Chapter 9

**A Raven**

## Characters

* Raven
* Raven's girl (name unknown)
* Clifford
* Oscar
* Eliza
* Market patrons
* Jake
* Teen (name unknown?)
* Officer Ferguson
* Camellia
* Cheerleaders and students
* Kevin
* Spiders
* Sylvia
* Nora
* Teacher and pupils at Kevin's school
* Carl
* Darcy

* Rebellious teen Cliff
* Smoking
* Cliff's touching issues
* Magic (Raven)
* Carl
* Drinking
* Consent issues
* Turn into a wolf
* Sylvia playing solitaire
* (He [didn't] come in through) the bathroom window
* Cliff's hoodie
* Terminator 2
* The Madness
* Lots of things you can hit with a bat
* Magic (Eliza)
* Cliff's mark
* Tell Nora the truth
* Thunder Children
* Blue roses

## Locations

* Raven's woods
* Farmer's Market
* Downtown Podunk
* Suburban park (?)
* Suburban streets
* Service station
* Podunk High School
* Kevin's school
* Wine & Spirits store
* Woods
* Sylvia & Oscar's home
* Hudson home
* Eliza & Darcy's home
* Eliza's rose garden

## Post chapter

Clifford and Kevin piled up in bed together.

## Quotes

"Will you be joining us tonight?"

"Tonight? Nah. Got plans."

"Plans?"

"Big plans."

—It's only teenage wasteland (p526)

"Hello, wolf."

"Who the fuck--"

"Awooo!"

"Nope. Fuck off. I learned this lesson already."

—They grow up so quickly (p529-p530)

"Hey! I was trying to be mysterious!"

—Nice try, kid (p530)

"So, what's your name?"

"Pff. I'm a raven, silly."

"No shit. And I'm a wolf. But *my* *name* is Cliff."

"Okay, then just call me Raven. We'll be like humans and have names!"

"I *am* human... half... I think."

"There aren't a lot of animal people left. I was so excited when I found you!"

"Find me from about *here*, thanks."

—Rule 1: no touching (p532)

"I do what I want and I go where I want."

"But, who takes care of you? Where do you sleep?"

"I sleep outside! I like it that way. No one tells me what to do. I'm free. You should try it."

"Tsh. I do what I want plenty."

—(p532-p533)

"I've watched you. You let humans lock you in a house every night."

"You've watched me..."

"Houses are cages for humans afraid of things like us. But we don't have to be afraid of anything! Walls aren't meant for us because the world belongs to us."

"Uh-huh. I'll keep that in mind."

"You *like* to let the humans control you. You run around begging them for treats and love, like a *common dog*."

"Pretty big words from a shrimpy kid with a shitty animal form who doesn't understand personal space."

—Hi, I'm Cliff, and this is what I think of your manifesto (p533-p534)

"You little shit! Do you know how hard those are to get?"

"Oh, *I* could get you more. But, I guess my animal form is shitty. *Hmph!*"

—(p535)

"Calm down! It's just a trick. I'm a raven! We can look however we want!"

—(p537)

"Wow, it worked! Oh man, too bad the smoke shop is closed. We could get cloves."

"Now do you like me?"

"You're all right. Gotta work on this personal space thing, though."

—(p538)

"Cliff. Did you seriously accept these from a *stranger?*"

"Dude, you're gonna get murdered."

—(p540)

"Cut it out! Seriously. Stop grabbing me all the time."

—(p542)

"I don't like it when people I don't know touch me."

—(p542)

"What do *you* want?"

"I just want to be friends with you."

"You said you were just passing through... and now you aren't?"

"Well, yeah. 'Cause I met you. I thought we'd have a little fun before I left. Don't you want to be friends with someone the same as you? I mean, how often do you get the chance?"

—(p543-p544)

"Cliff! I thought you forgot about me!"

"Nah! I just had to do a couple things, sorry."

—Brothers (p545)

"Did Mom or Dad tell you what we're having for dinner?"

"Nope."

"Aw, how will I know what to look forward to?"

—Sweet perfect Kevin (p546)

"So, now what?"

"Liquor store's open."

