A Gathering of Crows

by Brian Keene

  Donny groaned. “You sound like Esther. She gave him shit earlier about that.”

  “Oh,” Gus replied, “I ain’t saying there’s anything wrong with it. It just surprised me, is all. As for Esther, well . . . she’s old. Old folks are like that. Set in their ways.”

  “Hey,” Axel said. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “No offense. I didn’t mean nothing by it.”

  Levi opened his eyes again, and the others fell silent.

  His arm was no longer numb. His senses were once again sharp and alert. Without speaking, he walked over to the couch, pulled off the red blanket that had been draped over the back of it, and returned to the closet door. The blanket smelled of dust and disuse, and he idly wondered how often Mr. Perry used this basement before tonight. He spread the blanket out in front of the door and smoothed it out with his hands. Then he reached into his pockets and pulled out the rest of the salt. He poured this on the floor in a circle around the blanket. Finished, he motioned them over.

  “I need you all to stand together, as close as possible. It’s very important that you be on the blanket from this point on. Whatever happens—even if our enemies break in here—do not go beyond this circle of salt. Don’t reach beyond it for anything. Don’t stretch beyond it, not even an elbow or the tip of your toe. If we are attacked, stand where you are. Don’t flee. If you have to sneeze, cover your mouth. Don’t even spit beyond the circle.”

  Paul stared at him, clearly puzzled. “Why not?”

  “Because nothing must break the circle. Do all of you understand?”

  One by one, they nodded.

  “In a moment,” Levi said, “I’m going to tell all of you to close your eyes. When I do that, you’ll need to keep them closed until I tell you to open them again. I can’t stress this enough. It’s even more important than not breaking the circle. We’ll walk together, hand in hand. I’ll lead you. It will be very quick, but it might not seem that way to you. You may hear things. Smell things. Even feel things. Ignore them. Whatever happens, do not open your eyes.”

  “What happens if we do?” Gus asked.

  “Remember how I said that traveling through the Labyrinth has adverse effects on people?”

  Gus nodded.

  “Keep your eyes closed and you won’t find out why. Now come. I sense our attackers are almost free.”

  They moved onto the blanket and huddled together, jostling one another in order to fit. Jean picked up Bobby and held him. Levi checked the floor, making sure all of their feet were within the circle. Then he collected four candles from across the room and sat them down beyond the edge of the line of salt at different positions—north, south, east and west. The wax was still warm and pliable. He pulled a lighter from his pocket and relit them.

  “Don’t do that,” Paul cautioned. “The dark men will see the light.”

  “In a moment, that won’t matter. This procedure requires candles. Technically, they should be red, like the blanket, but I think I can make do.”

  “But you just had me snuff one out.”

  “Correct. And now I need some that are lit.”

  He stepped into the circle, and they had to crowd together even tighter in order to make room for him on the blanket.

  “Don’t anybody fart,” Gus said.

  Bobby giggled at this until Jean shushed him.

  Levi stuck his thumb in his mouth and bit down hard until he tasted blood. The others gasped and groaned, but held their positions. Taking his thumb from his mouth, Levi held his hand out over the blanket and squeezed out three drops of blood. As each drop fell, he repeated the same phrase.

  “Ia unay vobism Huitzilopochtli. Ia dom tergo Ha thor.”

  “If that don’t beat all,” Gus whispered. “I think I’m gonna be sick.”

  “Quiet,” Donny said.

  Levi bowed his head and pressed his thumb against his pants leg until the bleeding stopped. When he spoke again, it was in a strong, authoritative yet apologetic tone.

