Black Raven

This is the story of 10 year old Marie. Marie has flowing brown hair, bluish-grey eyes, and small dappled freckles coding her cheeks. It all starts in the middle of Denmark. Marie’s home is a small farm house on the side of a road. A large silver gate shines in front. Life is good until Marie is informed that she must flee from her small, peaceful home. Her father soon tells her that the Germans were coming for the people who are Jewish. Marie’s family was Jewish. Marie quickly flees to a strange house with people she doesn’t know. She doesn’t realize that these people will soon save her life.

Come and enjoy the miraculous trip of Marie Lairde and Her to become friends Nathan, and Butch the dog.



One
Marie stretched her arms as far as they could go. “Auuuuugh” She Squeaked slowly. A soft familiar bristle trickled the tip of her nose. Mrrrooww! Prince, Marie’s cubby, white cat, had decided to wake her up. “Hey boy” Maries said stroking her cat, head to tail, just how he liked it. A soft purr rumbled beneath Prince’s fluffy throat. Marie pulled her hand away from Prince and rose from the bed. Sliding on a white and tan T-shirt and some patched up overalls, Marie strode to the kitchen. “Mornin’ Ma, all I need is toast… that’s it.” Maries Mother also known as Mrs. Helen Yanked a piece of toast out of the bread box and tossed it to Marie. Marie began to chew as she made her way out the door and into the barn yard. Moo! Oink! Neeeeehhh! The barn echoed with the sound of Pigs, Horses, cows, and chickens. Marie picked two buckets of feed up and began to walk toward the pigs. She poured the slop into the pig pen food containment. “OOFF!” Marie stumbled on the ladder but quickly regained her balance. The chickens seemed to know that she was coming for their beaks were open slightly and they stared at her. As she began to feed, her fingers rub together splotching the food here and there. The chickens pecked, bringing mouthfuls up and the chicks had seed spilling out of there tiny beaks. Marie then jogged to the hayloft and gathered two armfuls in her large, strong arms. As she plopped the hay in the horse’s stalls, her father came in. “Hello my dear Marie,” He said happily “Thank you for working so diligently. But I am here now so I can help you.” He pulled some more hay from the loft and piled it out in the pasture. All the cows came to graze and one of the horses, Hendrik, awoke and began to calmly nibble the pokey hay in his holder. Marie Smiled to her father and left the barn. She entered the milking stable and brought in Star, their cow. Her hands moved thoroughly and kept a slight rhythm. The small kittens had ventured to the stable for a snack. She aimed her hands at the three kittens. 1, 2, 3! Their mouths shot open and then, 3, 2, 1! They were closed with the fresh milk drizzling down their chins and making soft stains on their fur. Marie filled the pail and then returned to the house. ‘Ma, I got some milk!” Marie held up the pail with milk swaying back and forth, some spilling over the edge. Her mother took the pail and shoved it in the fridge. “Gertrude!” Marie’s mother screamed calling up the stairs. Her Tall sister with short and curly brown hair, no freckles, and bright blue eyes, came running down the stairs. “Yeah, mom?” She looked at her mom in a sort of, what do you want, look. “You must go and fetch me some water from the well.”
“Sure thing mom!” Gertrude replied putting on her small worn-out coat. She picked up Princess, the mother of the kittens and Prince’s sister, and walked out the door. Marie went to school in the afternoon. Once the clock stroked twelve she quickly picked up her lunch pail and headed out the door. Her brother Pete and her Best pal, Sara, would walk to school with her. Sara lived in an apartment and she had nice new dresses and new shiny shoes, Marie didn’t have any of that. The only thing she could get was hand-me-downs. Pete wore new black shoes that his friend gave him for his Birthday and her sister could wear ma’s clothing, for they were the same size. Marie wore Pete’s old shirts and Gerti’s old Overalls. Her bare feet sunk into the dirt road on which they were walking to school. They arrived at a flat white building. The three children entered. Pete took a seat next to Rebecca and Joash and Marie sat in-between Sara and Sandra. Throughout school, Marie