—Uh-oh (p547)

"Shit, man. Stop trying so hard. Why are you so nice to me?"

"Because I know how afraid you are. You think what you are is bad. You let them convince you that their normal is the only right kind of normal."

—(p549)

"But, you're better than--"

"Blah, blah. Shut up. I don't care."

—(p549)

"You not really a little kid. You just did that so I'd talk to you."

"I can be whatever you want me to be."

"Show me what you *really* look like."

"*Real* is just a word to describe things as they naturally are. It's natural for me to look however I want. Since I can be anything -- everything I am is *real*."

—(p551)

"All right. I'm gonna go."

"No! Why?"

"You're full of shit, man. Have fun wherever you go, but, I don't want to hang out anymore."

—Clifford was brought up to have boundaries (p552)

"You know, I know why you're afraid to be touched."

"*Fuck off!*"

"You're afraid that if someone touches you -- they'll be able to feel that you aren't human. But I already know what you are, so you don't have to be afraid of me."

"*Raven!* I said *let go!*"

—Cliff's not at home to people who make other people's decisions for them (p554)

"Well, maybe that's a sign to be done with this for tonight. What do you want to do?"

—The ghostwriter shippers might have some ideas, Oscar (p559)

"Cliff? Front door? Are you..."

"I'm so drucking... fuck."

—(p562)

"You shouldn't do this. You could get hurt. But, I'm glad you came to us. You know we'll always help you."

"Okay. Who bought it for you?"

"This kid... guy? I don't know."

"Try again."

"I met another animal person. A raven. But he can be other stuff too. I thought he wanted to be my friend -- but -- I don't think that any more."

—Straight talk with his friends (p562)

"I don't like coffee."

"And I don't like taking drunk kids home to their parents. Drink up!"

—(p563)

"He just seemed like he wanted to be friends."

"And he bought you the alcohol?"

"Yeah. I asked for it. He kept offering to do stuff for me. And, I thought it would be fun to be friends with another animal person. But, he got really pushy and weird..."

—The truth comes out (p563)

"Well, let's put on a movie while you sober up."

"No--"

"Terminator 2!"

"*AGAIN.*"

"Drunkards can't be chooser."

—Come with me if you want to sober up (p564)

"No. No. No. No. No. No. No."

"Raven..."

"I don't want to hurt you."

—Uh-oh (p569)

"There's something in my brain! It keeps scratching at the back of my eyes. It hurts. But, it tells me I'll feel better if I can be close to you. It's so loud. Can you hear it?"

—RUN AWAY RUN AWAY (p570)

"Woah, did you have a nightmare?"

"No... I thought I heard something, and then you spooked me when I tried to open the door. That's all."

—Nice save (p574)

"Here, you want me to sit with you until you fall asleep?"

"Yeah... would you? Sorry I'm such a baby."

"You not a baby. I got scared too."

—Halp this is too sweet (p575)

"Oh! Carl, where's my phone? My babies."

—They get it from Nora (p576)

"Raven!"

"I waited for you."

"*Fuck you!*"

—(p581)

"Why are you so mean to me?"

"Stop it. I'm not doing this with you. I won't come in there. I'm just tell you to *stay away* from my brother!"

"Or else...?"

—(p584)

"Didn't I give you what you wanted? Haven't I been nice to you?"

—Abuser logic (p586)

"What do I have to do to get you to like me? It's not working... it won't stop scratching. Your skin is in the way."

—(p588)

"Cliff. Please. Help me. You're the only thing. It's getting so loud. I can't think."

"What the fuck..."

"Is it loud enough now? Can you hear it yet?"

—(p590-p591)

"It's too late, Cliff. I tried to make it not hurt. But, it might hurt now."

"Fuck you. What is *wrong* with you? Why can't you just leave me alone?"

"It wants me to. So, I have to."

"*IT?!*"

"I really am sorry. I don't want to. It's just that... I don't feel like myself anymore."

"What's happening to you?"

"I made a mistake. It was an accident. I didn't know. Nobody ever warned me, but I figured it out. Cliff..."

"Mm..."

"Did anybody ever tell you? Sometimes -- humans have a monster inside them. And it wants us -- to catch it."