  “I stand, rather than sit in the appropriate and required manner, but I am safe inside a circle of protection, and I humbly ask that you not molest me. I come with great humility. I cannot pay proper homage, for my enemies are beset against me, yet I pray I do not offend. I come here to open a gate. Despite my meager offerings, I come with awe and respect. I come seeking passage. I call upon the Gatekeeper, who gave to us the Nomos, which is the Law. I call upon the Doorman, who is the Burning Bush and the Hand That Writes and the Watchman and the Sleepwalker. I call upon the voice of the Tetragrammaton. I call upon him who is called Huitzilopochtli and Ahtu; him who is called Nephrit-ansa and Sopdu; him who is called Hathor and Nyarlathotep. I call upon him whose real name is Amun. And thus, by naming thee and offering my blood thrice, I humbly request an opening. Those with me in the circle are under my protection. By following the Law to the best of my abilities and with limited resources, and by naming thee, I humbly ask that you grant us safe passage from this place. I humbly ask that you protect us, and that we not be harmed or molested by those who dwell between the walls or within the halls, or the denizens of Heaven nor hell, or the realms between them, or the Thirteen, or the things that live in the wastes beyond the levels. I humbly ask that you guide us so that we do not end up wandering and lost in that realm beyond the Labyrinth, the lost level, in which there are no exits save death. I beg of thee, and hope that so shall it be.”

  Levi paused, aware that the others were holding their breath. Outside, the revenants howled, free of the binding spell.

  “Okay,” Levi said. “I’ll need to get to the door, so make a little room for me—without breaking the circle. Everyone hold hands and close your eyes. Stay together. Don’t let go of each other and whatever you do, don’t open your eyes until I tell you it’s okay. I’ll lead the way. Donny, you’ll bring up the rear.”

  Donny nodded. “That’s better than taking point.”

  “Can you shut the door behind us? Remember, you can’t open your eyes, so you’ll have to do it by feel.”

  “I’ll take care of it.”

  Jean put Bobby down beside her and held his hand tightly. He reached up and took Axel’s hand. Axel smiled down at him.

  “I forgot the Mrs. Chickenbaum stick, Mr. Perry. I’m sorry. Maybe we could go back and get it?”

  “That’s okay, Bobby. I think Levi might have some better magic of his own.”

  They carefully changed positions until Levi was closest to the door. Outside, the sounds of fury increased. Levi grasped Jean’s hand. Axel took Paul’s. Paul grabbed on to Gus’s hand and Gus took Donny’s.

  “Won’t they be able to follow us?” Donny asked.

  “No,” Levi said. “They can’t cross the circle.”

  “But we can’t either.”

  “We’ll be walking through a door. We’ll only step out of the circle for an instant. Now, everyone close their eyes. We have company.”

  Upstairs, the front door crashed open, followed by the sound of breaking glass. Gus moaned and Bobby whimpered. To Levi, it sounded as if every window in the home had just imploded. Making sure that their eyes were indeed closed, Levi grasped the doorknob and opened the door. Gone were the shelves and the games and the winter gear. The door no longer led into a closet. Instead, it opened into a long, straight hallway that seemingly had no end. Each side of the corridor was lined with doors as endless as the hall itself.

  “Now we have you, little magus! No more games.” The door at the top of the basement stairs was wrenched from its hinges by a powerful blow. Footsteps pounded down the stairs. Levi felt Jean squeeze his hand, hard.

  Taking a deep breath, he stepped out of the circle and led them forward.

  ***

  “Somebody’s coming.”

  Marsha’s eyes snapped open. She was amazed that despite their predicament, she’d almost dozed off on the couch. She’d been thinking about Donny— how angry she was with him for going with Levi, and how indicative it was of their entire
relationship, and how she hoped, despite everything, that he was okay. Then her brother’s voice had roused her. She sat up quickly. Randy, Myrtle and Esther sat in the darkness. Randy was next to her on the couch. Esther and Myrtle occupied high-backed chairs across from them. Outside, the street was quiet.

  “What do you mean, dear?” Esther leaned forward in her seat, staring at Randy intently.

  “I don’t know,” he replied. “It’s just a feeling I’ve got all of the sudden. Someone is coming.”

  “The killers?” Marsha reached out, took his hand and squeezed it.

  Randy squeezed back. “I don’t know. Never mind. I don’t know what the hell I’m talking about . . . Oops. Sorry, Mrs. Laudry. Didn’t mean to curse.”

  “It’s okay.”

  “You could be right,” Myrtle said. “Perhaps you’re sensitive to these things. Levi seemed to think that you had hidden abilities.”

  Esther rolled her eyes. “The boy would be much better off without Levi’s influence.”

