They were coming in through a crack in the bathroom window and I couldn’t stop them. The first two flew in and flew out again while I hid behind the shower curtain. When I thought it was safe, I tried to block the crack when another winged in, attacking my face. I put my hands up to save myself as the wings slapped me and talons scraped my skin. Somehow I got my hand around the bird’s head and squeezed. The wings beat my face and shoulders but I held on and squeezed, pulling the animal down to my chest, intent on crushing its skull. The wings were so powerful and then they went still and I woke up, lying on my back, my fist clutching the zipper and material of my sweatshirt (it was a damn cold night) just above my heart.
