The chickens were in uproar. From up in their tree, they screamed and yelled. Below their tree in the yard lay a dead sister. Its days of finding food among the filth of the yard were over. Its clucking had come to a brutal and abrupt end. In the shadows of the tree, there was a bit movement as something dark and menacing slowly and silently ate a killing. In the depth of the shadow, the lank body of a killer could be seen. Although a young dog, it was a big dog. It was made all the more menacing by the fact that from its collar hung a broken chain.
The dog moved with a slow confidence in his might. The barking of the dogs of the house caused him no extra worry. It did not even acknowledge their yaps or the outraged cries of the sisters of the chickens that had been murdered for sport. The puppy on the porch whimpered. The large dog heard and stepped almost with sleepy interest towards the porch. The dog suddenly became engrossed in his breakfast again. Momentarily, the yard had fallen silent while the dogs had barked the chickens had quieted. As soon as the dog returned to his breakfast, the chickens took up their mournful wail.
The girl human who had just come out of the house was met with the chorus of chickens. She looked into the tangle of greenery and barbed wire fence underneath the chicken tree and shuddered. The dog was huge and black. Bravely, she stepped towards it trying desperately to be threatening. It had no fear. This struck fear into the girl’s heart. When the dog came into the yard again, the girl ran and vaulted over the porch railing. It stood there declaring his morning reign upon the courtyard. All was in chaos and confusion.
Now, hours after the chicken massacre, four stiff corpses are piled on a cement block. Corn is still scattered on the ground because the chickens’ lost their appetite. The roosters have lost some of their pluck. The courtyard seems to be mourning the loss of four confused chickens who never knew when it was a good hour to start chattering about their coming eggs. The courtyard has become more hushed. Perhaps, I will sleep better tonight.
(If you would like a different perspective on this grand event, I have it on good authority that this blogger will be posting a similar story to mine – a more serious one. http://www.adriennesearer.blogspot.com/)