  Myrtle ignored her. “Did you ever notice anything before tonight, Randy?”

  “Like what?”

  “Feelings? Intuition? Maybe you knew what the questions were going to be on a test at school before you took it? Or maybe someone in your family lost or misplaced something, and you were able to tell them where to look?”

  Randy stared at her as if she were crazy. “No. I’m just . . . me, you know? I don’t believe in that stuff.”

  “It doesn’t matter if you believe in it or not. It’s still real.”

  “I’m not special. That Amish dude is smoking crack or something. I’m just a normal kid. Brinkley Springs is my home.”

  Myrtle pressed on. “But maybe you—”

  “I’m not special!”

  Marsha jumped, startled by her brother’s tone.

  He released her hand and sprang to his feet.

  “If I was fucking magic, then my mom and dad would still be alive. Sam and Steph . . . oh my God, Steph. You guys didn’t see her. She . . .”

  He trailed off, unable to finish. Marsha stood and tried to comfort him, but Randy pushed her away. For a moment, she thought he was going to burst into tears again, but instead, her brother ran for the bathroom. They heard him bumping around in the darkness. A moment later, the toilet lid slammed against the tank and they heard him vomiting.

  Marsha glared at Myrtle. “I think that will be enough, Mrs. Danbury.”

  “I’m sorry, Marsha. I didn’t mean any harm.”

  “I know you didn’t, but my brother has been through enough tonight. We all have. I don’t want you upsetting him anymore than he already is.”

  “Of course, dear. Of course. I’m sorry about that. I just . . .”

  “What?”

  “Well, if Levi is right about your brother, then maybe Randy can help us. Maybe he can safeguard us, just in case Donny and Levi don’t return.”

  Marsha fought to keep her emotions in check. She wanted to race across the room and pull the old woman from her chair and scream at her.

  “Donny will come back.” She was aware of how cold and clipped she sounded, but at that moment, Marsha didn’t care. “He’ll be back.”

  “I’m sure he will, dear.”

  Marsha assumed that Myrtle was aware she’d hit a nerve, because she fell silent again after that. Esther hummed tunelessly and rocked back and forth. Her hands fretted with the hem of her blouse. Myrtle stared at the floor. Marsha sat back down again. The couch springs squeaked beneath her. After another minute, they heard Randy leave the bathroom and begin making his way through the dark.

  “Are you okay?” Marsha called.

  “Yeah, I’ll be alright. I just . . . Hey. What’s this light in the kitchen?”

  The women glanced at each other, puzzled. Frowning, Esther stood up.

  “What light is that, Randy?”

  “Right here.” His voice grew muffled as he moved toward the kitchen. “It’s coming from inside your pantry. Did you leave a light on?”

  “No. The power is still out.”

  Esther, Myrtle and Marsha made their way to the kitchen. Randy was standing next to the refrigerator. He pointed as they entered.

  “See?”

  Sure enough, a yellow-white light was shining beneath the pantry door. It was bright enough to illuminate the linoleum floor beneath their feet.

  “My word,” Esther said. “What in the world is that?”

  The four looked at each other in concern. Esther took a step toward the pantry door but Marsha pulled her back, put a finger to her lips and shook her head.

  “Don’t,” she mouthed.

  They turned back to the pantry and stared at the light. As they watched, it grew brighter, creeping out from beneath the door and spreading across the kitchen floor like a miniature sunrise. Marsha noticed that she could see the others clearly now. The illumination was enough for her to notice the dark circles under her brother’s eyes and the dried blood on his skin. The light continued to grow, glinting off the appliances and the collectible-spoon rack hanging above the dining table.

  Then they heard the footsteps—quiet at first, but growing steadily louder. Impossibly, they sounded as if they were coming from inside the pantry. Esther began to tremble. Whimpering, Myrtle reached out and took her friend by the arm. Behind them, Randy and Marsha clustered close together. None of them spoke.

  The footsteps came closer, and now they heard a murmured voice. It sounded as if it were coming from a great distance away, perhaps out in the street or from one of the neighboring houses. Marsha held her breath and listened harder. No, the speaker wasn’t outside. The voice was coming from inside the pantry. Soon she realized that there were other voices with it.

