The 5th of August and everything after in Nothing ends

There is a slight westerly breeze tonight. Normally the wind calms at this time and there is a bit more heat. The moon is gone. Hidden behind clouds that dumped what little they had on Chicago not long ago. Most things happen in Chicago before they happen here.

My garden is in full bloom, I have 4 chickens and a turtle in the pond that I can’t quit see long enough to know what kind it is.

I’ll find out soon enough.

A few days ago, a Saturday, I woke up around daybreak and looked out my back window as I brushed my teeth. There was movement down by the water that wasn’t the usual kind. A low dark shadow shuffled around at the edge. The light was hazed still as I tried to squint through it. The shadow was drinking with its giant yellow eyes nervously looking in every direction.

I put shorts and shoes on, went out the side door and snuck around to the back. As I slowly turned the corner it’s wings spread and beat on the still water. I took a few more steps. The eyes fix on me. The eyes were glossy and glowing even in the new light.

It’s wings beat again, but it didn’t fly. I have never seen a Great Horned Owl before. The size of it was incredible. The wings reached forever and it’s talons were some kind of effortless prehistoric death. It stood up straight, put its chest out and look into me.I could tell that it was hurt, but not from its eyes.

I call around to some local and state agencies to have someone come get this predator. None of them answer.

An hour or so into the stare down, a place called “natures nursery” called me back. They want to know if the Great Horned Owl was still there. “He very much is”

The young lady explained to me that they are a volunteer and donations run agency. Most animals get dropped off to them and she didn’t have anyway to come get the animals, let along dangerous ones. She told me if I couldn’t get it to them myself there was no one else and it would die.

So I hung up the phone. Stood up from my position in the grass. Went into the garage and found two welding gloves, a pair of safety goggles, a moving blanket and a giant card board shipping box.

When I approached, the owl tried to hop away from me as its head turned all the way around and it’s eyes followed me. It’s a bird as big as a basset hound with talons and a beak which knows nothing but to kill for a living and it’s eyes can fire through forever.

Soon I had it backed into a corner. The sun was burning high and hot now.

I toss the blanket at him and miss. He doesn’t make a sound. I back up a little and give him room. He slowly walks on it. I flip the long end over on him and fold the short end of the blanket over that. I was shocked when I picked him up at how calm and extremely light he was. Felt like a hand full of dry grass.

I put him into the box. Closed it and punched a few air holes in it. I drove two towns over and bring the box into a little farmhouse with a sign that reads “natures nursery”.

The girl with kind eyes was about 19 and she explained how she was a volunteer for a few years and now manages the place during the summer. There are pictures of wild animals all over the office. She told me they only ever get one or two Great Horned Owls a year and they were her favorite.

I understood why.

Before I left, I opened up the box a little to say goodbye. It was black in there. Except for those bright yellow eyes.

I called the next afternoon on my lunch break and was told that she found him dead in the morning.

She gave me some volunteer information and a list of supplies they could use if i had any to donate.

I hung up with her and wondered what else I have yet to see.

Last updated August 06, 2016