Sorry I'm late on getting this up, been busy. Today Roxle is a month old and he's never been out of the hospital but it's looking like that's going to change next week! I noticed that when they upped his feedings above 23ml he would throw up constantly and they started looking for a restriction in his intestines which meant that they had to take him down for six x-rays throughout the day but they said they didn't see any so they didn't know why he was throwing up. They did a test to see how fast things were moving through his system and found that everything was moving super slow, they told me this could be a result of his intestines not being healed from the burns yet (being exposed to the amniotic fluid). They said that would take nearly a full year to heal properly and he could stay in the hospital for that time or he could go home hooked up and I would need special training to take care of his PIC line (long term IV) and NG tube (feeding tube). Of course I choose the latter. They ran a continuous feed to see what the most he could tolerate was and I called it at 23ml so that's where he's staying in feeds. He'll eat the 23ml on his own orally but whatever he doesn't take will be given through the NG and the rest of his nutrients will be given to him through the PIC. I'll start my training today and they said the earliest he'll leave would be Monday so I'm gunning for that. I want to finally leave this place and go home to the rest of our family with my baby.

Hopefully within a week or two after he gets out we're moving to Iowa and Ryan and I are getting married so... yeah. A LOT is going on. So sorry if I don't get around to writing or posting for a month or two until everything calms down.

Anyway, wish us luck!

I spent a full day with Jade once she got out of the hospital. I tended to everything she needed and was simply just there with her for comfort if she started to feel bummed out about her leg. It wasn't until she fell asleep that I decided it'd be okay to leave. As soon as I got home I spent the rest of the night with my eyes glued to my computer screen, desperately trying to figure out what that mask and gloves were in that house. They weren't just decorations, they were ageless- completely untouched by time and all elements. They had to mean something and I was going to find out what. If I could figure those out, they would led me to figure out who or what the boy in the house was.

It was the early hours of the morning and I still had no solid leads. The closest thing I got was an old stone carving in some museum depicting pictures of a sort of bird god/warrior that would fight alongside Native American tribes hundreds of years ago. When I first found it, I thought maybe I had something but that hope was crushed when I read on and found out that this supposed god was apparently just a mere mortal which meant he would be long dead by now. Still, if I couldn't find anything else within a few minutes I could try that the next time I went to the house and see if it got a reaction out of the guy living there.

I changed my search for the countless time and interestingly enough, the first suggestion that came up said something about 'The Demon Crow' in an old freak show. I didn't know how that could be relevant but something told me I finally found what I was looking for.

"The Scratch Freak Show has hosted a number of popular oddities for decades now. Whether you're looking for tightrope walkers or sword eaters, this show has it all. It has even been known to showcase a living human skeleton and a two-headed twin in the past. All of these peculiarities, however, pale in comparison to the mysterious Demon Crow which has been travelling in the show for some time now. Flying over audiences adorned in chains to mark the murders he has committed and always covered in strange tribal markings, this beaked boy with birdlike feet and black wings is unlike anything you've seen before. Recently, however, this beast has vanished after the passing of the previous owner, Doc Scratch. No one from the staff has made an official statement on the Demon Crow's disappearance. As a result, the public can only wonder as to what truly happened to the creature."

There was a picture to go with the article and to my surprise and amazement, the person in the photo wore the exact same mask and gauntlets I had seen in the bedroom. Was it possible that the Demon Crow was still alive and haunting the abandoned house? But then why had he left Jade alive and even taken her to the hospital? And why didn't he kill me for my trespass?

Tomorrow I would go back to that house and confront whoever was there, hoping that what I've learned tonight would help me get the answers I was looking for. I prayed that, if it was the Demon Crow, the article was wrong about him being a murderer otherwise I would be in trouble.

I didn't get out as soon as I wanted to, having been up so late last night it only made sense that I overslept and then I had to go check on Jade as well. I decided to keep my findings to myself for now until I knew for sure and had some solid answers to share later. I figured I had about another two hours before the sun would start it's darkening descent and I knew my dad wouldn't wait up for me, assuming that I decided to stay with Jade for the night.

