Funeral

I surveyed the room and discovered a rod. With a deep breath, I picked it up and proceeded to open the door, illuminating the space with the flick of a switch.

To my surprise, the room was empty except for a stack of cartons in the corner. It had become more of a makeshift storage area lately, but my attention was drawn to a hole in the wall.

"This needs to be repaired," I muttered to myself before leaving the room. However, my gaze landed on a stain next to the carton. Curiosity filled me, I wondered what it could be. To be honest, it looked like a stain of dried blood. "I'll clean it tomorrow," I decided.

The following day, we held my father's funeral. If only we had known what was to come, we could have been better prepared.

In the church, my mom, uncle, and a few of my dad's friends delivered heartfelt speeches.

My mom, the strongest woman I know, concealed her inner grief behind a big smile, motivating me to stay strong.

As tears welled up in my eyes, I noticed the arrival of Mr. Redwood, Victoria, Jeniece, and a few other friends.

Seeing them was a true blessing, as they had been my pillars of support since I arrived in this place.

Without them, I don't know how I would have managed.

Later, at the graveyard, as they lowered my father's casket into the ground, my friends placed flowers on his grave. I embraced Victoria tightly, tears streaming down my face.

Unexpectedly, something happened that none of us could have known. One by one, a woman, a boy, a girl, and a man collapsed to the ground.

Soon, there were six bodies lying motionless, two from each group.

"Oh my goodness, what is happening?" I exclaimed, my heart racing with panic.

Mr. Redwood swiftly grabbed my hand and pulled me toward him, causing me to collide with his chest.

I gazed up at his face, only to turn my attention behind me and notice a lifeless crow lying exactly where I had been standing.

"How did you know?" I inquired, searching his eyes for an answer.

"I have no idea," he replied, lacking a better explanation.

Little did I know, this was just the beginning. It seemed as though dead crows were falling from the sky like rain.

In a rush, we all hurried back to the safety of the church, seeking shelter. However, something strange occurred - the police were called, despite the situation having no apparent connection to law or science.

Sheriff Scott arrived, accompanied by ambulances to transport the deceased to the hospitals.

One of the birds was taken for testing at the lab. It was on that day that I discovered Sheriff Scott's true identity.

This gray-haired, muscular man in his fifties was harboring more secrets about this town than anyone else.

Entering the church, he asked us a few questions before informing us that we were free to leave.

As I was preparing to depart, I overheard him speaking on the phone, saying, "I believe this case shouldn't be handled by an ordinary human being.

You should investigate this further. I will send you samples for testing."

With that, I exited the church. Victoria and Jeniece kindly offered to walk me home, but I declined, feeling guilty for the trouble I had caused them.

"It's alright, you've already been through so much because of me," I nervously replied, rubbing my arm.

"Please, if you need anything, just let us know," Jeniece said, gripping my hands tightly before releasing them.

Then, Mr. Redwood approached us. "Mrs. Murphy, I can give you a ride home if you'd like," he suggested, directing his gaze toward my mom.

"Such a kind-hearted young man in this generation!" She gently touched his cheek. "Your parents must have been truly remarkable people to have raised such a wonderful child." Tears glistened in her eyes.

Mr. Redwood's smile was accompanied by tears welling up in his eyes, perhaps because of a memory of his family or a hidden pain he carried within.

When it comes to his eyes, I can't take my eyes off once I look into them.

His eyes, like a forbidden lake, captivating yet even more enchanting with tears shimmering in them, once you dive in, there's no coming back.

I was curious to uncover the reason behind the pain in them, what made him this soft? I wondered.

As he dropped us off in his car, my mother sat in the front seat while I settled in the back. I couldn't help but steal glances at the rearview mirror, trying to read the emotions reflected in his eyes.

That night, as I drifted off to sleep, my mother came to tuck me in and kissed my forehead. "I regret bringing you here," she whispered, her lips pursed. "You never wanted to come, and now, with everything that's been happening... I'm filled with sorrow for bringing you into this."

"It's not your fault, Mom. Whatever was meant to happen would have happened regardless of where we were," I reassured her, embracing her tightly. 

The image of Mr. Redwood's smile was stuck in my mind, causing a smile to form on my own lips.

"Besides, I am beginning to love this place!" I added as we broke the hug.

With a final kiss on my forehead, my mother left me to rest.

Before falling asleep, I couldn't resist the urge to browse through his social media profile. As you know, curiosity makes you do things you never thought you were capable of.

"Oh my God!" Regret washed over me as I stumbled upon pictures of him at the beach, making me bury my face in the pillow and toss my phone aside.

Blushing like crazy, I found it impossible to erase the image of his perfect physique from my mind. The sight of him holding a bottle, with wet, tousled hair, dark sunglasses, and barely-contained strong thighs in wet shorts, left my body pounding with every beat of my heart.

Each time I closed my eyes, his image would flash before me – his captivating smile, his mesmerizing eyes. His presence was like a magnetic pull, drawing me in and awakening feelings I had never experienced before.

My thoughts wandered to how his skin might feel against mine, the warmth of his breath on my neck. It felt as if he had taken residence in my mind, refusing to let me rest peacefully, and every beat of my heart seemed to echo his name.