Last December a flock of about fifty black vultures came and settled in the hardwoods on the wooded slope below our house. They hung around over a week, and then one day they were gone. Madison Woods photo prompt and their visitation were the inspirations for this week’s flash fiction.
Below, I’ve posted a photo from when the vultures were here last December.
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Photo courtesy Madison Woods
It was December when the vultures came. First, just one, but soon a second landed in a tall bare oak. Then another, and another. When they were all gathered, there were exactly fifty. Next morning they were still there, striking their crucifixion pose, wings outspread, warming themselves in the sun.
What did they want? Why had they chosen my woods? Had they somehow sensed my loneliness? I spent all day watching them. Being in the cabin didn’t feel right anymore.
A couple of weeks later a woman was tallying the buzzards in the trees around her trailer. She counted fifty-one.
Black vulture doing crucifixion pose.
bridgesareforburning 
I liked reading this. But I’m still trying to figure out what the extra vulture weeks later represents?
Oh, adding the counters to their vicious flock along the way perhaps? Creepy…
I liked how you pulled the woman into the ending…I liked it.
50 vultures! Wow, I like vultures, but even I’d find fifty creepy. Did anyone ever figure out what drew them to your area in the first place.?
Hmm, yes, what drew them there? I hate vultures! Mine is here: http://readinpleasure.wordpress.com/2012/07/13/fridayfictioneers-spectators/
was she the 51st — they were waiting to claim her?
enjoyed it.
I would have freaked out if that had been my property…..thinking “Ooops..bad omen here” and not slept a wink until they disappeared. ps: Love your story about Silver. Left a comment. I’m #14 on the list.
The buzzards come back to Hinkley, Ohio every year on March 15 (my birthday, whatever that means!!) Hey, buzzards need a place, too! 🙂 Don’t have to worry about any dead animals lying around while they’re visiting.
I love the phrase ‘striking their crucifixion pose’, but I’m also confused at the end. Why 51 different birds?
I’m here: http://worksbyclaire.wordpress.com/2012/07/13/100-word-story-the-crow/
Giving a real life account makes easy writing, doesn’t it?
I wonder what brought such a large gathering of vultures to your land.
http://logo-ligi.com/2012/07/12/soliloquy-of-a-disgruntled-raven/
It was a prelude to a national political convention. One for each state and one for Puerto Rico. I’m not going to say with party, but it was definitely a ‘black tie’ event.
thanks for visiting mine. here the link for others
http://russellgayer.blogspot.com/
I wonder if the lady took off with them too bringing the flock number to 52…some days I too want to fly away and leave it all behind but I think I would prefer to be an owl or something. Nice take on the photo this week.
~Susan (www.susanwenzel.com)
Great story, it begs a follow up, there’s a sense that something like this can not happen without some meaning being attributed to it, even retrospectively, we will apportion meaning even where there is none I am sure.
Dear Ron,
This story was a bucolic American gothic, if that is possible. There is so much mystery, unspoken yet right there in our faces, quietly demanding that we both run away and remain. Ghost story, bird story, horror story, mystery. Buzzards in the Himalayas might be able to shed some light on the scene for us.
I hope those buzzards disappeared and that you’re posting this story and not some auto-publish feature.
Aloha,
Doug
And she became number 51, interesting. They are the reverse storks. I like the idea.
I loved the implied transfiguration in here. I took it as the mc becoming #51. And I loved your photo! I couldn’t get close enough to mine to get so good a shot. Whenever I pass them posing like that I always look twice. Great story 🙂
They’re coming to take him away, ah-ah. Nicely done, and an original take on the prompt.
Nice and creepy at the same time, Ron. The MC went off willingly with the flock, so they don’t seem such a scary bunch…but what if the target doesn’t want to go quietly?
ps Congrats on the new addition to your family!
Yes, a tad scary. Reminded me of Alfred Hitchcock’s “The Birds” which scared the pants off of me. Nice job and interesting that it really happened. Would have freaked me out.
Thanks for your nice comments on mine! http://banterwithbeth.blogspot.com
Hi!
I have nominated you for “One Lovely Blog” Award.
Happy Writing! 🙂
Parul