Crow Country Chapter 28

Walter and I strolled through the dried lake bed. We were looking for Jimmy's grave. "I think it's here" I said to Walter, a crow was standing on the yellow mud. "I will paint the cross and you can dig the hole" I instructed. Lachie came to see what we were doing, he was been friendly to me and  Walter. I told him about the history of Jimmy and what happened to him. Lachie had to leave to get on time to play footy and shortly after, Walter left. I stayed hoping to still be able to talk to the crows. "The other day, I asked my about my great-aunt Sadie. She said she traveled around the world and died at the age of 83. I went to see her grave again but it wasn't there, I thought she died at 14." I began talking to the crow "Waa-waa" replied the crow "Waa-aaah" "Did I  change history?" I said "Waa" the crow said. Maybe I can't talk to crows anymore because I finished the story. The crow flew away flapping it's wings furiously, dropping a single feather, letting it fall from the sky slowly.

Crow Country Chapter 27

The next step was to find Jimmy's special items. I had to first fin the tree I had buried it at. Even though I knew that I tree sapling would be bigger now, I was still surprised that it had grown that big. I looked at the 'S' carved into the trunk, this was the tree. A crow was poking at the ground, I had to tell it to move so I could start to dig.

 After digging for a while and finding many rocks and bumping into many roots, I had finally saw the glimmer of the metal tin in the sunlight. I pulled the tin out of the ground that had protected the special items for so many years. Now I had to deliver it to Auntie Lilly. I didn't know where her house was until the crow showed me the direction. I had entered the house after knocking at the door multiple times. Vonn was shocked to see me again. I asked if I could see Auntie Lilly but she told me she wasn't well. I refused her offer for her to give her the tin, I had to give it to her. Auntie Lilly invited me into her room and accepted the special object. David and mum picked me up from the house. I was so tiered that I couldn't be woken by anything. I had imagined that I was flying on a crows back the whole trip home. I woke in my bed, still dressed like I was some time ago. I felt something sticking out from my hair. I pulled it out and it was a pure black feather belonging to a crow.

Crow Country Chapter 26

"Sadie, wake up!" Walter was staring down at me. I glanced at the still motionless body of Lachie. "We have to help him" I said frantically  to Walter. I told Walter to get help by driving on Lachies motorcycle. I walked over to Lachies body and assured him that he was fine. The situation reminded me of the murder of Jimmy. Finally, the roar of the motorcycle brought me back from my thoughts. Mum went to the hospital with Lachie while David stayed with Walter and I. What were we going to tell him? David asked how we found him, we were unsure of what o tell him until finally we told the truth. David offered to take us home but I said that I would stay for a little longer. I waited until Walter and David were out of sight before I asked the crows what I had to do next.

Crow Country Chapter 25

I was woken by dad's voice coming through the front door. Mr Mortlock who was exhausted and relieved to see that my dad didn't tell the police. Dad  picked up Mr Mortlocks blood-stained clothes and asked him to leave. I took the clothes off him and told him to go to bed. I placed the clothes in the flaming stove and watched them turn into pitch black charcoal. Dad then handed me his clothes to wash. Once he had left, I searched his pockets like my mother always did before washing clothes. I dug through the material until my fingertips felt soft fur. I pulled out the fluffy package to find that it probably was something wrapped in possum fur- this is what Jimmy gave to dad before he died! I didn't know what to do with it. Burn it, I thought but then another voice that didn't sound like me told me No! At that moment I became conscious that I was Sadie Hazzard. I found a cigarette tin in a pocket of a cardigan so I squashed the package into the tin and left the house. Beneath a sapling of a small tree, I started to dig a hole for the tin to sit in. When I was done, on the base of the tree, I carved the letter 'S'. 

