A Murder of Crows

It's a nice photo isn't it? Well, it has the makings of a good sunset, but it’s not the photo I wanted. Unfortunately, my camera died. Rather an odd moment. Want to hear? I’ll try and keep it short.

From the garden it looked as if it was going to be an interesting sunset, so I decided to go down to the bridge and get a photo of a bigger sky over the open fields. It’s a long, narrow pedestrian bridge, halfway across I stopped for a couple of snaps then carried on walking crossing the bridge and going into the field beyond just as the sky turned into deeper hues.

The contrast of colours was even more striking, the darkness of the land underlying the glow of smouldering pinks and almost a full scale of blue. As I raised my camera a flock of crows rose up from the field to my right, perfect silhouettes against the sunset. I followed them and clicked ~ Nothing. The camera was dead.

Damn and blast! I fumbled with it for a moment, sure I had charged it, and then became aware of a breeze, a darkness that instantly turned into a maelstrom of harsh, rasping cries and dark whirling shapes that buffeted and shrieked, tugged at my hair and clothes. My heart pounded I screamed but there was no sound All I could see was swirling darkness. It was then that the light came sweeping over me and I saw them; a mass of large black birds, sharp beaks open in an angry shriek, their eyes, black shiny beads, malicious and without mercy, Crows! I was surrounded by dense flock of crows.

Then just as suddenly they began to fade, melt into the light and then were gone. I stared into the light stunned, my heartbeat racing, until the light too passed and faded and I was staring into the dark, empty field. What had happened? A nightmare while I was wide awake? It had felt so real.

I heard a car door open and slam shut and then someone was speaking my name, “Sandy?” A woman’s voice, “Sandy, you ok?” I turned and saw my neighbour. I must have looked a little odd.
I took a deep breath and smiled. “Oh Hi, Jean, sorry, I was miles away!”
“Lovely sunset tonight!”
We looked at the last rays of the sun dipping behind the distant line of trees and the dark shapes gathering above them. So many of them.
“There are a lot of crows around here.” Jean said as if reading my thoughts.
“I tried to take their photo, but my camera died” I said rather lamely
“Do you ever have those moments when you think you’ve stepped into another world?” I asked
Jean laughed, “Yes, every time the kids come home from school!”
I know her boys. I laughed too, and felt the tension drain from me.

“Why did you ask?”
“You’ll probably think I’m nuts but I just had the most weird and vivid sensation that I was being attacked by a flock of crows. It was like stepping into a nightmare!”
“Ooooh, you imagined that! I hate crows at the best of times.” Jean said “Horrid things!” as she studied them. “Their flocks are called a ‘murder’ of crows, suits them.”
“Wonder how they got that tag” I said.
“Some folklore about them being judge, jury and executioner. When they are in large flocks its supposed to mean they’re out to kill some poor creature that has violated their domain. Rather like sending out a murder squad.”
“I didn’t know that!” I mumbled
Jean looked at me and for a moment we held each other’s gaze. I saw a dark question enter her eyes and then tumble away as we both began to laugh.
“Oh, come on. You read far too many fantasy novels!”

We turned and walked back to her car, its headlights two bright eyes in the deepening gloom
Jean started the car and we headed home, taking the long way as we chatted about my “moment“ and its possible consequences. We approached her house.
“Fancy popping in for a coffee, I‘ve got your favourite?”
“You’re indeed an angel!” I said and we both laughed.

Funny thing is when I tried my camera later that night, it worked fine, Don‘t you think that‘s just a little odd?
Okay maybe I do read too much…



And hope this answers your question moi, I tried to make a light story out of a dark one. :)