Make a wish when a Blackbird flies

He had been walking through those woods all night. He didn't dare stop, if he did he was afraid he would just collapse and never move again and that would just increase the chances of being found. So he kept moving.

The rain had stopped after a couple of hours; once dawn arrived the trees started thinning out and made way to a round field with tall grass. Frank couldn't help brushing his hands on the soft strands as he walked through them; he felt the fatigue of running through the woods all night, he was sure that stopping for just five minutes wouldn't hurt, and if anyone was looking for him he would be hidden in the tall grass.

So he lay down and looked at the blue cloudless sky, it felt like he hadn't seen it in forever. It was so beautiful; he thought that this must be where the blackbirds dropped their wishes. He was asleep in seconds.

When he next woke up it was dusk, he had slept almost the whole day; he panicked for a moment, then when he realized he was in the same place as when he fell asleep and alone he relaxed. He got up with a groan, his legs and feet ached from the night before, but he had to keep going.

He walked through the field, which now started sloping downward; it had been a battlefield, he saw it in his dreams, people fighting and thunderous explosions going off making the earth shake and rain back down. Now it was empty, all that remained were the forgotten shadows of the ones who had fallen.

After walking down for a few minutes he came up to what looked like a graveled path. To the left it led back to the woods and to the right it just seemed to go on. For now Frank had had enough woods to last him a lifetime, so he chose to go right.

He was planning to walk all night again but only a few hours later he found he had to stop again, he was practically asleep on his feet and more than once he stumbled, almost falling flat on his face; he found a small concavity on the side of the path, just bug enough for him to crawl into. He was a little cold, but he was used to much worse and soon he was asleep again.

The next morning he was woken up by hunger and first pains and decided to start moving again. He had no idea how to look for food or water so he was hoping that the path would lead to some sort of civilization. His prayers had been answered, pretty soon he came up to a small village and as he entered it was completely deserted.

As he walked the silent streets he happened to see his reflection in a shop window. Saying that he didn't look too good was the greatest understatement of the century. His hair was a tangled mess sitting on pale face with bloodshot eyes; he had visible burns on the sides of his head and bruising on the lower part of his face, from his attempted lobotomisation.

His clothes were torn and covered in dark blood spatters, here and there he also saw some light grass stains. He looked down at his feet and realized he wasn't wearing any shoes; his feet were now all cut up and covered in dried mud.

He walked on and a few minutes later he walked up to what looked like a diner, which didn't fit in at all with the smallish stone cottage-like buildings all around him. His stomach grumbled so he decided to just walk in. As he pushed the door open a bell right above it rang.

The place was completely empty though it seemed to be in use; the fan on the ceiling was spinning and there was a jukebox in the corner playing an old rock and roll song. The interior looked just like those classic diners from the movies; there was a bar right in the middle and behind it must have been the kitchen, tables all around the black and white chequered floor and red leather booths along the walls.

The whole place was so colourful and Frank appreciated that fact.
“Hello? Oh- oh my goodness, are you alright?” Came a voice from a door that led to the kitchen, it sounded cheerful at first, then surprised, then slightly horrified. It was a young woman with bright red hair tied into a ponytail, she was wearing a pink waitress uniform – which in Frank's opinion didn't contrast well with her hair – and a slightly scared expression on her face.

Frank didn't blame her, as he had recently seen himself an the state he was in.
“This isn't my blood.” He said, which was probably the wrong thing to say first if he hoped to make friends any time soon. “But it's ok; worst part's over.” He continued, mostly to himself.

“Is there something I can do?” Asked the waitress. Frank took a shaky step forward and once again he felt the pain of his two day trek.
“Can you make me something to eat?” He asked in a low voice. Perhaps if he sounded pitiful she may be more inclined to help.

“Of course dear, come sit.” She said gesturing to a booth right behind him; he practically sank down into the soft worn leather. “What happened? Did you have an accident?” She asked. For now Frank didn't think he could answer those kind of questions, he was tired and hungry but mostly scared, scared that if he said anything he would be brought back to Septon hospital.

He brought his pillow case closer - he had been carrying it around since he ran away – and fished out the wallet he had taken from Mackenzie's corpse. He opened it and was momentarily distracted by the pictures of his wife and two children; he felt guilty for a moment, but he didn't know the man had a family, he didn't seem like that kind of man.

