-Birds of Pray

[Words to Image. What I do ... I find a random image that grabs my attention and I listen to the story it tells me to write. I spend 15-20 minutes writing it. I then share, for you. This process feeds my brain. I hope it does yours, as well. In honor of Mother's Day, I hope you enjoy]

When Amielia was little her mother often told her about the Bird of Pray, a black as night bird that resembled a crow with color changing eyes.

'"It is the keeper of sins," her mother always warned. "Sent from the very source of all evil, the Dark Belial, himself."

As the story goes, these Birds of Pray would fly high above the skies and keep track of all the evils that mankind committed. It witnessed the smallest of sins to the greatest of atrocities. Always monitoring what we each did to one another, a single bird for every person. When our evils began to multiply, a second bird would take flight in order to assist in recording. They would circle the casual sinner, watching and waiting for the moment they were given permission to gather their sins. When the count reached a maximum level, the Dark Belial loosened them, triggering the color change of their eyes and they would swarm the unsuspecting sinner. First, they would pick away at the body in search of the heart. The stench of an evil heart drove them wild. They would peck and pull until access was granted. One lucky bird would fly away with the heart and gain favor when delivered to the underworld ruler. He now held the soul as souvenir.

"But why are they called 'Birds of Pray,' not 'Prey?' Amelia asked.

"Because, dear child, the power of mother's prayer is very powerful. We pray to the heavens, beseeching our children to receive an excuse from the evils they commit. Our prayers are never enough to wipe the slate clean, entirely, but they do minimize them in hopes that you will change. Some stay, some are forgiven. We stall the birds, at least for a time, while we work on you. If we fail, the Birds come."

Amelia heard the stories her entire childhood. But today, Amelia was no longer a child. She had grown into her own self and had long since ventured into the vast world. Still, her mother prayed, until the day she did not.

Amelia watched as they lowered her into earth below. The skies were as heavy as her heart, itching to drop its bottom on the little canopy and chairs. When she kissed her fingertips and touched it to that cold, hard casket, she thought her mother's stories had died with her. She was wrong. Amelia moved on and lived as she saw fit after that day.

And then one day, a day that mimicked the same heavy skies as before. She heard a mighty screech. She looked around when she should have looked upward. Her life caught up with her, that day. Her sins had reached their limit. Her mother's prayers held no power anymore. Today was the day the Dark Belial decided to change the color of their eyes. Today, he sent the measure of those tasked with her watch and there were many. Amelia never believed in her mother's 'tall tales.' She did today, at least for few minutes. Today, they preyed.

[Happy Mother's Day to all. If you enjoyed my words, please, 👍, 🗣, ➡, and consider following my works.]