Good morning all. After mornings starting out in the 20 degree range all week, this morning it is actually in the fifties. While I find this incredibly strange to be so warm, the sky brings a little comfort. Instead of the cold blue from earlier this week, it is the sort of smoky blue that means a front is rolling in and rain is on the way. At least if I remember my elementary school fieldtrip to the weather station where the local weatherman proudly displayed his new dopplar radar system and explained how weather works. He was so proud of that machine. I’m pretty sure most of my weather knowledge is a hold over from the fieldtrip and the lessons the teacher tried to cram in before we went so we had a chance of asking actual questions. While that isn’t much, I still think we have a front rolling in. I suspect rain is on its way. For now though, let’s start our day with the morning prompt. Then later I’ll see if I’m right about the rain. Ready? Good, let’s go!
I kind of like this scene. Not sure what sort of story it will go into, but I kind of like it.
Thursday, December 16th: Birds swooped down.
Birds swooped down. He covered his head, protecting his eyes and ears as he hurried his pace. On most days he liked the long avenue of trees. He loved the way they looked with their leaves green and shiny. He lover the flowers of spring and the scent they ended up saturating the air with during spring. He loved the way the leaves turned colors and he even loved the stark bare branches of winter and especially thrilled at the first signs of the greening tips of buds as winter ended.
But this year, the long avenue was especially trying.
He agreed with the repopulation of the native bird species. They were good for the area, good for the ecosystem and he was thrilled that they were being brought back from the brink of extinction. In theory, he even agreed with thir nests being located in the avenue of trees. The trees were these particular trees were the species that the birds traditionally nested in and this was the densest cluster of them in the city.
The theory was fine, it wa the practice that was causing him issues.
The start had been fine. The birds flew and twittered overhead. A few people complained of extra bird dropping s on their parked cars but as there were few actual parking spaces in this part of the city it wasn’t that big a ripple in the grand avian return. When the birds began nesting, that too was seen as a good sign. And it was. The birds nested and in time eggs appeared.
It was then that the birds began to see passing pedestrians as potential threats. The aerial bombardment began. The nesting birds would take turns swooping down from their perches to attempt to drive off those passing by.
Some avoided the area. Others chose the time of day they were willing to pass through the area cautiously. This area was seeing a lot more after dark pedestrian traffic as people snuck past the nests like thieves in the dark. Some of those who needed to use this main pedestrian thouroghfare during regular working hours had taken to protective headgear. It was not uncommon to see people dressed in high powered business suits wearing football helmets as they strode to their destinations.
Others, like Kevin simply covered the delicate bits and moved as fast as possible. Kevin reached the end of the tree lined corridor and the last of the birds swooped off, proclaiming victory at driving off another invader with a loud squawk, echoed jubilantly by those nesting nearest.
‘It’s amazing that no one has lost an eye,’ he thought to himself. He ran a hand though his hair and checked himself over making sure there were no feathers or dropping decorating his person. Realizing he was clean, he walked towards the doorway.
Ten til Midnight 