The Birds

Daphne du maurier
I. Attack One - Afternoon of the First Day A. Nat noted that there were more birds than usual. 1. They made a "cloud" over the farmer. 2. They were daring, taking almost no notice to the tractor. B. Nat also notes that the weather is more like winter. Attack Two - The Following Night A. Nat gets out of bed to check and see what the tapping noise is at the window. 1. The first time, Nat opened the window, and something brushed his hand and jabbed at his knuckles as he did so. a. After the brushing against his hand, Nat saw that it was a bird. b. Nat did not know what kind of bird it was. c. The bird had drawn blood at his knuckles. 2. The second time the tapping came, Nat's wife told him to check the window again, for she couldn't sleep with the noise. a. He opened the window, and half a dozen flew inside straight at his face. b. The birds "tried to peck his eyes". B. Nat hears Jill cry, and goes to her room to see what's wrong. 1. Birds were going into her room through the open window 2. Nat used a blanket to swing at them, to knock them to the ground. a. He eventually uses it to cover his head. b. Nat uses his bare hands to beat at the birds. 3. The birds were jabbing at his hands and at his head with their beaks ("as sharp as pointed forks"). 4. After all were dead on the floor, he estimated there to be about fifty small birds.

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Attack Three - After Getting Jill from the Bus Stop A. Nat was running back home. 1. A black-backed gull dived at him, missed, swerved, and went back to the sky to try again. 2. It was joined by a dozen more. a. Nat dropped his hoe, for it was now useless. b. He covered his head with his arms. 3. As he was running, he had to kick the dead birds out of the way. B. Once he got to the house, he had to pound his fists on the door so his wife would open it, for there was a gannet diving right for him. Attack Four - After Nat's "nap" A. Nat's wife woke him, while sobbing. 1. She said something was burning - it smelled of "singed feathers" 2. The birds were going down the chimney and into the fire. B. Nat threw the paraffin onto the fire, and flame soared up the chimney, making scorched bodies of birds fall. Nat quickly raked them up. "Attack" Five - Going to the Trigg's A. This attack was not seen, but the Triggs were found dead, so an attack can be assumed. 1. Jim's body was seen by Nat first. Nat had made his family stay behind, so he is the only one to have seen the gruesome scene. 2. He found Mr. Trigg's body beside the telephone, and then saw Mrs. Trigg's legs from around the corner. a. Nat decides to fill up the car with supplies from the Trigg's home b. His wife was told not to help him, for Nat didn't want her to see the scene.

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