I wake every night calling her name. Lenore… Every day I visit her grave, and tell her about my day teaching Literature at our Highschool. Today, I taught Edgar Allan Poe, my favorite author. It’s been 8 years since her death; but this year was different. This year I went home and broke down. Why was I distracted that morning? Why did I look away from the road, for even a instant? If I hadn’t, I would’ve been able to react quick enough to that drunk driver in front of us. I got some booze, sat on our- my sofa; and I drank, crying into the night. I awoke around midnight to knocking, bottles of beer scattered across the floor. “One moment please.” I say, sounding sloshed. I pull myself to my feet, all while the knocking is getting louder. I twist the knob, and stare out into the night, the knocking suddenly stopping. I stay there for a minute, staring into the abyss. “Lenore?” I whisper, barely an utterance. Suddenly, a bird flew into my house, breaking the spell. I shut the door, relieved that I’m not going crazy. It appeared to be a raven, but I didn’t have my birdwatching books. It was rather large for a raven, having a wingspan of 10 feet at least. I smile, thinking of “the Raven” by Poe. “How does it go? Though thy crest be shorn and shaven; something, ghastly, grim, and ancient raven. Tell me what thy name is, on this night’s plutonian shore!” Expecting not a utterance, I turn away, heading to bed. “Nevermore…” said a grim voice. I stop in my tracks and turned. “That’s impossible…” I whispered. The raven, perched on my sofa, simply said “Nevermore…” Then, the foul bird started to change. Its feathers wilted into a black cloak, it sprouted arms, its eyes sank back into its skull, leaving behind two red dots. The bird was now changed into the shape of a man; a tall, skeletal man with gigantic wings, a raven skull face, and a scythe at least 10 feet tall. “This can’t be real…” I say, as if saying it would make it so. The Reaper before me simply shrugged. “Nevermore…” It raised the scythe, and I snapped out of my stupor. I ran, as fast as I could. The bird simply shrieked at me, and the chase was on. I ran to my room. I knew I kept a phone in there. I slammed my door shut and locked it, then ran to the phone and dialed 911. “Baby?” came a voice, and I froze. That sounded like? “Lenore?” I asked. “Babe, what are doing? You got up and just shrieked!” I put the phone back on the hook and ran to my door. As I went to unlock it, I stopped. “Tell me something only my wife would know…” “What?” “Tell me something only my wife would know!” “I- when we were 5 we agreed that we were going to get married! I haven’t regretted that choice ever. Since the day I said ‘I do.’ It doesn’t matter to me that you’re infertile, because I married you for your charm, your wit! I love you, darling…” I fell to my knees, tears streaming down my face. I unlocked the door, and she opened it. She sat in front of me and smiled. Maybe all of this was a dream? Maybe these past 8 years have been a dream? “No…they haven’t.” I looked back to my wife. “This hasn’t been a dream, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be.” I closed my eyes, then opened them again. There sat the raven, staring into my soul. “Please…” I said, tears pouring down. “Take this pain away…I miss her so much.” The raven nodded his understanding, then stood. “And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor…” The reaper said, raising his scythe. I smiled, then replied, “Shall be lifted…Nevermore…”