anything in this town.

The deeper we went, the worse it got.

The buildings leaned in like they were listening. Windows weren’t just broken they felt open, like something had just stepped away from them.

Betrick muttered something behind us, but I barely heard it.

Because the air changed.

It got heavier.

Like breathing through something thick.

Like the town didn’t want us here yet it was drawing Meira in. Then the light flickered. Meira’s flashlight dipped for a second. When it came back up—I swear the street looked longer.

I blinked.

It was normal again.

“Did you see-”

“Don’t,” Meira said quickly. “Just keep walking.”

I shut up.

Not because she told me to.

Because I didn’t want to hear myself say it out loud.

We hit the forest without realizing.

One step was pavement.

The next was dirt.

And then—

That sound. I chalked it up to the forest settling after rain, loose branches falling and e occasional rain drops here and then. “Oi Gio, you got some water mate? We’ve been walking forever.” Betrick finally said. “I don’t, sorry man.” I replied.

“Why are we even here? We should’ve been there by now.”

“Just keep walking Betrick and stop asking questions.” Meira said not turning, clearly scared.

“Oh sure Meira, let me follow you into the creepiest woods in-“ Betricks face went pale. I looked up to see the issue. “Creepiest woods in—in what?” I asked. “Something’s here with us, I saw it in the tree line or further in.” He said. “Look man just keep walking we’re almost to town.” Then I began to hear it more. A shiver a of fear ran down my body. Meira continued in front of us, eyes focused and wide and a shaky flashlight in hand.

It was right there and making itself more known. Not loud with just a few sticks being stepped on but we knew it was there.

“…Meira…”.I whispered.

She was right next to me.

“You don’t hear that?” I asked,” Meira you’re acting really weird.”

She kept walking. Her non answer didn’t scare me as much as the realization that my voice started to not sound like my own. The trees hung near the street we walked with occasional branches slapping my face. Two streetlights barely lit up the rain covered street.

I looked into the branches on our side trying to see what was making the tree branches snap. Wait, I thought, it has sounded like it’s been jumping from tree to tree almost like it’s stalking us.

I made eye contact with Betrick and pointed up. He nodded. We continued walking when I finally pushed Meira and made her face us. “Okay Meira you gotta tell us what you’re doing.” I said putting both hands on her shoulders. “I..I..have to follow…” she didn’t finish and kept walking. I stopped asking and just kept my head low. Meira wouldn’t put us in danger. We had been walking for around 40 minutes and were only a quarter the way to town. It almost seemed like a loop that played.

Our three footsteps turned to two when I looked up and saw Meira stop. I saw something reaching down from the tree, almost looked like a branch you’d try to rip off only to then stop and leave it mangled. It was a long dark hand. The fingers were skinny slowly closing down the distance between.

“Run!” Me and Betrick yelled to Meira

But Meira didn’t.

She was staring into the trees above her.

“No,” she whispered.

“No? Are you bloody mental?!” Betrick barely whispered behind her.

Her grip tightened on the flashlight, “I’m not going with you.”

I felt my stomach drop. Her eyes were glazed over, her face was pale. Meira wasn’t controlling herself.

“I hear it, I hear it all the time now.” She said.

Her flashlight hit something above.

And I wish it hadn’t. At first, I thought it was a person. Just standing there. Too still. Too tall. But the longer I looked…

The less it made sense.

Its shape didn’t stay the same. It kept… slipping. Like it couldn’t decide what it wanted to look like.

I felt my chest tighten.

That wasn’t normal.

Nothing about that was normal.

“…Meira…”

The voice came from it.

From inside it.

And this time it sounded scared.

Like her.

Like it had known her its whole life.

I grabbed her without thinking.

“Don’t go near it.”

But she pushed past me with ease.

Not hard.

Just enough.

“It’s what’s chosen for me,” she said.

Her voice was shaking now.

“I remember you.” It said.

Meira fell to the ground sobbing, “Please stop, please don’t scare me anymore!”

The thing didn’t walk.

It didn’t step.

It just glided closer. They way it was walking if that’s what you could call it.

I don’t know how else to explain it.

It didn’t cross the space between us.

It just didn’t feel as far away anymore.

And something in me broke.

Because she wasn’t just scared. She looked like she’d already accepted it.

I would move to stop her but I was frozen in fear.

The thing shifted again.

And for a second—

It looked like a normal person.

Almost familiar.

It looked like a portrait of a human with the same soulless-ness.

“…I know your blood…”

“How?” She asked.

“…your..blood..is..the..owed….”

Meiras flashlight dropped and hit the ground. I ran over and Meira collapsed into an uncontrollable sob. “Meira we need to go NOW!” Betrick pleaded.

“You don’t understand,” she said.

“Then explain it later, we need to GO!”

“If I run,” she whispered, “it follows. It said we’re one. I was the blood to his body. We needed each other.” She said tears streaming down her face.

“I called Chad he should be here soon.” Betrick said visibly upset.

“Why would it say that?” I asked.

“I don’t know.” She answered.

Everything went quiet.

Too quiet.

Like the town was waiting to see what we’d do. That’s when Chad McKenzie parked in the middle of Wooly Ave and we piled in. “The hell are you guys doing in Old Castle?” Chad asked turning the loud music down, “Hey baby girl.”

Meira didn’t hear it. “We were making our way to Blue Man Ridge but we got lost.” Betrick said laying his head back. “You guys are 6 miles out of Greyslake. There’s no way you walked here in two hours.” Chad replied. Meira had no breath in her lungs. She seemed like her gaze was distant. I laid her next to me and ran my fingers through her hair as I tried to lay back myself and get rest.