Darklove(Maria Ruby Gomez) A girl is walking by herself down a dirt road slowly making her way home before nightfall. A look of sadness is in her eyes and with heavy steps she continues on her way not watching anything but the path on which she is taking.

Suddenly she hears a rustle in the bushes and with a startled gasp she grabs a rock and raises it into the air, ready to throw it with all her might. There is surprise in her eyes as she sees a huge black raven hopping slowly and bleeding from his leg. It stood for a minute looking at her with such intense sad eyes the girl felt a twinge at seeing it struggle so.

Slowly so as not to scare it she began to talk to it, as she reached for it with open hands. As if sensing her need to help, the raven willingly let her hold him and bandage his leg with a torn part of her dress. It softly cawed as she held it in her arms. With a small sad smile the girl decided to take it with her. She couldn't bear the thought of what could happen if it was by itself on the road.

Cradling it she hummed a lullaby and continued on her way home. It was already getting dark as she opened the screen door and stepped inside. Quickly she made her way to her room and made a nest with an old soft towel in the corner near her bed. Smiling she stroked its feathers softly and whispered a prayer that he would be okay with her help.

Suddenly there was a shout and the girl quickly turned and got up. Rushing toward the door she tried to close it but didn't have enough time. Her father barged in and grabbed her by the hair demanding to know why she wasn't there earlier in the day. With a yelp of pain the girl began apologizing and struggled to escape. With a sneer on his face, he began to laugh and threw her on the bed. Stumbling and hitting her knee the girl fell and tried to get up. With tears streaming down her face she looked at the raven. It had been silent till now but a strange bluish green glow began to appear in its eyes.

She didn't have time to see more for she quickly turned to face her father who by now had turned around, locked the door, and had begun to unzip his jeans. The girl began to back away looking around her and tried to find something to use as a weapon. Suddenly she saw a huge shadow come between her and her dad. A loud screech filled the air and then the screaming of her dad as it encircled him and began to attack swiftly from all angles.

The girl saw that it was the raven and watched in horror as it opened its sharp beak and pecked in rapid motion on her dad's face puncturing and making it bleed with open gashes. He was trying his best to knock the raven off but to no avail, bumping and stumbling against the walls and closed door.

Finally with a sickening thud he fell in a bloodied heap on the floor. There was final movement as his body jerked and then with a heavy sigh it stopped moving. The girl had not moved for sheer shock and finally turned to look at the raven now in its same state as before. This time it cawed and came towards her. Without fear she held her arms out to it and cradled it in her arms, not caring that there was blood on its black feathers. Looking into its eyes the girl smiled and said "Thank you, my Darklove."

---