—Oh hell (p594, p595, p596, p597)

"Come with me if you want to live."

"*What?!* No! Shut up! Where's Eliza?!"

—(p598-p599)

"What is it?"

"Just keep running."

—(p599)

"Did you bite it?"

"What? *No!*"

"Did it bite you?"

"*No!*"

"Are you lying to me?"

"No! I swear!"

—(p604)

"The Madness...? Oh! I remember. The White Faced Bear said that when those wolf girls attacked me. He told them they were *inviting the madness*."

"Hm. Yes, animal people can get it from infected humans."

—(p606)

"*No!* You can't *catch* being a monster. Raven wasn't even a *real* animal person! He was lying to me!"

—(p606)

"I'm not *scared!* I'm human! I live with humans! Everyone I know is..."

—(p607)

"Wait. Give him space. He doesn't want us to see him cry."

"Oscar, he's afraid. And he doesn't need to deal with it alone."

—(p608)

"The madness is very rare. That's why I didn't tell you about it before. I honestly hoped and believed that you'd never have to know about it. And I didn't want you to worry. I am so, so sorry that you had to find out this way. The madness lives in blood. When it gets inside an animal person, it slowly takes over their brain. It compels them to seek out other animal people, so that it can spread. Eventually, it takes over completely. There is no cure."

—(p609-p610)

"Raven seemed so normal when I met him the other day. Did he have it then...?"

"The madness needs more than a few days. It comes on slowly, so the infected often don't realize what is happening to them."

"So... it's like I never really even met him."

—(p610)

"Well, is there anything else that could kill me I should know about?"

—(p611)

"What... What the fuck is this?! What did you do?!"

"I didn't do it. I just revealed it to you. That's called a mark. It means someone is looking for you."

—(p612)

"I can't read it. It's a very old word. But, I think it has something to do with why the White Faced Bear is hiding you. I don't know if me telling you this is why he tried to keep you hidden from me as well. I hope I'm not putting you in more danger..."

"Danger...?"

"When that witch tried to take you, she was planning on finding whoever made this mark and ransoming you back to them."

—(p613)

"I'll drive you home when we're done."

"Can I just go now? It's dark and I skipped school and I'm going to be in deep shit. My Mom's been calling and texting me all day and I ignored her."

"So, you're going to let them think you were just blowing them off? Cliff, just tell them the truth."

"Yeah, I wish..."

—(p615)

"I thought by now the Thunder Children would be here."

"They won't come so far out of the woods. I can do something... but it won't be perfect."

"What did you need me to do?"

"I don't have any roses here. Help me if I faint."

—(p616)

"Reclaim what you gave."

—(p617)

"Make sure there's nothing left."

—(p621)

"I've become a supernatural chaperone..."

—(p622)

"What happened?"

—(p623)

"I'm just... sorry I keep screwing up."

"Skipping school and ignoring me all day isn't a *screw up*. You did it on purpose. Why?"

"See? I told you it was a bad idea to let him be friends with some grown man."

"Oscar didn't have anything to do with it!"

"Is he buying you alcohol? Cigarettes?"

"What? *No!* *Mom!*"

"Cliff... your clothes smelled like a bar yesterday."

"Oscar's never bought me anything! He wasn't there! I skipped cause of this other kid. He got me the stuff yesterday. I won't do it again. I won't miss curfew. I won't get in trouble at school. Just, ground me."

"Oh, you're definitely grounded. And so is your phone."

—Clifford faces the music (p624, p625, p626, p627)

"This should be far enough. Liz! Thank you. She'll be back to normal in no time! She just needs to rest awhile."

"Okay... let me know if you guys need anything."

"You're sure you don't want to decompress for a bit? We have beer."

"Raincheck. I left in a huge hurry and Sylvia will be worried."

"We still haven't had a haunted dinner party!"

"Yeah! Maybe when Eliza is better."

—(p625, p626, p627, p628)

"Phew. This is going to be a really long journal entry..."

—OSCAR DAVID WILDE (p628)

"I grabbed your bag. We took care of everything. Tell your mom the truth."

—(p629)