  And one of them was screaming.

  The footsteps were now right on the other side of the door. The light grew brighter still.

  “Get back,” Randy said. He stepped in front of them, placing himself between the women and the door. “They’re coming!”

  The doorknob turned. The breathless screams grew louder. The door rattled. Marsha, Esther and Myrtle clung to one another. Randy stood with his fists clenched, but Marsha saw his knees shaking. The door opened, crashing against the wall with a thud and flooding the kitchen with a dazzling, blinding light. Marsha threw a hand over her eyes and squinted. There were figures in the middle of the light and a long hallway behind them.

  Myrtle shrieked.

  Levi stepped out of the open door, followed by a group of people. Squinting, Marsha looked for Donny. She didn’t see him. She was surprised to see others with Levi instead. Jean Sullivan came first, followed by her son, Bobby, who was followed by old Axel Perry and Paul Crowley. They were all holding hands, and all of them had their eyes closed. Paul’s arm trailed behind him, as if he was holding someone else’s hand.

  “Where’s Donny?”

  If Levi heard her, he gave no indication. Instead, he turned and faced the new arrivals. “Hurry. Jean, Bobby and Axel, you can all open your eyes. Paul, just a few steps more and then you can, too.”

  “I can’t,” Paul said. “He ain’t moving.”

  “Levi,” Marsha called. “Where is Donny?”

  “Marsha?”

  She squealed when she heard him call her name, but she still didn’t see him. His voice sounded muffled and far away.

  “Gus,” Levi shouted, “you have to keep moving. Come on!”

  Marsha realized that it was Gus Pheasant who was screaming. She glimpsed him right behind Paul, on his knees and clinging to the mountain man’s hand. His other arm was outstretched behind him, as if holding someone else’s hand, as well, but the light was too bright for Marsha to see who that person might be.

  “Donny?” She stepped closer.

  “Gus,” Levi urged. “Come on!”

  “They aren’t doors,” Gus screamed. “They’re windows on worlds. Windows on goddamn worlds!”

  “Goddamn it, Gus!” Paul faced straight ahead, his eyes squeezed shut.
“I’m very sorry about what happened to your brother, but we don’t have time for this shit. Quit fucking around and get a move on!”

  Levi brushed past Jean and Bobby, who rushed over to Esther and Myrtle and embraced them. Randy shoved forward, trying to help Levi as he grabbed onto Paul and pulled.

  “Don’t let go of him, Paul.”

  The fear in Levi’s voice filled Marsha with dread.

  “I won’t. What do you want me to do?”

  “Look toward the sound of my voice,” Levi told Paul. “You can open your eyes now, as long as you don’t turn around. Just don’t let go of Gus.”

  Paul did as Levi commanded. His face was pale and sweaty. He looked exhausted.

  “Levi,” Donny yelled from inside the light. “Something’s coming up behind me. I think they got through.”

  “It’s not them, Donny. They can’t come through this way.”

  “Then what the hell is it? It’s growling.”

  “Just hang on a moment longer.”

  “I saw a city,” Gus ranted as Paul teetered forward.

  Gus’s eyes were wide open and blood leaked from the corners of them and ran down his cheeks. “I saw a big city with tall, silver buildings. The city covered an entire planet. There were robots living there instead of people. And there was another city, a different city, and it was made out of light.”

  “Levi.” Donny’s voice was tinged with panic. “It’s getting closer. Do something, damn it!”

  Levi turned to Randy. “Help me with him. Just don’t look directly into the light, okay? It’s like staring into the sun.”

  Randy nodded, his mouth agape. Together, they grabbed Gus and dragged him forward. He reached for them with both hands. Levi gasped.

  “Levi,” Donny shouted. “I lost my grip on Gus!”

  “It’s okay. Don’t panic, Donny. You’re close now. Just walk straight ahead.”

  Randy and Levi pulled the struggling auto mechanic out of the hallway. A moment later, Donny emerged from the light. Marsha ran to him and flung her arms around him as he stepped out of the pantry. His eyes popped open and he stared at her in disbelief.