The Crow: Book of Days Chapter 1: One, a crow fanfic

There aren't many days, or even hours that I don't think about Shelly. She was the first person I ever really loved. She was my breath of life and my connection to reality.

When I came back, all I could think about was that I had to set things right. No matter the cost. Even though I did, we are still apart.

I had to make a new life alone. Gotta pay the rent and have money to replace bullet hole ridden clothing. I got a job in a club where I sometimes played jigs with the old band. It wasn't that good of money, but I enjoyed it anyway. Got to watch a new band almost every night and hang out with some amazing people.

It was at this job that I met Macha.

It was a Friday night, and people where just starting to show up in masses. There was a group playing called Black Rose and they where suppose to be amazing.

Around 9:30 or so, the band started setting up the equipment and warming their strings. A few later, an image or mortal youth at its grandest stepped up to the center mic. She was in her late teens or early twenties. I couldn't tell. She was dressed all in black, with a long duster on and her long blonde hair flowing down to her waist.

She didn't make a sound until the music started and then her silky voice waved across the sound system.

I don't think Jon Bon Jovi himself could have sung his own song as well. It seemed like every part of Blaze of Glory had a deeper connection to her. Maybe it did. Whatever it was, you could see the passion in her eyes.

After a few more numbers, they took an intermission. For some reason, I had to talk to her.

" Hi," I said.

" Hey. You, uh, work here right?' she said.

"Yeah. Eric Draven ."

"I'm Macha. That's all you need to know for now." Macha said.

" You where amazing up there." I told her

"It wasn't that good," Macha said with a snicker, " Oh, man. I gotta go. Can I talk to you later Eric?"

" Sure, I'll be here," I said.

She climbed up on stage with a slight smile on her face. She bit her bottom lip and locked her eyes with mine just before she stepped up to the mic again. After whispering with the band she turned and starts into song.

" My dreams are not yet broken. My heart is not yet tamed. The wild rain keeps pouring, but you stay the same. Darkness all around you. You tell me, do not fear. I begging down here on my knees to take my hand and

Fly away with me. Come with me away from the heartache and pain we feel today. These broken wings we have can no longer take backlashes and all the scars that come from this running and fleeing, the begging and pleading for a chance to see that light.

Look at my hands. Can you see the things they've had to do? Can you feel the pain in my soul, bursting out without control? Just yesterday, things where going our way. Just laughing and playing. Oh what am I saying? I'll never see those days again.

These black feather falling down from my soul just like blood from open wounds. My spirit needs to be free. Could you be that salvation I'm yearning? The one I should be turning to?

I couldn't believe it. It was like she could see the inner me. It was somewhat frightening.

'No. She couldn't possibly know.' I thought. If she would have started singing the Beatles song "Blackbird", I would have really freaked out. But, instead, she started another original. I'm not sure what the word where, or even the tempo, all I could do was wonder if she knew my whole story.

After around three songs later, they called it quits. She came up to me and smiled.

" So, what did you think about the rest of the show?" Macha asked

" Absolutely loved it." I said.

" I would buy you a drink, but it wouldn't exactly be legal" She said

" What?" I said, a little in disbelief.

"Yeah, I'm only seventeen." Macha answered.

" I would have never guessed that," I said. It was a half-truth, yeah, but I was still a little dazed by the fact.

" So, what time does your shift end?" She asked me cocking her left eyebrow.

" When's a good time for you?" I asked

" Right now," She said as she wrinkled her nose.

" Okay. Hey, India, I'm gonna clock out now. I have some things to do ." I yelled over the music to India Reyes, who was upstairs.

We walked out into the warm air of late July. We turned down the alley and ended up on the near by sidewalk.

" So, um, how long have you been here?" I asked her.

" Just rolled in a few days ago. Don't know how long I'm staying and don't plan on going back to where I came from" She said rather bluntly.

" Why not? I mean, you're just a kid," I said, but then I wished that I hadn't.

" Don't call me that. I may be younger than you, but I know a thing or two more about getting along in life." She said with fire in her eye and almost every muscle tensing in her body.

" I didn't mean anything by it," I said raising my hands in defense, " all I'm saying is that you're so young to have to deal with the real world."

" Who says that I didn't experience the real world a long time ago?" She said with some pain breaking through her eyes.

Some time passed and I don't know how far we had walked. We talked about almost anything that we could grab out of the night sky.

" So, you got a boyfriend?" I asked

" Nope. Haven't really had one in over a year. You have a girlfriend?" She asked

" I did. But, she died a while ago," I answered

" Oh, Eric. I hate to hear that. No one deservers to loose someone close to them like that. Especially someone like you," She said in a near whisper.

"Yeah," I said looking down.

We rounded the corner and I found that we had made our way back to my place. I wasn't tired, I never am, but she looked like she needed to sit down for a bit, so I invited her up.