The Ladies of Horror
Picture-Prompt Writing Challenge!

Counting Crows
by Rie Sheridan Rose

We watch this glade, the crows and me, and Rufus. There’s something hidden in the trees behind me, but I don’t have any call to know what it is, so I don’t speculate. I see you standing there in the shadows, your armor shiny new, your sword sharp enough to split hairs. You think that I am an old fool with a magic blade to add to your collection. You think that I would fall easily and you could pillage the grove at your leisure. You’d take me out first, then the wolf…fool.

Rufus has been here a thousand, thousand years, and I’ve got a few under my belt as well. We’ve seen you bright young things come and go. If you have any sense, you’ll heed my advice—turn around and go. We won’t follow. We will gladly watch you depart. One less soul to grieve.

I told you, Rufus. This is another of those determined to make their own name. Look, he’s got his little sword drawn, and thinks that is a powerful stance.

Go home, boy. Last warning.

All right, Rufus. The rest is yours. The soul is gathered. I have no need of the blood bag and bones.

Welcome to your new life, son. Another guardian in our haunted glade. This is your existence now. Speak to the other crows. They will fill you in.

No one ever puts it together. No one ever counts the crows and tallies up the missing. What do you think we do with the souls?

Fiction © Copyright Rie Sheridan Rose
Image courtesy of Pixabay.com

More from Author Rie Sheridan Rose:

Skellyman

“I have always preferred the supernatural in tales of horror, the knot between life and death. Rie Sheridan Rose’s Skellyman is cool and creepy. Her first horror novel is a chilling read.” — Charlee Jacob – Stoker winner, Best novel, “Dread in the Beast”

Brenda Barnett is trying to cope with raising her four-year-old daughter all alone after an accident tore her family in half. As she and Daisy go for a much-needed treat, the little girl spots a Skellyman on the corner.

This pivotal encounter leads to a wave of mounting terror as Brenda’s life begins to come undone around her. Who is the Skellyman? Why does he keep appearing? Can the sympathetic policeman Brenda turns to stop the madness before it is too late?

And why does Daisy insist that her dead brother is trying to tell them something important?

Available on Amazon!