Browncoat Zone - Chapter One: Chicken is a Kind of Bird
Wednesday, August 11, 2004
From the Journal of Succatash...
CATEGORY: FICTION TIMES READ: 3920 RATING: 10.0 (PG13) SERIES: FIREFLY
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I noticed the bird at work. I was on break, eating lunch under a tree. It was a hot summer day, and a big black bird stared at me. It was some kind of crow or raven, and it was huge. It perched ominously in a nearby tree and watched me with a giant unblinking eye.
I went back to work and forgot about the bird. But hours later, a shadow passed over my head as I walked into the parking lot. Despite the summer heat, I shivered. The giant black bird circled above my head.
I stared in amazement until the bird suddenly dove towards me with an ear-piercing shriek.
“Holy shit!” I cried and ducked instinctively. I banged my knee and dropped my coffee mug. Sharp claws scratched my arm and I screamed in pain. I shut my eyes and flailed my arms wildly into the air. After several moments, I was completely out of breath. I rose shakily to my feet. The vicious bird was nowhere to be seen. My arm was bleeding and hurt like hell. I was completely bewildered and quite scared.
I looked around, but the parking lot was almost empty. I had worked late. Even the security guard had gone home. The evening breeze was warm, but for some reason I felt cold. Something was very wrong, and I shivered. I wanted to be home, smoking a joint and drinking a beer.
“But no, instead I’m out here bleeding, getting attacked by some diseased bird and now I have rabies…” I muttered to myself.
I hopped onto my Honda Aero 80 scooter and lit up a cigarette. It was difficult to smoke because I was breathing so hard, but I didn’t care. I rode home, nervously checking my rearview mirror, but I saw no sign of the crazy bird.
My arm bled slightly. I sincerely hoped I didn’t have rabies, but for some reason I didn’t want to go to the hospital. No one would believe me. I just wanted to laugh the whole thing off and forget about it. I pulled into my garage and wearily entered my home.
I turned