Lilo Talei
I remarked to Ariel this afternoon that now we’re both in Thaddeus’ debt. I think she would have killed me on the spot if she hadn’t been in so much pain. She fell and hit her head this morning, and by some miracle we found her. There was this bird in the tree, a big black one, just cawing and cawing and cawing, and when we went to investigate, we found Ariel in a little ditch, a huge cut across her forehead, totally passed out. It was only Thaddeus’ quick thinking that got her up and out at all. He sent me over to the little creek we passed yesterday and asked me to wet some rags to clean her up. When I came back, she was awake. Quieter than usual, and there was something in her eyes that scared me, a look I didn’t quite recognize. She wanted to get back up and leave right away—I’m not sure what she has against us, but I don’t want to set her off, so I’m not going to ask. Anyway, Thaddeus convinced her that it would be “unbelievably stupid, basically a death trap” for her to leave in her current state, so she agreed to camp out here on the ridge of the canyon with us until he’s satisfied that she’s okay. It’s close to the creek, and there’s a lot of food to be gathered around here, so hopefully it won’t take too long. I’m sure she’ll run off again after that, but we’ll see.
It’s funny, I see a lot of myself in her, but like… stupider. I used to be a loner. I could do it by myself. That worked for a while, until it didn’t. Until I ended up here.
I guess this is Ariel’s “here” too.
Ariel Irene
Esther, I would do anything to know what you think I should do in this situation. It’s a miracle that I’m still alive. I woke up (to my surprise, if I’m being honest) and ate what little I had saved for breakfast before trying to find a way out of the ravine I wandered into yesterday. I was trying to reach into a tree about halfway up the ravine wall—both to get some fruit and to try and climb out—but I lost my footing and tumbled back down. I must have landed on a rock, because I don’t remember anything else until I woke up and Thaddeus and Lilo were washing dried blood off my face.
There was so much blood.
I don’t want to stay with them any longer than I have to, what with the pitying glances and his self-righteous wilderness survival skills and her endless chatter… but Thaddeus told me I probably have a concussion and need to take it easy for a few days.
It was funny… for a minute there, his voice softened and he reminded me of you. The way you always took such good care of me, talked me down from my absurd ledges, reminded me to tend to myself before I got out of hand… I almost felt like you were talking to me through him, from beyond the grave, so I gave in and agreed to stay put.
There was this big raven overhead as I was walking this morning, I guess I heard it cawing as I lost consciousness, but I saw it again while Thaddeus and Lilo were making some dinner. (Thaddeus contrived some sort of rabbit trap with wire, and the smell of roasting meat alone might have been enough to convince me to stay. ) The folks at the prison called this place Ravenswing, and I never really asked why until I saw that huge black bird watching me. It cocked its little head sideways like it was trying to say hello… Lilo told me that the bird was how they found me in the first place. Another little sign of you. I always remember how much you loved ravens.
“The ravens roost in the east.” She mentioned that she found that phrase scratched into the wall of the cave when we first arrived, and it fits with the mysterious instinct we all have to travel eastward. I hadn’t thought about it much, but it makes sense that others would have been here before us. I can’t help wondering if they made it out, or if we’ll find their bones somewhere along the way.
I don’t know if you’re somewhere up there, watching me and protecting me… but I miss you, Esther. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you since we arrived here, and it’s like the hurt is fresh all over again. I would give anything to see you again, to hear your voice.
Anyway, I’m getting tired. I’ll write again tomorrow.
Thaddeus Diggory
We’ve stopped for what will likely be a few days, due to an injury Ariel sustained during a supremely ill-fated foraging attempt. Lilo and I set some traps late in the morning and easily snared a couple of rabbits for dinner. I’ve reset the traps, as we’re all in obvious need of more substantial food. Ariel especially. I don’t know what she’s been eating, but it certainly hasn’t been much. She’ll need to keep her strength up if she’s to recover from her head injury. I’ve managed to convince her to remain here for a few days, at least, so that I can manage her condition until she heals.
She’s a mystery to me, that one. Clearly intelligent, clever, even conniving… but cold, utterly unwilling to entertain a conversation. I half expected her to run off as soon as she came to, but I’m glad for her sake that she didn’t.
I fear the coming days will be tedious… and yet I cannot escape a certain sense of responsibility toward the young women entrusted to my care.
You’re reading The Ravenswing Report, a rapid-fire, limited-run serial from Sara Dietz at Blinking Blue Line. To learn more and access the Table of Contents, click here.
5 days in and now all we really know is that esther is dead and these three are not
I’d wondered if Esther was dead. 😭