Owl Eats Harry Potter - V:Mission 2 Episode 13
We cross the field quickly and then penetrate the dark resistant forest. A narrow path meanders purposefully through the trees which are so thick that the full moon rarely finds a resting spot on the forest floor. We continue this journey for about 10 minutes before Dinu slows to a near stop.
I can see light up ahead. We emerge from the thicket into a second opening about half the size of the first. The full moon reflects like silver off the meadow grass; the source of the light I was seeing. In the center of the opening is a dark object, presumably the barn, which seems to trap all the light that falls on it.
Dinu starts moving cautiously toward this object. The entire scene seemed strangely out of place. Here is a barn in the middle of the forest with no obvious purpose…no fields full of crops, no livestock to tend…just deep forest surrounding a small meadow. In the center of this meadow is a black hole, the barn, that sucks light, Dinu and me toward it inescapably.
We get to the side of the barn and Dinu starts to feel for something. After a few moments he finds it and I hear a sliding sound emitting from the darkness. Then I feel Dinu grab my sleeve and pull me through some opening, followed by a repeat of the sliding sound. I can only assume we entered the barn. No light reflects from meadow grass.
There is a slight echo to the surrounding noises. We take a few steps forward, Dinu still pulling me by the sleeve. Stop. Wait. Listen. Then a few more steps. This pattern repeats itself 3 times and then we hear it…the powerful whooshing sound made by owl wings as they carry an owl from rafter to rafter. It’s obvious the owl can see us as clearly as if we were in full daylight.
Dinu leans over and whispers in my ear, “I think Horatiu is on the rafter to your left. Get ready. I will try to spot him with my flashlight. If I can catch him directly in the light he will be trapped for a few seconds while his eyes adjust and he tries to figure out what to do. That will be your chance. Here we go.”
A second later Dinu’s flashlight snaps on. It has a powerful beam that illuminates the rafter overhead. The talons of a large owl are clearly visible on the rafter. Unfortunately, Dinu’s aim is off. The beam misses the owl’s head leaving Horatiu in control.
A loud whooshing sound erupts again as Horatiu leaves his perch and makes a straight line toward the source of the light. “Ow!” screams Dinu as his flashlight falls to the ground.
He scrambles to recover it still gasping for breath from some intense pain. Overhead we hear Horatiu’s flight as he heads high into the barn and then is gone.
Sponsored by: www.StuffedZoo.com
