By the side of the road sat a young boy, his gaze wandering as curiosity filled his mind. He stared at the road, pondering its mysteries, when a small dog trotted up and asked, “What are you doing?”
“I’m trying to figure out how this road works,” the boy replied.
“What do you mean?” the dog asked, tilting his head.
“I heard people say this road takes some here and others there,” the boy explained, “and I want to go everywhere and see the world. I even heard a story about a man making the deal of his life at a crossroads.”
The little dog chuckled. “The road doesn’t take anyone anywhere on its own. You have to decide where you want to go, and then the road will help you get there.”
Just then, a stray cat wandered up and flicked its tail. “What are you two talking about?” it asked.
“The boy wants to use the road to go somewhere,” the dog replied.
“Why bother?” the cat said with a grin. “Everything you need is right here! Look at all the rats to catch and the leftovers people leave out for us. This place is heaven!” The cat danced playfully, imagining his next meal.
The boy frowned. “Why are you smiling?” he asked.
“I don’t want rats, and I don’t want leftovers,” the boy said firmly.
Above them, a squirrel scurried to the edge of a tree branch. “What’s going on down there?” the squirrel chirped.
“The boy wants to use the road to get somewhere,” the dog explained.
“Somewhere is the same as nowhere,” the squirrel replied, twitching its tail. “Without a real destination, you might end up somewhere you don’t like.”
The boy’s eyes welled up, and a single tear slid down his cheek. “Anywhere is better than here,” he whispered.
The cat leaned closer to the dog and murmured, “What happened to him?”
“I don’t know,” the dog whispered back. “Why is anywhere better than here?”
The boy shook his head, his voice trembling. “I just want to leave and never come back.”
The dog’s ears drooped, and his eyes filled with sadness. He gently rested his head in the boy’s lap.
A shadow fell over them as a large crow landed nearby. It was the biggest crow any of them had ever seen. The crow eyed the group and asked, “Who died?”
The boy began to cry, his small body trembling with sobs. The animals sat in solemn silence, waiting for him to speak.
Finally, the boy wiped his tears and shouted, “It’s not fair! It’s not FAIR!”
The crow tilted his head and spoke softly. “What’s not fair?”
The boy clenched his fists. “Why did he take them?”
“Who took who?” the dog asked gently.
The boy sniffled, his voice barely audible. “Death. Death took my mommy and daddy.”
The animals exchanged glances but said nothing.
“That’s why I want to go,” the boy continued. “I want to find a way to defeat death and bring them back.”
The cat opened his mouth to speak but thought better of it.
The crow’s voice was calm but firm. “Where will you go to defeat death? Who told you such a thing?”
“The doctor,” the boy replied, tears cutting paths through the dirt on his face. “The doctor said death came for them last night while they were sleeping. I don’t get it. They were resting, getting better.”
His voice grew louder, his anger rising. “When I find Mr. Death, I’ll wait for him to sleep. Then I’ll get him!”
The crow stepped closer, his tone gentle but resolute. “Death isn’t a person. It’s not something you can fight. Death is a part of life, just like being born.”
The boy’s eyes widened. “So it’s God’s fault, then? Doesn’t He take whatever and whoever He wants?”
The crow paused, considering his words. “I’ve never seen God, but I’ve heard that He is Love. I’ve felt it, too. It’s in the flowers, in the songs of the birds, and in the wind that carries me to new heights. Life is hard, but it doesn’t mean God is the one taking your parents. No, He welcomes them with His love.”
The boy’s voice was barely a whisper. “But… how do you know?”
“I believe,” the crow replied softly. “I believe because of what I’ve seen and felt.”
The boy looked down at his hands, his tears slowing. The group fell silent, the only sound was the soft rustling of the wind in the trees.