Crow Country Chapter 24

Walter and I were running away, in the distance we could hear the sound of Lachies motorcycle. We were running deeper and deeper into the Mortlocks property. The ear-piercing moan of the motorcycle was getting louder, Walter and I slipped through a wire fence thinking it would give us time to get away but a few minutes later, we could hear it again. Can you help us, Crows?! Suddenly, gliding over our heads was a sleek black crow. It seemed to point us to a direction with it's wings. We followed the crow and from behind the hills you could see the circle of stones. "The crows will protect us if we stay here" I yelled to Walter between breaths. "How will they protect us?" Lachie was getting closer and closer but more crows started to land on the top of the stones. Finally, we could see him. He was trying to knock down the stones that surrounded us. He made the stone wobble but not fall, we had to stop him somehow! Walter threw a clump of mud at him, Lachie then fell to the ground. Red blood was visible from behind his head. We had to help him. I tried to tell Walter that we had to do something but I couldn't speak, I couldn't see either. Everything was spinning.

Crow Country Chapter 23

To find the special things that Auntie Lilly told us about, Walter thought the first place we could look was the Mortlocks house. We broke in. It wasn't something that I would do...or even think about doing but to finish Crows story I had to. When everyone was at the footy, Walter and I broke in. Their property was huge, their land reached the horizon. We got into the house, it was an old, faded but rather clean house. We went from room to room to finally find a room full of history. We were in the middle of analyzing what was in the room when we heard Lachies voice. We managed to run free, but just. We were going to get caught sooner or later, he knew who we were and we would be in trouble.

Crow Country Chapter 22

David and mum dropped us off at Auntie Lilly's house. We lied to them that we were going to make a history project together but we had something very different planned. Vonn led us into the house warning us that Auntie Lilly could be sleeping. Walter came into Auntie Lilly's room beginning a conversation. I could hear a few words here and there. He was telling is all wrong! Auntie Lilly mentioned something about her uncle been killed by a bullet. Jimmy Raven! I told her that I knew her uncles name but I didn't get the reaction I wanted, she asked me to leave and Walter explained that she is sensitive to white people and all the bad things they did to her. A little later I was invited back inside. She told me things that made Crows words make sense.

Crow Country Chapter 21

I blamed the shooting of the crows on myself. We were about to walk into the house when we realized that the car was gone. Mum and David must have gone to the footy. When I turned around, a big crow was in the garden. It opened it's wings revealing a big bullet wound weeping with blood. Once again, it told me something that I didn't understand. Walter offered to see Auntie Lilly. I was going to go the next day. I was starving so I made food before I remembered that my room had been painted. I walked upstairs to find the flower wallpaper transformed into a light lilac.

Crow Country Chapter 20

Walter and I went to find Jimmy Raven's grave. From a distance we heard music. Oh no! People crowded around the stone circle, their beer cans on a pile in the middle of the stones. No respect. I started to yell at what they were doing. At one point I raised the subject of Mr Mortlock's grandfather murdering Jimmy Raven but of course no one believed. Lachie and Walter got into a fight until suddenly a dark shadow swept over us. There were millions of crows! The men didn't know what was happening. Now was our chance to flee. Walter and I ran to the brim of the black shadow and thought that it was over until we heard gunshots. They were shooting the crows and we had to stop them.

Crow Country Chapter 19

After yesterdays happenings, mum was quite worried about me. I told her that I was fine but a day off school couldn't hurt anyone. I was about to leave the house before mum stopped me. I told her I was going for a walk but she told me to wait for Walter. I asked mum why David and Walter were coming over, she replied that she and him were going to paint my room. Finally!
Walter and I set out to the street. Not a word came out of his mouth, and I was glad to have some peace and quiet. "Where are we going?" Walter asked "The graveyard" I replied.
I scanned the head stones for any familiar names. Finally! Gerald Stanley Mortlock. 

Crow Country Chapter 18

I was still in the time slip. Jimmy is dead! I had to take care of Mr Mortlock, despite wanting to yell and not help him at all, I couldn't, it was fathers orders. A soft voice brought me back to reality, "Are you Okay?" The kind lady behind the counter was standing in front of me.

