But Not Alone?

Kiara always loved going out of town when she was little. Just outside town, an old railroad track crossed over a lesser-used road and headed into the woods. Whenever her family would drive past, Kiara lit up with excitement. Sure, there was the possibility they would see a train passing by, but what made that place so special was a barn owl that always seemed to be perched on the railroad overpass.

Her family always chuckled when she spoke excitedly about seeing her friend, the owl. But the strange thing was, everyone else said they didn’t see it. And each time, Kiara saw it so clearly! It was a pale thing, with a haunting face, always looking straight at her. It never left its perch, as if it knew Kiara was coming. For so long, she desperately tried to point out that bird to her family. It became something of a ritual when they traveled the worn down road.

But before she was ten years old, the road closed down for construction. In the small, isolated community, delays on such a project were inevitable. Years went by, and most people forgot about that road. Kiara remembered the road, and she remembered the owl. And her family remembered her imaginary friend, who she was so excited to introduce.

Eventually, even Kiara almost forgot about the owl. Her mother passed away when she was fifteen. It was hard on the family, especially on Kiara’s father. He was a traditional and religious man, and he became more devout than ever before in the wake of their loss. Kiara and her sister followed suit, and the people they met at church comforted them and told them that they would see their mother again.

At her lowest point, Kiara ran away from home one day. She didn’t know where she was going. She ran into the woods. It was the peak of autumn, and the forest was resplendent. The beauty and calmness of nature helped Kiara ground herself, and she just wandered. But night eventually fell, and she was lost. When she began to panic, as if on queue, her old friend appeared to her. On a branch, the barn owl watched knowingly. But as soon as she noticed it, the owl flew away.

Kiara followed it. She ran like her life depended on it. Out of breath, she found herself below the overpass just outside of town. Right where she remembered it years ago, the owl perched, staring back at her. She sat down on the spot, and didn’t move a muscle until her father found her, knowing where she would end up. They knew the owl was a sign, and they knew everything would be okay.

Kiara treasured that memory. It reminded her that her mother was always watching, and that the world was more than what it seemed.

But again at twenty two years old, Kiara was pushed to her limit. Her father had never really recovered from her mother’s death. He was a drunk, and had a new woman over every week. Kiara had mostly cut him off, but out of college with a history degree she realized too late wasn’t going to help her career, she needed support and moved back into town. She couldn’t believe how far her father had fallen, or that he would betray her mother’s memory by sleeping around. The final straw was when he hit Kiara.

She had nothing left. How could the world be so cruel? But at this new low, she saw the road with the overpass while out on a drive to gather her thoughts. It was open again! After over ten years since it was scheduled to be completed, what were the chances it would be open now, when she needed it most!? Kiara knew it was her friend, maybe with her mother, there to comfort her. She drove down the road and pulled over by the overpass. Just as it was before, the barn owl stared down at her.

Kiara made it through those dark times, and she escaped her father when she met a wonderful man who brought her on a new adventure. She moved to a big city with her husband just a year later, their relationship seeming right out of a fairy tale. It was a whirlwind of love for her, and she knew it was meant to be. That is, until her husband was fired. He became irritable, disturbingly like Kiara’s father. It wasn’t long before she realized she didn’t know him at all. Less than two years after her dream wedding, Kiara filed for divorce when her husband cheated on her. Filled with rage and despair, confused and questioning what the point of all of this even was, she moved back to her hometown to sort things out for herself.

The town was peaceful when she moved in at midwinter. Kiara knew what to do, her oldest friend was always there for her! The very day she moved in, she went on a drive. The road was covered in ice, and she had a hard time getting uphill to the overpass. But through a snowstorm and slick roads, she had to do it, and so she did. She parked her car to the side of the road and looked up at the railroad.

Kiara smiled, seeing the silhouette she needed and expected. But she had to see her steadfast savior face to face. She half-walked, half-climbed up the steep and tall hill leading up to the railroad tracks. She walked onto the bridge, and she saw her friend, but this time her face fell. She didn’t see the owl. In its place was only an ancient looking, white and brown plastic bag tied to the railing and floating in the wind. Kiara stood there for a long while with the piece of garbage, her greatest friend.

She cut the bag loose. It fell slowly, peacefully, to the road beneath. Moments later, a gust of wind took it from Kiara’s sight. She stood alone on the overpass, the magic of the world dead to her. She lost herself in her thoughts for some time, overwhelmed and distraught. Finally, Kiara followed her most treasured friend.