Chapter 4 - Feathered Conundrum

As the group draws nearer to the colossal pigeon nest, an eerie hush falls over the hundreds of pigeons creating an unsettling silence that is only broken by the rhythmic splashing of waves against the cliffs below.

Suddenly, a metallic shout pierces the quiet, echoing ominously: "Now, now, now!" In response, multiple groups of birds abruptly dive toward the group with menacing intent.

Freddie takes flight, tugging on the leash, and urgently cries out, "Wait!" The approaching birds hesitate and then veer away just in the nick of time. Freddie lands gracefully and addresses the colossal assembly of pigeons in a scene that straddles both comedy and tension. He says "I am Freddie and these are my friends"

Every one of the hundred pigeons within the gigantic nest fixates its gaze directly upon the kids and Freddie. An intense silence hangs in the air for what feels like an eternity. Then, as if a dam has burst, an overwhelming eruption of noise ensues. The pigeons engage in a cacophonous symphony of speech and chirping, with phrases like "Welcome home,""The big birds attack," "Hi Freddie, I'm pigeon," and more, creating a bewildering and surreal auditory landscape.

All three kids get a sense that the pigeons, will tolerate their presence up to and near the nest, but it’s best to not go in. Only Freddie is willing to speak with them.

As the Kids prepare to depart, several hundred meters away, they spot a young woman. She stands alone, peering through binoculars, her gaze fixed in their direction. Upon noticing their departure, she swiftly puts down her binoculars and rises to her feet. Without hesitation, she begins to sprint, heading in a southerly direction.

Thrilled at the idea of fancy treats. Freddie happily takes off and follows the young woman.

yes please!

--Wednesday, During School--
The following school day passes without any notable events. The worm incident from earlier in the week has faded into obscurity. The schoolyard gossip mill has shifted its focus to the deceased dog found on the school grounds. All three kids have heard rumors circulating about other small dead animals, including birds, in the area. The extent of exaggeration in these stories is difficult to gauge.

One particular rumor manages to capture their attention amid the chatter. It revolves around Mats Tingblad, a locally renowned ornithologist who used to educate the public about birds on the local public TV channel and has authored a couple of books on the subject. The rumor alleges that he has gone mad due to a failed Russian experiment, resulting in a gradual transformation into a half-man, half-bird creature. He is amassing a killer bird army to exact his revenge. The rumor took rather quickly with lots of pieces being added. Some say he fell into toxic ooze. Others claim he was pecked by a radioactive bird. Nonetheless, one thing remains consistent: they now refer to him as the Birdman


--Wednesday, After School--
The three friends rendezvous at Robbie's farm, where Freddie eagerly leads the way. The journey proves interesting, as Freddie seems to have a distinct memory of the route, but only as he took it while following the young woman. First, he takes them to the colossal bird nest, where he insists on saying hello to his companions. Then they traverse forests and grassland, collecting burrs and maneuvering over branches. As they draw closer to residential areas, they occasionally cut through yards to maintain their course.

Eventually, they reach their destination, and Tanya is quick to recognize the address as the very one she had painstakingly hunted for only yesterday, intensifying her feelings of frustration. It's Gunnar Granat's house, a two-story, yellow brick residence with a red tiled roof.

The three patiently watch the house for about 40 minutes. During that time, they think they hear a dog bark from inside, followed by a shadow passing by one of the windows. However, apart from these two occurrences, there are no signs of anyone being in the house. No lights flicker to life, no curtains open or close – it remains seemingly still and quiet.

The rear of Gunnar's house has a high fence that encircles the entire area. It's not immediately apparent how one would easily access the house from the back, as Freddie had suggested.

The fence itself is constructed from a sturdy, dark-colored wood, standing as a formidable barrier to the uninvited. Robbie is confident that with some effort, she might be able to scale it, although it would certainly require some physical exertion and ingenuity. There are no signs of Freddie.

-Emilia and Robbie, Backyard-
Robbie hoists herself up and over the fence, landing gracefully on the other side. Emilia follows suit shortly after.

Once inside the backyard, they are met with a scene of neglect. The yard appears overgrown, the grass not having seen a mower in quite some time. A once-promising garden in the back is now withering, its plants parched and thirsty from lack of water. To add to the ambiance, there are a couple of unsightly piles of dog droppings scattered on the ground.

The outer door leading to the kitchen stands ajar, offering a glimpse of a screen door and the dimly lit interior. Despite their proximity to the house, there is still no audible sign of activity from within, and no lights can be seen emanating from the darkened interior.

-Tanya, Outside the Fence-

-Emilia and Robbie-As Emilia cautiously steps into the kitchen, Robbie follows suit. However, as Emilia moves forward, she stumbles and accidentally sends an empty glass precariously teetering on the edge of the counter. Robbie, trailing behind, freezes in her steps, her eyes locked onto the glass as it threatens to tumble to the floor.

Both characters can push their SNEAK rolls which will result in them gaining a condition. Success for Emilia means she prevents the glass from falling. Success for Robbie means she remembers to slowly close the screen door instead of allowing it to shut too quickly. Failure for either character means that they are not sneaky and alert the house.

In a swift and assertive motion, Robbie nudges the dachshund aside and positions herself protectively between the small dog and Emilia. The dachshund, seemingly intimidated, retreats momentarily and refrains from making any immediate aggressive moves. It now becomes evident that the dog is moving with a noticeable limp.

Meanwhile, the young woman maintains her stance in the doorway, clutching the tennis racket firmly with both hands. A fleeting moment of stillness hangs in the air, providing both Robbie and Emilia with a brief opportunity to decide on their next course of action.

Peering through the narrow slats in the fence, Tanya manages to catch a glimpse of Emilia's outfit through the screen door, confirming that her friends have successfully entered the house. However, her attempts to communicate with them yield no response.Freddie suddenly pecks at her ankles and directs her attention upward. Two large birds, gulls, are circling overhead. Freddie raises a question, "Should we stay here?"

These gulls appear to be behaving normally, without any unusual or alarming actions.