Crow Country Chapter 17

Mum asked me to get bacon from the shop, without a word, I grabbed my parka and headed out the door. Once I got to the shop, I recognized Fox's mother behind the counter. I came five minutes before closing time. I got the bacon and a few other things before I passed out. Everything spun around me. Instead of been in a nice, modern, white shop, I was back in time. Without a hesitation, I went to the door and bolted it shut but before I flipped the closing sign, the door swung open, knocking me aside. Mr Mortlock came in all bloody yelling "I've murdered him"

Crow Country Chapter 16

David had coached the Boort football team, and they won! Craig came to shake David's hand. After congratulating David for his excellent coaching, he asked him about checking out some 'indigenous rocks' Oh No!  I couldn't believe it! Lachie told his dad about our secret area! I had to find him! I was walking as first as I could to find him, In the corner of my eye, I could see Walter following. Finally I found Lachie! I told him everything about why he shouldn't have told anyone, but he replied with- "It's on my property"

Crow Country Chapter 15

I was back inside, mum was worried about me, she said I hadn't been acting myself all week, and I agreed. The art show was taking place school today, Walter had a painting on display there so we had to go, well, I wanted to. Walter showed us his painting. It was a portrait of an elderly woman. He explained that it was his Auntie Lilly, they had a connection. Walter said they would talk about everything. Something stood out in the background, it was a crow.I asked Walter what it meant, he said it was Auntie Lilly's totem. What was mine, I wonder. Once we got home, I asked Walter about totems and the crow. Sudden;y, things were starting to make sense.

Crow Country Chapter 14

Lachie was walking me home. I was excited and nervous at the same  time. We talked a little about what happened at the pool match with Walter, do I forgive him? Once he had said goodbye in front of my house, I sighed. I tried to talk a step forward but for some reason I couldn't. Suddenly crow appeared in front of me.

Crow Country Chapter 13

We were at the pub, AGAIN. We sat at a table with David, mum, Lachie, Craig, Amanda and Bethany. The tension grew by the minute. Even though Lachie asked David to be their football coach, things were still awkward. After an argument, David and mum thought it would be best to leave. Lachie asked me if I wanted to stay for the pool competition that night. I said no but them mum egged me on and Lachie encouraged me. I wanted to say no but then I realized that mum and David might want to be alone.

Crow Country Chapter 12

I think I left my gloves at the pub. Mum had made me go out and get them in the pitch black!
There they are! I found them lying next to a gutter by the pub, I picked them up and wiggled them onto my ice cold fingers.
Suddenly, I found myself holding a tin pot filled with water. I was dreaming again! The 'change of body' wasn't sudden, it happened almost flowingly, but almost automatically, I emptied the pot on plants. Close by, I could hear voices. Jimmy finally came out of the house, followed by Clarry and Mr Mortlock. After much yelling and disagreements, all the men finally separated in their own ways.
Once again, a sudden change, I was on all fours on the road, I couldn't see anything because car lights were blinding me. Wait, car lights! Once the car had passed, the driver yelled at me for being on the road.

Crow Country Chapter 11

We had returned from the pub and Walter and I sat in the living room watching TV. Walter said to me that Ellie and David were fighting. I was the kind of person that had to see to believe something so I got up from the chair and stepped quietly to the kitchen door. It was true! They were fighting. I picked up a few sentences of their conversation. It was something about history? I crept back to my seats and moments later, David came out of the kitchen, followed by my mum whose eyes were stained by tears. David told Walter it was time to leave, and so they did. After they left, mum told me everything. I'm not sure if she wanted to tell me but she did anyway. She told me all about her relationship with David AND Craig Mortlock!?

Crow Country Chapter 10

Mum invited David to go to the pub. Maybe if I went I could see Lachie. When David arrived at our house, Walter followed. Great! I will have to take care of Walter now. Once we got to the pub, Walter and I went to the back room. We were playing a game of pool when Jules came and harshly told us to leave. When I saw Lachie emerge, I thought he would tell Jules to leave us alone but instead he also told us to leave.

