Tom

The next day Tom hadn't gotten up from bed. 

The whole night he had nightmares of yesterday's events. Some of the nightmares were of Tactzo killing him.

He wished Billy's place didn't have a glass ceiling now because it was the afternoon with the sun shining upon him and Tom was trying to catch some sleep.

He went under the covers and tried to sleep.
He didn't get far as Billy's door swung open and Billy rushed inside.

"Oh my goodness Tom, I heard what happened yesterday! Did you lose a life?"

Tom sighed under the covers and uttered a small "no" 

He felt Billy go up the ladder to get closer to him. 

"I think I know what will make you feel better"
Sighing Tom sat up, he wasn't going to catch any sleep.

"wow boss man you have a lot of eyebags....did you get any sleep?"

Tom shook his head.

"It's going to be okay, where we going there is a hammock! you can try to get some sleep there"

Tom and Billy left the house and began walking.

"I used to go to this place with mom all the time. You will love it"

Now that he thought of it Tom hadn't seen Billy's mother around. 

"Where is she?"

"Oh she's dead.....she was killed by Tactzo..."

Tom froze and brought his hands to his head as if he felt a sharp pain.

"Tom! you okay?"

"Tactzo, Tactzo, Taczo....why is it always him?" Tom said through his teeth.

"Yeah, he's pretty bad...."

"I'm so sorry" Tom hugged Billy.

"Thanks, I'm also sorry that you had to experience what you did"

They let go and continue walking.

"You know.....that was the first time I ever saw someone die before me?"

Billy shuddered.

"I've never witnessed a murder before....so you are pretty strong"

Tom dropped his shoulders "I'm not strong.....If I was maybe I could have stopped it"

Billy grabbed him by the arm "Hey hey, don't suffer from survivor guilt on me! You are strong! and the fact that you are the only one who didn't lose a life is amazing! I'm thanking the heavens that nothing bad happened to you"

Tom threw his arm over Billy "Thanks Billy"
"Okay, here we are!" 

They were in this beautiful clearing and the middle of it there were two trees with a hammock tied to them.

"Race you to it?" Billy asked.

"Race ya!" 

Both boys ran and halfway through Billy tripped and fell. 

Tom laughed, continued to the hammock and threw himself on it.

Billy caught up and as he was catching his breath they heard a crow sound.

"A crow! That's a bad omen. Do you think the crow man is nearby? that's what the legends say"

Tom stood up and saw it circling above.
He knew who it was but he didn't want Billy to see.

"Billy, could you close your eyes? and turn around?"

Billy nodded and did what he told.
"I'll tell you to turn around....I'm going to try to kill it" Tom lied.

He extended his arm and the crow landed on him. 

There was a note strapped on the crow's foot. He takes it and reads it.

"Tom, Tactzo mentioned in passing that you two fought but won't talk more about it. Are you okay? Please come home."

Tom rips the paper and throws it away scaring the bird. It squawks, flies away and drops feathers as he does.

"Did you kill it?" Billy asked turning around.

"Nope"

"Don't worry about it, come on. get on the hammock and have some rest!"


                                                                                             Antok

Antok takes the key from under the welcome mat and opens the door to the crow mans door.

He's been wanting to explore this house forever. No one dared to break a single window from it in fear that death would follow them but Antok isn't breaking anything.

He entered and the door opening made all the dust go airborne. It made him cough loudly, he waved around the dust and walked inside.
He saw empty potion glasses, old books filled with cobwebs and a bed that was covered in feathers.

He grabbed one of them and pulled one of his feathers from his back. 

He compared them and he smiled. They are the same!

He pocketed the feather and went looking into the closet but found nothing. 

Then he checked the books to see if there were any Journals but they were all boring enchanting books.

Since there was not much to see Antok left the house, locked it and placed the key under the carpet.