He ignored those innocent faces and pulled out all the money that was in it, then replaced it back in his pillowcase.
“What can I get with that?” He asked pushing the money towards the waitress. She quickly counted it and saw that there really wasn't much there, at most he could get a sandwich and a coffee; but she felt sorry just looking at the boy, he looked like he had just come out of a train wreck and hadn't eaten in days.

“Hey, I'll get you a full breakfast platter, on the house.” She said kindly. In any other situation Frank would have protested, but for once he accepted the offer and watched as the waitress walked back into the kitchen. “Maurice!” Came her loud voice followed by a grunt.

Twenty minutes later and Frank was already halfway through his meal; blueberry pancakes, scrambled eggs, bacon, hash brown and a side of toast. Everything drowned in syrup of course. It was the first proper meal he'd had in years and he was clearly enjoying every bite by the sounds he was making.

The waitress smiled at him as she brought over his second steaming mug of coffee. He downed half of it as soon as she put it on the table, after filling it with 3 packets of sugar.
“That good?” She asked.
“Really good.” Frank almost moaned out.

“Well, you have Maurice to thank for that.” She said picking up his old cup.
“I'll give him a blow job if he wants.” There was a crash, as the waitress dropped the mug in shock. Frank was also startled by what he had said; it just came out of nowhere. “I'm sorry, I didn't mean...” He rushed out.
“That's alright.” She said slowly, then walked off to find a broom.

He had to keep reminding himself that people didn't really appreciate those kinds of offers, not in the outside world.
“Do you have a newspaper, from this year?” He asked, though his stomach churned he kept eating, not wanting to waste a perfectly good meal.

“Sure, this one's from yesterday.” She said, handing him the paper; she seemed a little wary of getting closer to him now. Frank examined the front headline, what he really wanted to see was the date, but it couldn't be right.

He went into Septon hospital when he was sixteen, and if this date was correct he'd have to be almost twenty one now. Five years, how did he miss five years? He rubbed his face.
“Everything alright?” Asked the waitress.
“Yeah; I just...time really does fly.” He said.

At that moment a horde of children was heard and seen running down the street, probably eager to get home.
“Looks like school's out.” Said the waitress looking out of the window. “Is there anyone I can call for you?” She then asked, turning to Frank. Frank thought hard.
“Maybe...” He mumbled while watching the children, not really seeing them. “He might help...he promised he would-” He suddenly burst into laughter.

“What's up?” Asked the waitress, once again looking kind of scared.
“I just remembered I'm a vegetarian.” He smiled at his half eaten bacon, then finished it. Pretty soon he finished his whole plate and felt pleasantly full. “I should probably go now.” Frank mumbled as he stood up. “Thank you for everything you've done for me.” He took one last look at the diner and the waitress, then left, and she never saw him again.

Frank realized he couldn't go around in a blood stained and ripped straight jacket, someone would surely call some kind of authority and get him locked up again. So as he wondered through the now filling streets, trying not to be seen, here and there as he passed he would grab an item of clothing from where people had hung them up to dry.

He managed to snag a pair of boxers and jeans that looked his size from one house and a dark red hoodie, he even managed to find a pair of trainers from someone's back yard. Not long after he found himself in a small square, with a fountain in the middle and children al around playing all sorts of games.

He was sitting on the edge of the fountain in his new borrowed clothes, dipping his bare feet in the cool water, just to try and clean them up a little, when a little girl came up to him.
“Hi mister.” She chirped. She looked about eight or nine years old with chestnut brown hair that matched her eyes.

“Hi” He said.
“You're not from around here are you?” She asked.
“No, can you tell me where I am?”
“You're in Monroe'ville; my friends dared me to come talk to you.” She said. There were about three other girls standing a few yards behind her staring and laughing among themselves.

“Are you from the carnival?” She then asked.
“Carnival?” Frank asked in confusion.
“They come every year, just this morning in fact. I'm surprised you didn't see them actually, they're just outside of town.” They must have come right after him then, he thought.

A traveling carnival seemed like a good place to hide and move away at the same time. He stood up and slipped the trainers on his wet feet, the were a little small on him.
“Thanks. Here, take this.” He said and passed her Mackenzies wallet. “Go ahead and burn that for me , will you? Maybe piss on it first.” He told her with malice in his voice.

“Who's is this?” She asked after she opened it.
“A man who I killed.” He said matter-of-factly. She looked at him wide eyed for a moment then ran off. Frank followed her example and walked in the direction of the town entrance, towards this carnival. Perhaps this could be a new beginning for him.

Notes

So here it is. Can you guess what's gonna happen next? Comment an let me know what you think!!