Chapter Two

When the Williams family had first moved into their house in Pennsylvania two years ago, there had been a massive old Poplar tree growing in the backyard, seven or so feet away from Istelle's bedroom window. They had been warned that the tree, big, old, and looming above their house, could pose a threat to them. If a large rotten branch suddenly gave way and fell, it could mean the end of any person who might be under it. The Williams had decided against having the tree removed, however, and it had stayed in the backyard for two years now without dropping any of its branches on anyone, and Istelle often sat under it, her back resting against the mossy bark.

Istelle sat at her desk in her bedroom, working on her Science homework. Well, she had been working on it, but for the last five minutes, she had just been staring at the blank wall, thinking. Finally, she got up and stretched. It was time for a break.

Istelle opened her bedroom window and jumped out. It wasn't far to the ground and she had removed the insect protection screen long ago for the very purpose of exiting the room through her window, which was something she did quite often. She knew her father would never approve of this, but he was away at war...

She settled down comfortably against the Poplar tree, legs crossed and hands in her lap, getting ready to zone out into some peaceful daydreaming. She closed her eyes, squashing all thoughts of war out of her head. A light breeze was blowing, the leaves and grass swayed pleasantly, her neighbors were quiet for once, the birds were...Istelle reopened her eyes. Where were the birds? There were usually so many all around, chirping and singing their different songs, especially when the street wasn't filled with the loud noises of cars and lawnmowers. Right now she could only hear one. She cocked her head and listened carefully. All the time she'd spent outside and she'd never heard this birdsong before. She could almost make out words. She said them out loud, then sang them with the bird.

Listen to me, speak to me! Listen to me, speak to me!

Istelle smiled and played along.

"I can't speak to you normally if you're all the way up there, better come join me down here so I don't lose my voice yelling up at you!" She called.

She heard a rustling sound coming from the tree far above her.

Then she screamed.

A large bird was flying right at her.

But she hardly had time to panic; a second later it had landed smoothly on the ground, perhaps four feet away from her.

The bird's looks were as strange as it's song: It was white until its wing and tail-tips faded smoothly into gray and then black. Its hawk-like talons were shiny, black, and hairless and its beak was a fiery red color. It had two long black feathers coming out of its tail. Its eyes were black, shiny, and bright. It was the size of a large vulture and it was the strangest thing Istelle had ever laid her eyes on.

The bird opened its red beak and began once again to sing, but its song had changed. She made out the words.

There's a war to be won in your past! There's a waaar to be won in your paaaaast!

Istelle glanced around and pressed tighter to the tree. The bird was most definitely speaking a song to her. Against her better judgment, she spoke to it. "What war?"

The one your daddy's in!

It answered her.

"But uhh what?"

If you want to maybe save your pa and all those other soldiers

Come with me to your far past and burden your own shoulders.

All you must do is grip my tail, gently but firmly

And I will fly you to way back, you won't regret it, surely!

There's a war happening there too, Akeefa versus Lette

If we let the Akeefa win, an end for ourselves we've set!

The Akeefa they are winning, so what are we to do?

We must gather reinforcements, a task I set to you!

So ask no questions have no fear, be brave and strong Istelle my dear

If we do not take action now, then our demise is near.

Istelle stared at the bird, dumbfounded. She heard footsteps behind her. The bird spread its wings, about to take flight—

"Wait!" Istelle called to it. It turned around, about to take off and without thinking, Istelle grabbed Its two longest tail feathers.

"ISTELLE WHAT'S GOING ON???"

The bird took flight and Istelle looked back to see a group of her friends in her backyard running towards her. Hands grabbed her waist and her legs, but the bird lifted itself into the air as if there was no weight keeping it down.

Istelle held on for her life, and her friends held onto her. She felt the rushing of wind, then warmth. She kept her eyes closed, flying like a banner in the warm wind...suddenly the feathers she had been holding tight to were gone from her grip and she was holding nothing. Her eyes snapped open as she fell down, down, down…