That Darn Bird

And so we begin.

Chapter One �" Chris (That Darn Bird)

“That darn bird,” Chris mumbled.

Outside her window, on a high branch above the leaf-cluttered ground, a blue jay was scolding his neighbors: “Squawk, squawk, squawk!”

“If I could get my hands on that bird, I’d… I’d�"well, I don’t know what. But I’m certain it wouldn’t be anything pleasant, to be sure.”

Chris lived in a large motor home with her grandparents, Mary and Richard. They traveled north and south with the seasons. People called them snow birds because of their habit of following migratory routes.

It was a term that troubled Chris deeply. Cupping her chin in the palm of her hand, she asked,
“For heaven’s sake, Grandma, why are we called snow birds? We’re not birds, and we don’t live in the snow. It makes absolutely no sense�"none at all.”

Mary turned and smiled.
“It has something to do with our habit of traveling north and south, just like the birds.”

Chris looked at her strangely.
“What do you mean, like the birds?”

“Well,” Mary explained, “some birds head south for the winter and north for the summer. Just like us.”

Chris scratched her head.
“Hmm. I get it, Grandma�"we follow the birds.”

Mary giggled and winked. “That’s right. We’re snow birds.”

“Squawk, squawk, squawk!” The old jaybird cried again, sending a shiver down Chris’ neck.

“That darn bird,” she muttered as she looked back out the window. She covered her ears, but it was too late�"the bird had already ruined her day.

Chris rarely paid attention to things outside her own fanciful imagination. But today would be different. All because of that darn bird.

And it would prove to be worse than even she could imagine.

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Author's Note

I don't know what happened to the introduction with all those weird question marks. Hopefully we can overcome that.