Most people in most towns barely notice their owls, if they have owls at all. Corrie's neighborhood is very much not one of these towns. Although usually solitary animals, the owls in Corrie's small Wisconsin town travel, live, and hunt in a large flock. these owls don't just behave unusually, they are also rather strange to look at. Their scraggly feathers are long, and pitch black. No pattern or other color gives clue as to what species they may be. Their eyes are all big and red, watching your every move more intensely than a hawk. And although owls are known for their flexible necks, Corrie's owls have longer necks that are just as twistable. An extended neck and easily double the height of these birds. So, not exactly a pretty bird.
Every year as the air turns cool and summer fights to keep winter at bay, these owls migrate to Corrie's town. At first there are only a few that slip in like ghosts among the sparrows. A few days later there are dozens. Red eyes glare from every tree and corner. No one goes outside at night. The police won't admit it, but every year the birds take someone. Always just after Halloween, a missing person report comes in ad the person is never found. For a while Corrie believed the same story everyone did; the disappearances were only a strange, but sad coincidence for an equally strange town. Corrine had been convinced for most of her life that this was the truth.
But that was before she noticed the dripping red glint on the black talons of several black owls as they glided down her street.
The missing person was reported the next day.
YOU ARE READING
The Writing Rock
General FictionAs a member of a writing club, I end up with several short pieces and nothing to do with them so this book is dedicated to that. I won't be publishing everything I write, but if it isn't terrible, it'll probably end up here.
