A/N: singinstrawberry, do u really think i'm gonna tell you WHAT the motive is NOW?? hehehe u'll just have to wait. the chappie b4 this one is my least favourite one of the whole story, it bugs me immensely the way i wrote it, but i couldn't do anything else with it. i just had to kill some time. newayz, keep up the reviews! enjoy chapter 18!

Chapter 18

Mandy dropped a bowl. She never broke anything. Never spilled, knocked over, or slipped. There was something very wrong. Pulling me to the pantry, cursing the whole way, she plopped me into a chair.

"Don't move." Mandy commanded. She then ran out of the room.

Ignoring her, I stood up and paced. What was wrong? It was just a stupid bird. I searched Mandy's drawers for a mirror. Finding one, I held it up in front of my face.

A huge A, stretching from my left cheekbone down to my jaw was carved into my skin. A greenish tinge surrounded the edges. I just stood there and gaped at the wound. It was unbelievable. A bird could not do this.

There were footsteps outside. Mandy and mother burst through the door, the color of their faces was flour white.

"Mother, I'm..."

"Shh!" she hushed. She made me sit down and explain how this happened. As soon as I mentioned "raven", they exchanged anxious looks.

"It just swooped down, out of nowhere?" Mother questioned.

Panic rose inside me. They thought I'd gone mad.

"It's the truth!" I said, my voice rising.

"I believe you sweetie," Mandy responded quietly. "but I don't want to."

"What do you not want to believe?" I asked edgily.

"Nevermind that," she snapped, her brisk manner returning. But I could see that there was fear behind her eyes. "I need you to go grab your mother's book for me."

I did as I was told, but grudgingly. I knew they would be talking about me in secret before I was five steps away from the door.

I reached my room and looked around. Everything was exactly as it was before that rabid bird. My face was still stinging, and I longed to lie down with a cold cloth over the wound.

Back in the kitchen Mandy and Mother grabbed the book out of my hands and retreated to the back room (banning me to go, of course.).

They came back out, Mandy even paler than she was earlier. She looked strained. Mother helped her sit down and handed me back the book. Mother's shoulders sagged, and she wouldn't look me in the eye.

I distinctly heard her say, "It's for the best..."

I looked at her quizzically, but she didn't repeat herself. She wiped blood off my neck and covered the A with a yellow paste that made the stinging leave instantly.

"Thanks..." I muttered gratefully. She nodded. I left after she put a bandage on it and went to my room to read.