focused on a Black raven outside of the class window. “Marie?” Miss Jade, The teacher asked Marie a question. “Excuse me but I missed the question.” Marie said politely. Miss Jade began to repeat the question. “The question was, if it is in the morning and the time is nine o Clock, then what would be three hours and twenty minutes after that?” Marie began to think. “Twelve Twenty!” Marie answered confidently. “Correct! Now Sara what is…?” Marie stopped listening again and watched the Black raven’s tiny figure fly through the air on a little blanket of cloud. The bell rang and all the kids ran outside. Everyone was swinging, playing tag, or even Hide and go Seek, But Marie sat on a bench watching the Raven away from everyone else. The Raven seemed to move only around Marie. When the bell rang again the Raven landed in a tree outside of the class window. Now Marie studied in class unlike when she was watching the Raven but every thirty minutes or so, she would look up to check if it was still there. The raven wouldn’t leave the tree unless hungry, even then would it only go down beneath the tree and pull a simple worm, then return to the tree. A vole or rat would have to wait. Marie heard the bell ring one last time and then hurried out the doors. She peered into the tree searching for the Raven. Sqqqqaaawwwkkk! Marie heard this sound and immediately looked up just in time to see the bird circling her. As she walked to Sara’s house to drop her off, the Raven mysteriously followed. Once Sara went inside, she was alone. Marie reached home and when she came inside she found her mother in her rocking chair. She looked horrid. Red was washing the outline of her eyes and her lips sealed with dryness. She was in total shock. Marie dropped her lunch pail and leapt to her mother. “Mama? You all right?” Her mother looked at her in the eye, deep in the eye but said nothing. “Mama!” Marie cried. “You hold on, I gotta get Papa!” Marie burst through the doors. “Papa!” She Screeched.”Papa!” Her father Ran out of the barn and scooped up Marie in his arms. She wriggled out and began to cry to her father. “Papa! It’s Mama! Something’s wrong!” Gertrude heard this to. The three ran up the hill. Marie burst in the door just like she burst out. She was kneeling by her mother. “Helen?” Maries Father said. Helen looked at Him. Gertrude ran to the kitchen and came back with water. She poured the water on her mothers normally elegantly posed lips. “Henry.” She said. Tears began to escape her eyes. “Nazis!” She stood and Henry helped her get to bed. She was sick to shock as Marie called it. Marie was curious and worried. She was horribly worried about her mother. But a strange curiosity filled her head. Who are the Nazis? Marie wiped her eyes with the back of her wrist. Her head rose and she saw the raven perched on a tree outside of her window. She pressed her face against the window. The bird began to peck the window. Marie opened the window and the bird landed on her thick shoulder. She dropped her jaw. A raven was seated on her shoulder. Marie heard a knock and shooed the bird back outside and closed the tattered curtains. Gertrude Flew in her door with two suitcases. She opened them and began to fill one with Marie’s objects of clothing and all of her belongings. She filled the other with her clothes and belongings.
Once the suitcases were full Marie snatched Prince and Toby. Toby was one of the kittens. She hid the cat and kitten in a basket the draped a shall over her shoulders. Gertrude had Bianca and Princess and Pete had Freddy. The children hid the cats and kittens in baskets. Ma and Pa were packing to. Pa tied Star to the back of the carriage and four of the horses, including Hendrick, to the front to pull it. The stuffed all of their belongings and clothes in. “Why are we doing this?” Marie Yelled. “Marie, People are coming for us.” Ma said, her voice shaking. “But why?” Marie asked. “Because… were Jewish.” Her father said. “But why would anyone hurt a Jew?” Marie asked. “Marie! No time for questions. German soldiers called Nazis are coming and they are demolishing Denmark.” Gertrude explained. “We do not want to leave but we must. Just to be safe.” Gertrude turned and picked up Princess. She began to stroke her as the carriage started to move. The raven flew up above Marie. Marie looked back at what she once called home.


