W NP   2/1/13  

...Colin awoke to find an unkindness of ravens filling the lawn, and a single raven perched expectantly on the front porch

Lying in bed asleep, Colin was suddenly awakened by the caw, cawing and chatter of ravens  flying over the house.  Of late he had noticed their unusal flight pattern, hundreds of birds darkened the sky as they circled the neighborhood and  roosted in the neighboring trees.  It was somewhat unsettling.  He didn't like birds, especially big black birds with their shiny coat and beady eyes that seemed to stare into his soul unafraid.   The usual shoo, shout, clap, or stomp didn't scare these birds away.  For some strange reason they had marked this area as their territory.

Each morning for the past two weeks they took flight with flapping wings and their own special sonar as they darkened the sky once again.  They departed for parts unknown, leaving behind bird crap everywhere. Returning each evening, they began their swan dives and swoops before landing in the trees. This morning was different, there was silence. 

Colin jumped out of bed, grabbed his bathrobe and headed through his cluttered living room, stepping on newspaper and magazines, he slipped and nearly fell.  Grabbing the door knob, he opened the front door.  To his surprise, a lone raven stood on the porch as if awaiting an invitation to enter. There were so many birds they covered  the lawn.  "What the....?" he uttered before quickly shutting the door with a bang.