The Raven and the Barn Owl

It was night, dark, and all around the barn there was silence. She was suddenly confronted face to face with The Raven. The Raven swiftly flew about the barn in a spiral motion as if to call her attention. She could hear his invitation, taunting her, teasing her, reminding her of her latent powers. Suddenly she remembered, as she could feel the ease and natural pull to simply open her arms wide, spread them as she would her wings and she began to fly. First, running up against the towering barn walls and then suddenly turning, flipping, and soon she bagan to soar as if she never missed a single day of being in flight. The sensation of infinite power returned to her being and body and suddenly she felt alive again. They began to fly in unison, dancing and weaving through the barn and she exclaimed to him, “You see, I can fly also! I have not forgotten!”, and they began to laugh of joy for they were together again, and she was in her true form, free to be and express her love in motion. She had not forgotten how to shapeshift, and he brought her to this place so that she might remember. “Barn Owl, do you remember now my love? This is but one of your abilities. I cannot tell you who you are, only you can discover it on your own. Only you can remember. I can only guide you to the places where you can remember.” He said to her as they both shifted back into human form and fell to their feet upon the barn floor, dust rising as they felt the weight of gravity overcome them once more. “I remember now, the Barn Owl was one of my favorites, oh the sensations, I cannot believe how long it has been.” She said to him as she patted down the sides of her body with her hands, regaining her human sensations.

He walked towards her, gently grabbing her hand. She remembered the warmth of his touch and took in the feeling of familiarity with delight. His midnight eyes peered onto hers as he asked her, “are you ready? Everyone is here, and awaiting your arrival”. They walked together hand in hand to a door that lead to a room on the west end of the barn, and she felt the anticipation creep it’s way into her field. She stepped into the room and saw 5 familiar, yet strange faces all eyeing her as if she was someone of great importance to them, and again her memory began to flash moments of lifetimes spent with these souls that were so alike and akin to her own. They looked upon her as if they knew her, and who she truly was. She felt home, safe and able to express her powers freely.

One young woman stepped forward from the group, and in the dimly lit room she could see the softness of her features approaching her, while her eyes still adjusted to her less capable night vision in human form. The woman gently said to her “ you don’t have to do this you know, if you’re not ready, we understand”. Suddenly she remembered exactly what she was there for. “I am ready”, Jocelyn said, as she came closer to the group and they began to circle around her, all chanting and murmuring in a form of praise that she felt awakening an ancient part of herself.

Suddenly, emotions aroused within her being. Strong sensations of sadness, fear, anxiety, grief, loss, and above all, anger, began to overcome her. A force of power outside of herself began to feel as though it was entering her body and she became unable to make movements with her minds commands. The group stepped back, and moved away from her while still chanting and murmuring, all feeling in unison what had become of Jocelyn. “Her power is so strong!” Said the woman who previously tried to console her. She then approached her closely and asked, “what is your true name?”. Jocelyn began to scream, and cry and the walls of the room would shake with each shout she would let out. “Something is taking over”, Jocelyn thought as she no longer had control of her body. She was now one with this force she knew was not her own. She surrendered and allowed it to speak. “What is your name?”, another repeated. The force within her began to scream her pain, as it felt into its shared human form. Somehow, Jocelyn felt empathy and connection, she was feeling what this entity was feeling with her, and it began to speak. “My name, is Lucy”. She answered. Her voice trembling with anger and pain. “Ahhhhgggg where am I?“ she asked as she clawed and reached for the wall, struggling to find her barrings, she leaned over a counter that had a mirror atop of it. She looked at herself in the mirror, and began to cry.

The group scurried around her, keeping her within their circle, while giving her space to find her ground. Suddenly, Jocelyn felt her calm down, and they both were somehow existing within her at once. The Raven stepped forward, grabbing both of her hands. Lucy hesitated, pulling back, but with Jocelyns guidance, Lucy allowed him to hold her hands within her own. “Trust him” , she thought, knowing Lucy must know to hear her thoughts as well. She then hugged him wildly, passionately, breathing heavily and looking at him, stepping back to see him better and take his hands in her own.

Lucy was then able to feel, the sensation in that moment of being human. Calming her breath, though her eyes still poured tears. Her cheeks red with emotion, her hands trembling. The Raven spoke softly and cautiously as he said to his true love, “Jocelyn, Lucy is the female name of Lucifer.” Suddenly, Jocelyn felt fear, but also love and compassion. She felt awe and confusion as she connected with this force within her. It felt stronger and more powerful than any sensation she had ever known, and she realized then that perhaps her powers were beyond her own understanding, perhaps she was not ready.

She then closed her eyes and said to Lucy, “ I am so sorry for your pain, and so honored to have felt it as my own”. She then reached for her memories to shift her back into something she could control, she shifted back into The Barn Owl, and flew swiftly out of the room and into the great towering space of the barn, she took in one last time the bliss of flying as she circled the barn, The Raven flew out after her, but before he could reach her, she opened her eyes. Jocelyn awoke from her dream state, saying to herself. “That’s enough for now.”