Two
The carriage came to a stop. Pete hoped off. He kissed his mother, hugged his father, and kissed both girls on the cheek. Then the carriage started up again and Pete waved goodbye. Marie couldn’t understand why they split up. After another hour or so, the carriage stopped again. Gertrude slid out of the carriage with the basket under one arm and her suitcase under the other. She kissed her mother, sister and father. Gertrude smiled a weak smile and tears swelled up her eyes. The carriage moved again and she waved. Marie was sad. Her sister was gone and so was her brother. The Carriage stopped on a path. And … Ma! Ma stepped out and kissed her husband. Marie Jumped out and hugged her mother tight. Ma Squeezed Marie and then lifted her back in.”Good luck Helen.” Pa spoke, finally, with tears in his eyes. “Ill Love you forever my baby” Ma said to Marie. “Ill love you forever to Mama.” Marie said. The carriage started and Marie watched her lovely brown-haired mother disappear. “Mama” she whispered. She gazed at the Raven, reminding her of Family. As her thoughts flowed the carriage halted again. This time her father opened the door and walked around the carriage. He grabbed Marie’s belongings and put them by the door. He opened the back door for Marie to get out. Instead, she leapt into his wide open arms. She hugged him like never before. Marie couldn’t let go. For some reason she just couldn’t let go. “I love you Marie, but you need to go. Be good and use good manners.”The Raven sat perched on a tree. Marie finally let go and the carriage was soon out of sight. The Raven glided down onto Marie’s shoulder. Prince and Toby wriggled inside the basket. A young blond-headed boy came up to her. He waved and smiled. “Hi.” He said. “I’m Nathan. And you are?” Nathan cocked his head. “I’m Marie” Marie said quietly. A large dog pounced up the hill and sniffed the basket. Marie pushed the dog’s nose away from the basket and lifted the basket higher. The dog plunged wildly at the basket. Nathan pulled the dog’s collar. “Butch!” He said almost yelling. “Please pardon my dog miss. This here is Butch! He’s our dog. Here…why don’t you follow me?” Nathan said motioning for her to follow. So she did. They reached a tall house. 3-stories high. Marie looked at the tall house. “You live here?” Her jaw hung low. “Where else would I live at the barn?” Nathan laughed. Nathan led Marie into the house and up to the third floor. There were two rooms. An orange one, filled with tiny model cars and planes, and a light blue one. The light blue room was empty. That was where Marie was to stay. Marie carefully set down two fluffy white beds and let loose the Cat and kitten. Toby quickly curled up next to Prince. The two dozed off and Marie began to unpack. She pulled out three posters. One had cats, millions of cats, all over the front. The other two had farm animals. She neatly pinned them up on the walls. She then opened the trunk and neatly put her toys and belongings in it. The she sorted her clothing in the dresser. She wrote notes to remember where to put stuff.

Marie opened the door, satisfied with her work. Nathan waited outside her door. “So…do you like your room?” Nathan smiled. “Yeah, it’s real nice.” Marie smiled back. “Wow! You wore that stuff?” Nathan started to examine Marie’s clothes. Marie turned red. She was embarrassed. She was in such tattered clothes in such a nice place. “And your Raven!” Nathan gasped at the raven perched on Maries shoulder. “This is Ravi!” Marie said just now making up the name. “Is he yours?” Nathan asked in an excited tone. “No. He belongs to the entire world!” She replied smiling proudly. “Oh” Nathan sighed. “Nathan!” A sing-song voice rang from two stories below. “Yes mother?!” Nathan chirped. “Come down stairs I believe our guest is coming soon.” “She’s already arrived mother!” Nathan hollered back to his mother. “Oh!” Nathans mother came up in a hurry. Thump! Thump! Thump! “Why Hello!” Nathans mother spoke kindly. “Hello Miss! I am Marie.” “You are very polite. Have you set up your room?” Nathans mother was impressed. “Yes ma’am.” Marie used her best manners possible just like Papa said. “Ma’am, I have two more with me.” “Oh, we only expected one.” “No need to worry, they’re easy to take care of!” Marie snickered. “Ahh, well may I meet them?” “Sure!” Marie led Nathans mom inside her room to the sleeping cat and kitten. “Awww! Oh and by the way you can call me Mrs. Jess.” “Thank you Mrs. Jess. The cat is Prince and this is his sisters kitten Toby.” “They’re quite cute!”Mrs. Jess said softly as they left the room. Marie got the raven into her room before Mrs. Jess could ask about it. “Well you two go down and play with Butch and Gretel.” “Ok mom.” Nathan and Marie walked down stairs. “Gretel!” A brown haired girl walked in. “She’s Jewish to.” Nathan added. “Ok.” “Hiya!” Gretel cheered.” I’m Gretel!” “Hi Gretel, I’m Marie.” “Nice to meet ya Marie!”