Crow Country Chapter 9

Ellie POV-

Where had Sadie been? I was getting worried until she walked through the door covered in mud! I told her to take a shower because we were going to a football game Wycheproof and we were going to it. I need to make friends so badly!

Once we got there, Sadie went to talk to her friend, she disappeared for a little, I saw a couple of teenagers going on a motorcycle but I don't think that was Sadie.

Sadie POV-

Once we arrived at Wycheproof, I spotted Lachie, he talked about footy for a bit until he invited me to go on his motorcycle, I may have said too much but I didn't regret it, I told him of the circle of stones with engravings so he said we were going to go there. I thought I was going to die when he was driving the motorcycle, I was literally a few centimeters away from the ground on the turns! Once we got there, he was speechless. Above us, crows flew almost yelling in anger, maybe I shouldn't have shown this place to him, as it was sacred to the crows, it belonged to them.  

Crow Country Chapter 8

After I fell asleep, I was still the same person, not me, but I was someone that wasn't me. I recognized the names from somewhere. But where? Someone that my dad knew came into the house, he was a friend of my dads when he was at war, in fact, he saved his life! My parents cared for him a lot but other people didn't.

Suddenly, I woke up. At least I think I did, I was still in the disgusting yellow mud and my pants were covered in the goo. How long was I sitting there for? I better get back to mum before she gets angry.

Crow Country Chapter 7

Something weird just happened. The crow told me a story, and then the weird bit happened. I became someone else. My mind was me but my body wasn't.

:)

Crow Country Chapter 6

Early in the morning I went for a walk. Once again, I saw the circle of stones and walked towards there. There waiting for me, was a crow. It told me to sit down on the muddy ground to tell me a story. His words seemed to mean something but I didn't get it. I must have gone crazy because everything seemed to change and I was stuck in a dream-like scenario.

Crow Country Chapter 5

Mum took me out to the pub to get dinner. While we were waiting for dinner my mum FORCED me to go to the group of kids...teenagers. They were playing pool, surprisingly, they invited me to play.
Mum and I were talking about the lake I visited earlier, of course I didn't tell her about the talking crow. She had said that it was always weird and spooky and she wasn't a superstitious kind of person which made me more interested and determined to visit the lake again.

Crow Country Chapter 4

I was once again waiting in the hospital for my mum to finish her shift. Across from me, a boy I knew was sitting. He apparently stole a car and stabbed a kid. Finally my mum came out and a man followed her. She introduced him to me. His name was David and that was his nephew sitting across of me. Mum invited them for dinner. I went outside and sat in a junk car that was in our backyard. After some time, Walter came and we sat under a tree. We talked about our past until it was dark and my mum called us inside for dinner.

:)

Crow Country Chapter 3

Sadie POV

I walked into the house and my mum was finally unpacking our boxes. After I complained to her about moving to Boort for the thousandth time, she asked me if I wanted to go to the football field with her. When we walked down the dirt road to the football field, I inhaled the scent of sausages. Mum and I bought sausages and watch the rest of the game. Mum brought attention to number 29, a cute boy. A couple came up to my mother and boasted about their son playing in the game.

Crow Country Chapter 2

Sadie POV

I didn't know what happened for a few seconds. Did a crow just talk to me or am I loosing my mind here? Either way, I had to leave. Judging by the sun, I realized it was late afternoon and had to make my way home. Ellie, my mother, wouldn't be happy that I was gone for so long so I took my time.


:)

Crow Country Chapter 1

Sadie POV (point of view)

I can't believe my mum forced me to move to this place. I was strolling on the muddy ground in hope to find a secret lake that my mother told me about, when I got to where the lake was supposed to be there was no lake. Instead, the ground was dried out and cracked. In the distance, I saw a circle of large rocks. I wandered to the place where the rocks were, the rocks were caked with mud so I peeled through the layers to eventually find a glistening red stone. Waa-waa, I hear. I turn around to find a crow. Waa-waa. I can understand what it is saying.

:)