Ferals 5: Control of the Maggots

Chapter 2

"Guys, there's police on the way!" Caw warned. "But why?" Pip asked, panicked. "I don't know! Maybe the meeting at the zoo?" The crow feral replied. "Let's go," Whistle said, gesturing to the back door. They rushed towards the door. They opened it, but that was a huge mistake. Armed policeman appeared in every direction. Soon, mice, pigeons, crows, and bluejays were swarming them. One policeman's gun fired, and the bullet ricocheted off the house. Another was hovering about 3 feet off the ground by pigeons, but he broke free and charged towards Caw. "Hands up!" He shouted. Caw refused. "Hands up or I'll shoot! Don't even try to get your weapon!" He shouted again. Before he even thought about it properly, Caw backed up against the house. He felt his bones reforming and tendons stretching to the limit. Caw felt like retching, but he was a crow now. The policeman had a disgusted look on his face. Caw snapped his beak and beat his wings. Whistle was pressing up against the house. Withing a second, she lurched up and got to Caw's level. "Crumb and Pip got away," Whistle said. Okay, let's go! Caw said, forgetting he was a crow. They flapped off after Pip and Crumb, both in pigeon's grasp.
"Let's go to the park, they'll probably not look for us there." Crumb said. They landed down deep in Blackstone Park. Caw's wings became hands again as he formed back into a human. "I should probably get used to that," Whistle said. "Uh, what are you guys doing here?" Said a voice. Selina! "Police," Whistle said. "Geez." Selina replied. She was leaning against a tree. "I need to tell Velma to stop having meetings at the zoo." Whistle muttered. "You need a place to stay?" Selina asked. "No thanks, we can just camp out here until the police leave." The bluejay feral answered. "Okay, well, if you burn out here, don't say I didn't warn you." Selina said, disappearing into the trees. Screech hovered beside Caw. Police are hiding. It's not safe yet. The crow squawked. "We'll send some animals to drive them away." Crumb said, reading Screech's squawk.
Five minutes later, Screech came back. Most of the police are gone. Some are fighting back, so still not safe. He said. Screech, I think we get the fact that it's not safe. Glum replied. Screech tossed his head aside dramatically. A peice of paper fell from the sky. Caw unfolded it carefully. It had way more dots and lines this time-Morse code. They scattered on the paper in neat rows. "You haven't solved the puzzle. You see, maggots will rise above you and your friends. Don't fight back. You'll only be lost." Whistle translated. "This doesn't sound very good..." Caw replied. It's a maggot feral! It's a maggot feral, Caw! Shimmer squawked, hopping beside both Screech and Glum. Yes. Milky said, materializing from the trees. Caw felt tired, probably from turning into a crow. He'd done it before, but he'd never felt this tired. "Well, I'm guessing that this maggot feral isn't exactly friendly." Caw said. We can just eat them to extinction! Boom, solution. Opal squawked. She didn't like conflict. Caw and the crows figured that out pretty quickly. A pigeon cooed in reply to Opal's idea, even though Caw was sure that pigeons didn't understand crows. A tall male bluejay said something to Whistle. "Police are clearing out. One or two are still lingering." Whistle said. "Thanks, Rufus." She whispered. "Okay, we can probably take them." Crumb replied.
     They flew towards the house. A police officer dashed out of the backyard, crows on his tail. Caw held up a hand, and the crows retreated beside their master. The officer still ran. "Now police won't think once about coming here," Pip said. I think that kid means 'not thinking twice.' Opal said. Pip turned his head towards the crow and then back. "Well...what do we do now...?" Caw asked. Sirens wailed loudly in the distance. "Are you..." Whistle's voice trailed off. Pip shrugged. "We're police magnets." The young feral said. Pigeons, bluejays, crows, and mice gathered close by as the group of ferals climbed onto the roof from the metal ladder that leaned against the house. Caw smacked at the ladder, but it didn't budge. Crows flocked on a middle rung of the ladder. Police cars screeched to a stop in front of the house. The ferals ducked out of sight, Caw feeling his crows spread their wings ready to attack. Armed police climbed out of the cars. Many clutched dogs' leashes,  attached to german shepherds that sniffed the air with a hint of cold malice. One growled where Caw was hiding, and another where Crumb was. And another. And another. Soon all of the dogs were growling and barking at them. The ferals on the roof were holding back their animals. A police started climbing the latter, but 4 steps up he was bombarded with crows in his face as he fell to the ground. More climbed, but birds knocked them all off. Pigeons suspended a female officer a couple inches from the roof. She wriggled free of their grip and grabbed onto the edge of the roof. Caw and the other slid onto the other side, but police were climbing up. Caw summoned more of his crows as they latched onto his arms. Pigeons gripped Crumb's and Pip's as they flapped away once more. But as they flew, a shadow cast over the group of ferals. "Helicopter!" Pip screamed over the whirring of the blades. The aircraft lowered, forcing Caw and the others back onto the roof. Caw smiled as many crows, pigeons and bluejays crowded the helicopter and carried off the police officers. Again, they flew away.

     Landing back in the park, Caw caught his breath. The attack happened so fast. "Why do police exist..." Whistle grumbled, slumping against a tree. "Atleast police are good for locking up bad ferals...if only they knew!" Pip complained. "They're definitely ransacking the place as we speak." Caw said. "They'll probably take the papers too." He added. No, they wont. Glum said. He and a couple other crows all clutched the papers! "You guys are life savers!" Caw shouted. Uh huh, I know. I know. Screech said. A maggot drifted by, but a pigeon snapped it up in its beak in seconds. "Nobody should spy on us." Crumb said to the poor creature in the bird's beak as it gobbled it up. Caw took out the Crow's Beak. He didnt know why, maybe the slender black blade would tell him something about this new feral in town.
     Suddenly, a flock of white crows reflected into the blade. Then, Caw seemed to be engulfed.