Bunnicula Meets Edgar Allan Crow

Five

The Odd Guest

No one said another word as Mr. Monroe opened the door and led the way to the car. Mr. Tanner’s cape flapped noisily in the wind before us. I didn’t want to tell Chester, but I have to confess that in that moment I began to find something a little scary about this tall, stooped-shouldered figure with his dark eyes and pale skin. Based on his appearance alone, it was easy to think him guilty until proven innocent. Guilty of what seemed almost beside the point.

When we reached the car (a surprisingly modest, nondescript box on wheels parked haphazardly at the curb), Mr. Tanner immediately grabbed the black bag in the backseat and clutched it to him. Kyle, Pete, and Toby fought over the two suitcases in the trunk and somehow managed to get them out without destroying them.

Tanner’s attachment to his black bag was strange enough, but then something even stranger occurred. It was as we turned to go back inside that a single crow appeared over the roof of the house and came to rest on a tree branch above the living room window. It opened its beak and let out a cry that was at once plaintive and rallying. Edgar took off immediately, even as Tanner dropped the black bag and grabbed for him.

We all watched as Edgar flew up to land next to the bird on the branch. He appeared to bow before the other crow, and this gesture was repeated several times. Then the sky above the house grew dark with black wings as what looked like hundreds of crows flew up from behind the house and landed on the roof.

We stared for a moment in silence.

“I’ve never seen so many crows in one place,” said Mrs. Monroe at last.

“We have a flock that roosts in our backyard,” Mr. Monroe commented, “but this is twice that number at least.”