I ran straight for the trail to the old house with the mysterious boy I was dying to officially meet. I wasn't sure if it was just some prankster though a part of me hoped it was but most of me actually wished for it to really be the Demon Crow. The very idea of that scared me but the excitement of possibly getting to see something only believed to be something of fantasy. The very idea that something like him could even exist… I got chills just thinking about what he would look like and how his body functioned differently than humans. That is… if it really was the Demon Crow that went missing from the freak show so long ago though he should be long dead so it couldn't be… but I was hoping for some kind of proof of the impossible in this otherwise dulling world. I knew I wasn't welcome there but I was determined and couldn't be stopped.

By the time I reached the house, it was hard to see the fading light through the trees. It wasn't supposed to seem this dark yet but that was my fault for not having considered the roof of branches and leaves that would be above my head. The house looked as beautifully creepy as it had before though now it seemed to hold even more mystery than before. You would think the mystery would be taken away now that I knew to some degree what was in the house but the mystery that now surrounded the possible resident was enough to leave the whole house the same effect.

The door creaked open, a sound that vibrated the room and the flooring groaned under my feet as I passed through, my shoes creating prints in the dirt caked onto the aged wood. So cruelly withered by time, blotched spots of odd colors had grown on the walls, giving them the appearance to be misshapen. It was actually pretty quiet compared to the last time I was here and I actually had time to really look around. The outdated lighting fixtures were broken and out of place among the moss that hung from the ceiling. Black mold spread around this room like a disease where droplets of water quietly splashed to the floor. My eyes wandered in an eerie awe to the cracked windows so blinded by dust that the little sunlight they still managed to stream through were but thin rays littered with the particles that drifted in the air.

"Hello? I know you're here." I shouted into the air as an announcement of my intrusion. There were those skittering steps again and while they still sent shivers down my spine I wasn't afraid of them anymore, knowing that this person was kind at least to some degree… though my gut told me to retain caution. "Please just show yourself, I'm not here to hurt you or to get rid of you. I just want to talk about what happened to my friend." the following silence was unnerving and I found myself checking over my shoulder every few seconds in case it had gotten behind me and did want to hurt me. Just like last time the silence went on and I knew whoever was here still didn't want to meet with me. "I know who you are." I informed the other with a kind voice, showing him that I was trying to keep this as pleasant as possible. "And like I said, I'm not here to hurt you in anyway. I'm not afraid of you." I sighed when I still wasn't answered though the atmosphere seemed to shift slightly from doomed to tense, whether that was a good thing or bad... I didn't know. "You're the Demon Crow that disappeared ages ago from that old freak show, aren't you?" there's that doom again. "They're a circus now but they're still run by the Scratch family. If you got lost here a long time ago, I can give the manager a call and let them know that you're-" a large fluttering of wings had me throwing my arms up to protect my head from the sudden hurricane of wind shaking the house. I had a dreadful feeling in my stomach as I turned my head upward only to see the flash of someone coming down on me. When I next opened my eyes I was laying on the ground with my muscles slightly aching from the fall and an unfamiliar weight on top of me.

"I would kill you before I went back there!" the threatening voice echoed in sadness, the vibrant red eyes displayed anger that poorly tried to hide their fear.

"Okay- okay, I get it! I won't call! I won't- I promise!" as quick as these moments were, my eyes roamed the body over me, expecting the opposite of what I saw. With how long ago the Demon Crow had vanished I was expecting a really old man but the figure above me wasn't much older than myself. His skin was paler than I had seen on any human though it wasn't due to age, his blonde hair was dirty but in no way whitened or discolored at all, and the black wings tucked behind his back were healthy and sleek though not too well managed. The arms that held me down were black from the elbows down to the talons pointing off his hands and the freckles on his face seemed dark compared to his skin. "Whoa…" I mumbled to myself in awe.

"Why are you here?" he demanded, digging his talons into my shoulders painfully. I grunted and called out to make the angered boy stop hurting me.

"Thank you!" I shouted, stunning the other. At least he wasn't holding on so tightly anymore.

"What?"

"I just wanted to say thank you for taking Jade to the hospital and for… well, even bothering to tell me she was alright." the blonde boy seemed dumbfounded but then an annoyed face took over his features.

