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Billy noticed large splotches of black oil on the street as Dad
accelerated more. People were standing on the sidewalks on both
sides of the road, pointing down Fairlane Avenue at the circling
flock of crows.
 What s going on? asked Sophie, her voice tight with anxiety.
Nobody answered. Looking out his side window, Billy saw
Maggie riding her bike on the sidewalk. She was pedaling away
from their house but she put on her brakes when she saw their
car passing by.
Billy turned around to look out the back window and saw her
staring back at him, wide-eyed. She waved her hand in the air,
then turned her bike around and began to follow, standing on the
pedals to gain speed.
Dad slowed down as they approached the house. Sàere were
people everywhere mostly neighbors, standing on their front
lawns looking at the Fyfe residence.
Billy had to rub his eyes to make sure he wasn t seeing things.
Sàe roof of the house was covered in a blanket of crows so dense
it had virtually disappeared. Crowded and fighting for space, they
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Escape from Zobadak
hopped about and pecked at each other, flapping their wings.
Sàeir claws scraped on the gutters. Some took off to join the flock
in the air while others landed. Sàey filled the tree on the front
lawn, their black feathers standing out against the bright orange
leaves. Many more were scattered on the lawn itself. Sàey gathered
in clusters on the porch and on the driveway and on Mom s mini-
van. Sàe harsh cawing of the birds drowned out almost every
other sound, and Dad quickly rolled up the car windows.
 Henry? said Mom, her voice rising.  Why are they doing
this? She was trying to sound calm, but her voice trembled.
Dad didn t answer. He pulled up to the curb in front of their
house and put the car in park, leaving it running.
 You guys stay in the car, he said, turning back to face them.
 Do you hear me?
Sàey nodded and he opened the door and got out. Sàe next-
door neighbor, Philip, immediately ran over to the car. Sàe kids could
hear his voice because he was shouting over the noise of the birds.
 Sàey just left! Philip yelled.  I called the police! Sàey should
be here any minute!
 What are you talking about? Dad shouted back.  Who just
left?
Philip pointed to the front of the house and Billy felt his stom-
ach sink. Sàe front door was split into pieces and lying on the porch.
 Oh, no, Mom said, opening her door and climbing out.
 What happened? Dad yelled to the neighbor.
 Sàese two guys came in a truck! Philip shouted.  Sàey
drove right up onto the front lawn there! Sàey walked up and
broke down the front door! Right here in broad daylight! Sàey
were in the house for about twenty minutes. Maybe more, I m
not sure. All these crows started to come while they were in the
house! I called the police as soon as I saw it!
Dad ran across the lawn toward the porch.
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Brad Gallagher
 Henry! Be careful! Mom shouted.
He disappeared into the house without looking back.
Staring out the car window, the kids saw the deep tire tracks
the truck had left on the lawn. Sàere was a large black stain on
the grass where oil had leaked from the truck.
 Billy, Sophie began,  those guys came here to find Uncle
Gary.
 I know, said Billy.
 Do you think . . .? She couldn t finish her sentence.
Billy didn t need her to finish. He knew what she was going
to say he was thinking the same thing. He hoped she wouldn t
say it out loud. Sàe idea was almost too much to bear. But then
she did say it.
 Do you think they took the nightstand?
Billy couldn t answer her. It was his fault. If the nightstand
was gone, they might never find Uncle Gary. Sàose horrible peo-
ple would have him. And it would be all his fault because he had
wanted to keep it secret. How would he ever forgive himself?
Sàe crows were dispersing. More and more were taking off to
join the flock overhead. And in increasing numbers the birds were
separating from the flock and flying away toward the north. Sàe
racket was quieting down and the kids could hear the conversa-
tion between Mom and the neighbor, Philip.
 Did they take anything? Mom asked.
 I don t know, answered Philip.  When I ran home to call
the police, they drove away.
A crow landed on the roof of the car, its claws screeching
against the metal. Mom screamed and waved her arms, and the
crow took off, flying across the lawn before joining the flock.
 Sàey were already driving away when I came back outside,
Philip continued.  I couldn t tell if they had anything on the back
of the truck.
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Escape from Zobadak
 I m getting out, said Billy. He opened his door, expecting
Mom to yell at him to stay in the car. She didn t say anything, so he
climbed out and stood on the edge of the lawn. Sophie scrambled
after him. Sàe flock overhead was now much smaller and there
was a steady stream of birds flying away. Most of them were in
the air now, with only a few stragglers left on the roof of the house.
Maggie stood on the sidewalk next to her bike. She motioned
for them to come over as police sirens sounded in the distance.
 Did you see anything? Sophie asked her.
 It was the same truck that was here yesterday, Maggie said.
 You could hear the birds all the way from my house, so I came
over to see what was going on. Sàat truck was on your grass, she
pointed.  And its engine was really loud, and black smoke was just
pouring out of it. Sàere was so much smoke it was hard to see what
was happening. And your house was completely covered in birds.
 Did they take anything when they left? Billy asked.
 I don t know; I didn t stay, she answered.  Sàe smoke was
making me cough and the birds were freaking me out. So I started [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]