The Night Intruder

What would you think if you woke up in the middle of the night to loud bangs, rattles, and other weird noises?

"It's the upstairs neighbors again" 

Not an unreasonable assumption, they do sometimes drag furniture in the middle of the night.  I turned back to bed, but after a brief silence, the racket resumed.

Adi became alarmed.  "Is someone trying to break in through the window?"

Her sentiment was understandable given that recently, we experienced an almost-close encounter with an armed robber.  We got out of bed.

On her way to the window, Adi grabbed a miniature but powerful flashlight and the pepper-spray canister which we purchased after the above-mentioned incident.  I hardly had time to conclude my business in the toilet, when I heard Adi screech.  I rushed to her side.  She stood there silent and wide-eyed, pointing the beam towards the darkness outside.  Suddenly, a large white face appeared and moved towards us at an incredible speed.  The bird almost crashed into the glass panel, its wings repeatedly and forcefully hitting the window.  Shortly, it landed on a pipe, and was staring back at us.  It was a large owl, its wingspan more than a meter.

I should explain that the apartments in our building get their sunlight from a large  air shaft that runs from the ground to the sky.  We assumed the bird could not find its way up and out.

"I thought owls were suppose to be smart"  said Adi as we settled back in bed.  

I did not dare tell her that that's in Korea.  Here in Mexico, the owl is an omen of death.

Early in the morning the racket resumed.  I assumed the poor thing got tangled somehow, and I shuffled to the window, ready for the rescue.  I even contemplated keeping it as pet.  As I looked outside, dawn was breaking and the bird was gone.

The owl  Click this link.

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