"Get the hell out of here!" he yelled, crawling off of me to kick me toward the door. "Go!" unsure if I was still on the verge of getting attacked and not wanting to upset the mysterious boy anymore than I already had, I shot up to my feet and took off. I got out the door with a loud slam and the surrounding birds took to flight, screeching at having been disturbed. It was much darker than before and I couldn't very well make out the trail I was supposed to be on as I ran in a panic.

Unsure of how far I ran and exactly where I was now, I kept running with fear pumping in my veins. Something was following me, I could hear it and feel it's eyes watching me. The winged boy must have come after me because I knew too much and needed to be silenced. The trees were too thick and close together to try for a backward glance and with how I already had to feel for the next tree as I ran in the darkening night, I didn't dare stop for anything. I was confused when I heard a growl from behind me, having heard nothing like that from the boy I thought I was running from. I heard it close- too close… it was attacking! I tried to make myself run faster but my legs couldn't meet the demand and I thought I was finished. I didn't stop and turn around until I heard the huge wings of the Demon Crow and whatever had been growling start to whimper. Behind me was a sphere of black feathers that expanded as the wings opened from their curled position. The mysterious boy stood up, blood dripping from one of his hands.

I could make out the large dog standing in front of my savior, four clawed cuts on its side that bled though not badly. The dog's ears were bent down and it whimpered as it turned and ran off. Tension returned to crush upon my moment of gaping awe as the other turned around to glare hard at me.

"What?" the other just shook his head obviously upset as he faced forward again and started walking, motioning me to follow him. "Was that a dog?" I called as I jogged to catch up though I wasn't even spared a glance. I was about to give up on conversation when an irritated voice filled my ears.

"Stray dogs wander in here looking for food and become feral. If I didn't scratch it, it would've eaten you." pointed black fingers scratched through the blonde hair atop the creature's head. "Damn thing's been trying to eat the birds around here for weeks."

"You too?" the winged boy actually stopped and turned around to give me the most incredulous look I had ever seen. "What? You're a bird too, right?" the Demon Crow shook his head and continued on once more, opting to ignore me. "Thank you, for not letting the dog eat me." I wasn't answered so I kept quiet after that.

We got back to the house and I followed the other boy in, feeling much less scared of this place now that I knew its secrets. We came to an old staircase in another room that creaked with every step we took in our descent along with the scraping sound I had heard before. My eyes trailed down to see that around where the inhuman boy's knees should start bird-like legs began and bird feet complete with talons replaced that of a human's. Just like his arms, his legs were blackened and had that rough look to them.

"How do you walk?" the question slipped through my lips before I could think about how it could be taken.

"How do you?" the other snapped back, my eyes finally leaving the legs I was caught staring at to see the glowing red eyes piercing into me which made me feel hotter like I was on fire. I guess his looks could kill and- yikes! His gaze was set on me! I chuckled nervously and forced my gaze away.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to offend you. I'm just curious." at least that made the blonde face forward again.

"Curiosity killed the cat." he said with a threatening voice.

"Haha um… yeah, but I'm sure you heard that satisfaction brought it back." I laughed dryly, trying to lighten the mood but it only made the winged boy tense tense. At the bottom of the stairs was a heavy looking metal door. He pulled it open with more ease than I had been expecting for such a thick door. "What is this place?" my question went without an answer. The floor was cracked and dusty though I could see tracks in it like someone tried to sweep it up but there was just too much. The walls were made of white stone and surprisingly not a single one was out of place as I had been expecting. There were rusted sinks and water damage lines running down the metal doors of a wall of cabinets. In the middle of the room were three long tables that I slowly realized weren't tables. We were in a morgue. I felt my stomach drop when I noticed the blood in one of the sinks.

The bird boy walked to a cabinet full of medical supplies and started pulling things out. This got me nervous... I didn't know this person, what he was capable of, or what his intentions were. Though in honesty, I didn't get a bad feeling from him even with his violent outbursts and threats on my life.

"What are those for?" the question was simple enough though my voice made it sound frightened.

