Page 19 of Carnival of Crows

“They’re crows, Luce. I don’t think they’re picky,” Mary said absentmindedly.

She was right, but they deserved better. I tore off another piece of fried dough and took a bite, but then I stood.

“Where are you going?” Amber asked.

“Back in line,” I told them.

“She’s gonna feed the crows,” Sam mused.

The roasted peanuts came in a small brown paper sack tied shut with twine. I carried them back toward the benches but didn’t sit.

A single crow had returned to the pavement. It stood several yards away, its body perfectly still while its eyes tracked me.

“Hi,” I said softly.

The crow hopped backward.

I stopped. “It’s okay. I’m not going to hurt you.”

I opened the bag slowly. Every movement was deliberate. It would take very calm, very slow motions to achieve what I was hoping to do. I pinched one peanut between my fingers and tossed it onto the pavement halfway between us.

The crow stared at it. Then at me. Its beak opened slightly.

“I’m not trying to poison you,” I whispered. “I promise.”

It waited another few seconds before hopping closer.

One step. Then another. It snatched the peanut and jumped back. A laugh rose in my throat, but I swallowed it before the sound could frighten the bird.

“Good?”

The crow cracked the shell beneath one foot as another dropped from the railing behind it. So, I tossed a second peanut… then a third. The new crow landed farther away, its feathers shining blue beneath the lights of the food trailer. It tilted its head to one side.

“I have enough for everyone.”

I lowered myself into a crouch. My knees protested immediately, but it was so worth it.

I placed another peanut on the ground rather than throwing it.

The first crow watched me. Its body remained angled for flight, but it didn’t move away.

“That’s it,” I murmured. “You don’t have to come any closer than you want to.”

It hopped forward, paused, and then hopped once more. My entire body buzzed with the effort of staying still. When the crow reached the peanut, I smiled. Not widely though. I didn’t want to bare my teeth and convince it that I planned to eat the nuts.

“You’re very brave,” I told him.

Of course, I was assuming it was a he, but it was a tiny bit bigger than the other one and its beak was a bit larger which usually is a good indicator.

A third crow landed nearby. Then a fourth.

They approached little by little, their feet clicking against the pavement. Some grabbed their peanuts and retreated immediately. Others stayed, studying me as though they hadn’t decided what I was yet.

Person? Threat? Food source? Possible lunatic? All fair assessments. Well, except the threat. I would never hurt a crow.

Just for the sake of trying, I held a peanut flat in my palm. Much to my disappointment, none of them came close enough to take it. Trust wasn’t owed simply because I wanted it.

So, I set the peanut down on the ground. The smallest crow waited until I pulled my hand back before hopping over to claim it. A burst of joy shot through me.