Chapter 2 - Mysterious Happenings

Group Scene
-- Early Monday Morning Summary--
If you're pressed for time, here are the key moments of the events at school.
-- Early Monday Morning Details--

Tanya and Robbie bump into each other outside the school gates. In a matter of seconds of meeting, a group of popular girls led by Isabella "Izzy" Eriksson, the undisputed queen bee of the school, swarms around Tanya and Robbie. Their presence is unmistakable, and it's clear that Izzy thrives on the power her popularity affords her.

This morning’s group of bullies is made up of Izzy, two of her friends, and Emilia.

Izzy’s eyes gleam with mischief as she surveys Tanya and Robbie. "Well, well, well, if it isn't the farm giant and the bookworm," she taunts with a smirk. She turns to Emilia, a sly grin on her face. "I heard a rumor," she says in a low, mocking tone, "that our dear giant here has been collecting worms in her backpack. Isn't that just the most disgusting thing you've ever heard?"

Laughter erupts from Izzy's followers, except for Emilia, who manages an uncomfortable smile. In an unexpected turn of events, Izzy grabs a small container from one of her laughing friends. "Here's something for your collection, girls," she announces with a wicked glint in her eye, ready to throw the container.

But before she can launch it a ball suddenly sails through the air and hits Emilia squarely in the back. The force of impact sends her stumbling forward, and she collides with Izzy. In the chaos that ensues, the container meant for Tanya and Robbie is flung backward, its contents, a mix of worms and dirt, scattering onto Izzy and her two laughing friends.

Izzy's scream cuts through the commotion, drawing the attention of Mr. Andersson, one of the teachers. He hurries toward the group with a clear expression that his patience is already worn thin.

The teacher, visibly flustered, scans the group and declares that everyone not covered in dirt: Emilia, Robbie, and Tanya will remain after school. He refuses to listen to arguments. Emilia turns to Izzy for support, but Izzy simple shrugs her shoulders and walks away.

-- Monday After School --
Your scene begins as Robbie, Tanya, and Emilia leave school late after having stayed behind for Mr. Andersson. The late afternoon sun casts long shadows on Kungsberga as they walk toward the quiet path that leads from the school grounds. The area is empty of everyone except these three.

From this distance Tanya does not see any clues that explains the sounds. For all intents and purposes, it appears that the birds are indeed talking.

The birds are now definitely aware of the three kids, and although they continue their previous actions, they stop occasionally and look back at them. At one point, Tanya is fairly confident that one looked directly at her and then whispered something to another bird.

Emilia notices what appears to be an ordinary handheld mirror, albeit broken, near the birds. The shiny object upon which the bird is fixated is a piece of that mirror.

Emilia moves with care circling around the pigeons while maintaining a respectful distance. She carefully reaches the mirror, picks it up, and holds it in her hand. Its fractured surface reflects glimmers of light, instantly capturing the attention of the pigeons.

The one that had been studying the shiny object earlier, remains fixated on Emilia's actions. The other pigeons, seemingly uninterested, return to their meal, pecking at the bread scattered on the ground.

From her new vantage point, Emilia does indeed hear rustling in the nearby brush. It's not too far away.

—Tanya’s actionAs Tanya cautiously approaches the source of the rustling noise in the nearby brush, her eyes begin to adjust to the dim light filtering through the foliage. Based on the rustling sounds and the occasional glimpses of movement among the leaves, she has a strong suspicion that it's a small dog. Its presence is becoming more evident as it continues to explore the area nearby.

Tanya anticipates that it will likely soon emerge from the brush, a prospect that could potentially startle the pigeons and disrupt their interaction with the unusual birds.

As Tanya whispers her concern about the potential arrival of a dog, the tension in the air escalates. The group of pigeons, still fixated on the scattered bread and broken mirror, momentarily freeze in response to the "smartest" bird's utterance of "Hush." The rustling in the brush grows louder. The one pigeon that has yet to speak finally breaks its silence, its voice amplified in panic as it issues a warning to the group, "Beware the scourge of the wood approaches."

A small white dog suddenly leaps out of the brush, its fluffy white coat rustling as it darts toward the group of pigeons and the kids. Chaos erupts as the pigeons scatter in all directions.

Amidst the chaos, Robbie reacts swiftly. She lunges toward the pigeon, her hand closing around its small body. She has successfully caught the bird.

As the dog barks excitedly and continues to chase after the pigeons, the remaining birds scatter further, their mechanical voices chattering in alarm.

Yes

Tanya has a sudden suspicion to the bird’s behavior. She confirms this when she finds tiny stitches on the bird's feathers, barely discernible at first glance. The size of the stitches are just big enough to insert a microchip.

As she observes this, her memory seems to be triggered, flooding her mind with a wealth of information about this particular type and species of pigeon. She recalls detailed knowledge about their dietary preferences, nesting habits, and even their migratory patterns.

Such as…

The pigeon is a member of the common rock pigeon species (Columba livia), known for its adaptability to urban environments.

These pigeons are omnivorous, primarily feeding on seeds, grains, and small insects…

Tanya then recalls reading an article about pigeons from a local ornithologist named Mats Tingblad. Even she has to admit that there is a limit to her own understanding, and that a trained expert could shed more light on this weird situation.

@bowlofspinach

Yep that was the plan I believe.

–The Rest of the Day–
The rest of the day unfolds in the following manner:

Robbie decides to bring the talking bird home and sets up a makeshift shelter for it in an old rabbit hutch. Her parents show curiosity about the new addition to their household but don't inquire much about it beyond making casual comments like, "I see you've made a new friend." Both of Robbie's parents are supportive, and it's her father who suggests repurposing the rabbit hutch for the bird.

Tanya decides to approach her mother. She asks if there are any experiments involving birds that use electronic devices to make them talk. Tanya's mother is appalled by the idea and finds it hard to believe that anyone would engage in such practices. Nevertheless, she seizes this opportunity to steer Tanya's interests toward STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), emphasizing the fascinating and beneficial aspects of technology in the animal world. She encourages Tanya to explore non-fiction books related to these subjects during her next library visit, rather than her usual fiction literature choices.

Emilia returns home to find an empty house, her mother busy with work. She's left to her own devices for the evening.