"Cleaning your shoulders." the blonde answered, not seeming to have taken offense. Maybe he understood my hesitance in the situation. I looked down at my shoulders, spots of blood swelling through my shirt and jacket. They didn't hurt anymore so I had actually forgotten about them but maybe he felt bad for hurting me? I looked at the other as he set everything up at one of the tables and motioned me to him. I sat down where told to and took off my jacket and even my shirt when told to. He wasted no time cleaning the ten wounds, only speaking to tell me they weren't too deep as to need stitches but still not to do anything crazy with my arms so I didn't agitate them. He didn't seem very appreciative when I asked if he was a doctor, he actually stopped working to glare at me until I apologized. The silence stretched on as he worked, ignoring my hiss at the sting of the medicine from time to time. "Is her leg broken?" my eyes widened at the smooth voice that suddenly spoke to me as the tone he had used up to this point was rough and irritated but this was casual, apologetic almost. But my expression turned sad at the thought of Jade's current state.

"Yeah… but the doctor said she would make a full recovery and be walking on her own again in no time." I reassured though there was no sound from the other. "Um, no offense but… why do you care?" a long span went by where everything was silent, the only sound being the fluttering of the birds' wings outside the house.

"I felt guilty." he finally said, his voice small and regretful which made me sad- even more so by looking at his downcast red eyes.

"She told me what happened and she said it wasn't your fault. We don't blame you so you shouldn't either." again there was a long silence but I didn't press for a response and just let the bird boy take that in. When enough time had passed with nothing said between us, I thought it would be okay ask a few more questions. "So, what do I call you?"

"Nothing. We're not friends and we're not going to see each other again after this." he snapped it out like a demand but his eyes told of a different feeling… one of loneliness. I didn't know what else to say so I shut my mouth.

After the winged boy was finished tending to my wounds he offered to walk me to the edge of the forest so I didn't get attacked again. He led me around like a perfect GPS tuned into my every step, often having to redirect me when I strayed. His footsteps were muted, I could barely make them out even when he stepped on dead branches that my feet crunched loudly. Listening to these differences really made me hear the songs the forest played. The wind swaying the leaves in the trees whistled a tune that set the rhythm the rest of the environment and the inhabitants played to. Even the crow person who guided me was entirely one with this forest as his footsteps always fell in line with the music. I was the only thing here that disrupted the flow… an obvious outsider.

After a few more minutes the boy stopped entirely and it made me nervous, thinking that there was something dangerous around. Instead he turned and looked at him with a unbelieving and almost impressed expression.

"Are you trying to tune into the forest?" I shrunk a little like I had done something wrong. I felt like a little kid caught trying to match the footsteps of the person that walked in front of them though he looked at me like he didn't know whether to be offended or proud.

"Yeah…" I muttered softly. "I was the only thing out of place and it didn't sound right." the other just stared at me before nodding and continuing forward. I smiled to myself, thinking he was proud- even if just a little.

After another few minutes passed in silence, the bird boy stopped and pointed ahead of him.

"Keep going straight for about another hundred yards and you'll come to a break in the trees. Just passed that is the trail, turn left on it and you'll reach town in just another few minutes." I nodded quickly, taking in the information. I spun around when I realized the other had walked passed me and was leaving.

"Um… Crow? Can I call you Crow?" the boy stopped and looked back at me, no objections spoken so I took it as being fine. "I won't tell anyone that you're here, Jade and I can spread more rumors that the monster broke her leg." I smiled, wanting to be helpful in some way to him in order to make up for all he had done for me. I was disappointed to receive a blank expression and a shaking head.

"No that'll only lead to more investigation, it's best no one knows that she was here and thinks she broke her leg at home." now that he mentioned it, that was true… and I felt kind of foolish now for not seeing it that way to begin with.

"Wow that's smart. You've really given this a lot of thought, haven't you?"

"How do you think I've survived this long without getting found out?" I nodded more to myself, knowing that he had to have played a rather deceitful part in this whole thing in order to keep everyone out. But… there was another question added to my long list of them.

"How long have you been here?" the other stared at the ground in sadness for a long while and I could practically see the memories crossing by his bright red eyes.

"A long time… too long." with that he turned and walked the way we had come, his steps no longer matching the forest's tune as he was now filled with depression. Now I felt bad.

"Thank you," I called, hoping to cheer him up at least a little bit before we parted but he disappeared into the trees without a sign that he had even heard me. "...for everything." with a sad sigh, I walked my own path. I would head home for tonight and tomorrow, I would tell Jade all about the winged boy living in the haunted house in the forest.

I'll post the 3rd chapter before we head for home and sorry if you think it's moving too fast.