BRuNO the BuLL

LAST NIGht:

WE braved the cold as courageous explorers.

THE sky was a mottled charcoal of greys as we set out on our trek into the abyss (other wise known as the board walk to Tamar Island.)

AS we shuffled along the wooden planks to our POINt Of DESTINATion. The fog along the river thickened and the tall marshy grass swayed to and fro as it was rustled by the wind.

By the third bridge our eyes had almost adjusted to the night and our nerves had settled slightly... we began to venture across the bridge. THE birds started cawing sulkily as if crying out in unbelief but we dismissed this sudden occurance as a noise of the night : convinced we had no part in the affair. Our attention was soon diverted by the bird droppings which smothered the wooden boards and so the cawing of the birds quickly became a distant ramble in the back of our ears as we tried not to step in it. It wasn't until we were half way across that someone turned on the torch and shone the small welcoming light up the bridge towards the island.

THOUSANDs of birds sat stunned by the sudden illumination their piercing torch reflected eyes stared blankly back at us. Some, were already beginning to ready their feathers for flight. There was a slight moment of hesitation, just a split second where our eyes met theirs and suddenly we connected the sulky cawing with the bird droppings.

One lone transfixed little bird stood only inches away from us. "Turn off the torch!" someone whispered urgently from behind. The light was quickly stifled but it was too late, we had aroused half of them without even realising already the rest were surely..

SUDDENLy the great mass of birds took flight (it was in this moment when I was glad for once that the torch had been stifled) We could hear them; hear the rustle of their wings. Feel them; feel the whisps of wind through our hair as their strong wings beat the air. And I am sure if we could see them we would have seen bodies rushing towards us as they jostled to find enough space to take flight.

THe sky was awash with dark winged bodies which blocked out the moon and any remaining light.

Our feet, strangely, for a moment did not register and then we were off. Stumbling back the way we had come.

Our flustered hurried steps soon turned back to a shuffle when we felt we were far enough away from the cluster of birds in the sky and the night returned to its old eery self.

An unforseen rustle in the marsh grass soon had our nerves back on edge.I was in front, I screamed first lighting the match for a canon of screams to follow. We jolted into each others arms for comfort and safety. Our eyes darted around searching for the culprit. We soon realised our girlish actions were just our imaginations making a small bird a large monster and an awkward unspoken understanding was said between us. WE would not mention or screaming canon.

We climbed the fence out of the reserve with a sigh of relief and returned to the safety of our cars.

LAST NIGht : we braved the cold as courageous explorers.. but returned because we simply became dissinterested. winks. There wasn't much else going on.

Out in the Abyss...