Death and Hope

Chapter 1 Updated Jan 28, 2011 4,696 characters

It was may, 1983 males brook, a funeral , with crows flying about above, but there was one
crow, it would perch on the other side of the street, looking back at all his brethren, seeing
the fun times that would have chasing each other and taunting people during a funeral, well
these were the birds of death after all. The lonely crow flew off as it usually did, trying to
find somebody he would be able to become friendly with.

He went to the pier, looking for a bird that he could then become friends with, he found a
seagull, laying on the sea, just laying back and relaxing. Crow decided to sit on the edge of
the pier looking down at the water, at his own reflection. If only this reflection that was in
the water, could come to life and play, just to talk even. But the reflection did not answer.
The seagull drifted near him. The crow brightened up hoping he could be friends, he asked,
but the seagull didnt reply, he just kept on lazing and the crow just kept on flying.

The crow landed on the roof, where other pigeons would have sat. He looked on just like the
pigeons did, they did not talk, and they stalked waiting for food. Some bread had been
dropped and a flapping of wings went off, crow was caught and had fallen off the roof, he
could not recover considering he was upside down, he just fell, trying desperately to start
flying. A white feather fell. He felt lightened and everything changed, he turned rapidly,
started to flap and shot off into the sky. He wondered where that feather came from.

He reached the woods, hoping to find where that feather had came from, he saw the
magpie, they were playing in the tree like two children playing a game of tag. He went over
seeing if they had white wings. He got to the branch and the two magpies stopped playing
and turned to crow. He saw their wings black and grey, he turned and went off. Continuing
his journey to find the white feathered bird.

He was flying for days, across seas, countries and mountains searching for this bird that had
helped him. He stopped in Norway, taking a break from his tiring journey, it was winter, and
most of the birds had gone south to evade this. He couldnt stand up to it, he was freezing,
his eyes were drifting, was he going to die again. The white feather appeared again. He flew
getting out of the shivering cold that had eluded him, and since then he ever more wanted
to find this bird of the white feather.

He raced, past clouds slapping in his face, rain crushing down on him, nothing could stop
him now, he was determined, he had found a friend who could help him, but could he help
them. He stopped in Japan, Wondering if he could. He sat down on a branch. Suddenly a
bird flew down to him. It was not a normal colour, it was...blue, he was amazed and this
shining blue bird, not knowing who or what bird it is. The blue bird spoke: i am the blue
bird, i am a symbol of happiness and love, crow, the bird of death, something seems to be
troubling you. Crow did not answer, this new bird was wondrous in all its ways, and it had
been the first bird to talk to him, the blue bird spoke again: you are trying to find a white
bird, yes? If you wish to find her you must first become near death and then you must catch
the feather. Crow was once again shocked, but this time is eyes were held wide, his
beaked opened, he quickly nodded as if he was saying thank you and flew off into the
distance.

He was ecstatic, he wanted to see the white bird and he was too excited he flew, and flew,
and flew trying his hardest to go back to where he started, going through trees, weaving
between buildings, and going against the current of which he had always followed. He was
back at the building where head started. The funeral was over and finished long before he
had come back, but the crows were still there. He flew to where the seagull was. The
seagull had drifted too far for him to see anymore, crow went to the pigeons. They were
sitting on the wire, debating who finished first, he went to the magpies, and they had
finished their game and were asleep in their tree. He had nowhere else to go, he decided to
drift to sleep himself.

He fell asleep at the building where he would always sit, across the building to the
graveyard. He fell asleep. But just then the flock of crows decided to race to the next
graveyard catching him in the flight, he was pecked and scratched this time, he was falling
again. His wings damaged and crow was unable to get back up. The white feather drifted
down again. Crow caught it and saw the white bird. He hit the floor, he was dead. But in the
end he had followed his dream, he saw the white bird, the bird of hope, Dove.




He met her at a party. She was so outstanding. There were many guys chasing after her
while he was so normal. Nobody paid any attention to him.
At the end of the party, he invited her to have coffee with him. She was surprised but she
accepted the offer out of politeness. They sat in a nice coffee shop and he was too
nervous to say anything.
She felt uncomfortable and thought to herself, "Please, let me go home..."
Suddenly he asked the waiter, "Would you please give me some salt? I'd like to put it in
my coffee."
Everybody stared at him for his strange request! His face turned red but still, he put the
salt in his coffee and drank it.
She asked him curiously, "Why do you add salt to your coffee?"
He replied, "When I was a little boy, I lived near the sea. I liked playing in the sea where I
could feel the taste of the sea which is just like the taste of the salty coffee. Now every
time I have the salty coffee, I always think of my childhood and my hometown. I miss my
hometown so much. I miss my parents who are still living there."
While saying that, tears filled his eyes. She was deeply touched. That must have been his
true feelings from the bottom of his heart. A man who can express his homesickness
must be a man who loves home, cares about home and takes responsibility of his
home... Then she also started to talk about her faraway hometown, her childhood and her
family.
That was a really nice talk and also a beautiful beginning to their story. They continued to
date. She found that he was actually a man who meets all her criteria of a good partner;
he had tolerance, was kind hearted, warm and careful. He was such a good person but
she almost missed him! Luckily, his salty coffee brought them together! The story
became like every other beautiful love story where the princess married the prince and
they lived a happy life together... And every time she made coffee for him, she put some
salt in the coffee as she knew that's the way he liked it.
After 40 years, he passed away and left her a letter which said,
"My dearest, please forgive me, forgive my whole life's lie. This was the only lie I said to
you - the salty coffee. Remember the first time we dated? I was so nervous that I actually
wanted some sugar but I said salt. It was hard for me to change what I said so I just went
ahead. I never thought that could be the start of our communication! I tried to tell you the
truth many times in my life, but I was too afraid to do that as I have promised not to lie to
you about anything... Now I'm dying and I'm no longer afraid of anything so I wish to tell
you the truth. I don't like the strange bad taste of salty coffee... But I have had salty
coffee for my whole life! Since I knew you, I never felt sorry for anything I had ever done
for you. Having you with me is my biggest happiness throughout my whole life. If I can
live for the second time, I would still want to know you and be with you for my whole life
even though I would have to drink the salty
coffee again."
Her tears made the letter totally wet.
Someday, someone asked her, "What's the taste of salty coffee?"
She replied, "It's sweet."
Pass this to everyone because love is not to forget but to forgive, not to see but
understand, not to hear but to listen, not to let go but HOLD ON!!!!