I sat at my desk in my room that night while trying to focus on my homework. I mostly mindlessly scrolled along my TellAll account, reading various comments.

Michael West: Hit a bird with my truck today. Had a few agents swarm me as they came to collect the body. They even cleaned my windshield for me.

Elizabeth Kellup: I watch the birds come to my feeder in the morning. The squirrels no longer mess with them like they used to.

Dillon Parks: My cat keeps eating birds. Seriously. Should I be worried?

Jason Gelshire: Hello, folks! Jason here! I'm an avid bird watcher! Have been for many years! I still pass my time watching my feathered friends! Just wanted to let everyone know that the birds still behave normally!
--Patrick Planner: Except for the fact that they are still here, right?
--Jason Gelshire: Perfectly normal! The birds fly south later each year! This is nothing out of the ordinary!

Outer Towner: This entire topic is stupid and a waste of everyone's time. How hard is it to simply leave the birds alone? Grow up, people.

This last comment took me by surprise. My eyebrows creased as I read it. Outer Towner? I checked the account. It was a new account. All of it was blank really. They didn't even have a profile picture. Just the default one.

Yet, as weird as that was, it wasn't as weird as another anonymous account that posted.

BirdsEyeView: It's a conspiracy! The birds aren't even birds! They're drones from the government sent to spy on us! They're collecting all your personal information and selling it to the highest bidder! Wake up, sheeple!

I actually sat up when I read this one. This was the first time that I saw someone - anyone - as concerned as I was. I mean, I wasn't as far out there as them, but I was definitely still asking questions. I had to reply to them.

BirdsEyeView: It's a conspiracy! The birds aren't even birds! They're drones from the government sent to spy on us! They're collecting all your personal information and selling it to the highest bidder! Wake up, sheeple!
--Devin Camp: How do you know?

I waited for a response. I really should have been doing my homework, but this was far more interesting to me. Something else interested me. What another person had mentioned. A bird feeder. I would invest in one. I wanted to keep my eye on the birds, too. Maybe take a closer look at them if I could.

That weekend, I took my meager allowance to the store in search of one. Wouldn't you know it, they were out. However, they did have bird seeds. I would have to work with that. When I went to the counter to check out, Allison rang me up. I knew her name for two reasons. First, her nametag. Two, she went to my school. It made me think that maybe I should be getting a job. I was old enough for it. Just, nothing seemed worth my time. Not when I could be obsessing over dumb things, right?

"Find everything you were looking for today?" She sounded very forced to ask me this question. I wouldn't have been surprised to find out there was a man under her counter with a gun.

"No." I actually answered honestly. "You're out of birdfeeders."

"Oh." She perked up a bit, "We can't carry those right now. They were all confiscated."

"By who?" I asked, feeling a strange dread in my stomach.

"The bird police." She shrugged. "Said it put people in dangerous proximity to birds, I guess."

"Jeez." I tried to joke, "As if they were mini flying bombs or something."

She didn't laugh. I don't blame her. Wasn't something I would've taken to competition or anything.

But it did make me think more of the BirdsEyeView poster. I'm not at all saying they were right. But they were conscious. They were aware that there was a need to wake up. I couldn't tell you how long I waited last night for them to respond only to get dead air. I wondered if they would respond today. Only time would tell.

"Well, thanks." I told her and made my exit.

When I got home, I went out into the backyard. I didn't see any men in black. I did my usual look around before I sprinkled some loose seeds all over the ground outside my window. Along with on my windowsill. Now, hopefully, I would be able to see a bird up close without having to catch one. I also really hoped that they weren't diseased as I tried my hardest to lure them in with food.

I went back into the house, back to my room and stashed the remaining birdseed in my closet. Again, not the worst thing a teenager could hide. While most teens were probably out with friends, I spent my time in my room, looking out the window. It was slow coming at first. But eventually, they came. They collected on the ground to peck away at the seeds.

I looked down at them. Did drones need to eat? Or maybe they were programed to behave like real birds? But what would be the point of all this? What is the endgame? Testing it for military use maybe?

I heard the notification go off on my computer. I whipped my head so quickly, it is a wonder that I didn't get whiplash. Could it be?

I went to my desk and opened my account.

Finally.

There was a response. A few.

--BirdsEyeView: Open your eyes. Pull your head out of the sand. Pay attention. The birds aren't birds!
--Jason Gelshire: Hello there! Friendly birdwatcher Jason here! Just a neighborhood reminder that the birds are, in fact, birds! While there is no reason to fear them, they should remain respected. And that means giving them a wide berth and a healthy distance!
--BirdsEyeView: How much are they paying you, Jason?
--Outer Towner: Instead of touching birds, everyone needs to touch grass.

I thought it best just to make my own post asking out into the void.

Devin Camp: Any theories as to why we can't touch the birds? Anyone can answer. I am curious to know what the internet thinks. No guess is too far-fetched. Leave your comment below!

I was expecting this to come with its own hateful remarks. People like Ricky and Outer Towner. While I could see their perspective of being over the whole thing. They could also just... you know... ignore my posts if they felt bothered. That's the issue about the internet. When you post something online, you invite all kinds of people into your little bubble to comment and potentially ruin your day.

While I waited for the replies, I went back to my window to watch the birds some more. That was when I noticed one bird in particular. This one, a crow, wasn't eating the food like the rest of them. In fact, it wasn't even near them. It just sat up high in the tree, watching. The more I looked, the more it cocked its head this way and that. Its beady eye blinked and focused on me. That was the most unsettling part. That it wasn't looking at the food or the other birds. Just me. Or maybe I was just being paranoid. Maybe a crow didn't feel inclined to dine with birds of other varieties.

I decided to take a picture. I went to my nightstand to grab my phone. When I came back, in classic horror movie fashion, the bird was gone. Go figure.

That night, at dinner, I decided to talk to my parents about some of what the internet had been saying. They would see it all anyway. Might as well preemptively shame myself before they had to see it for themselves.

"I just don't understand." My mother said, ever concerned. "Shouldn't you have a hobby? A girlfriend?"

"No." I told her flatly, "No girl wants to date me."

"Is it because of your haircut?" She reached over to touch my long hair, brushing it back. "Or lack thereof?" My hair was past my shoulders. She nagged constantly for me to cut it. I just didn't want to. Maybe because I was lazy. Maybe because I was in my elf era. Hardly mattered. Even with chopped locks, the ladies at school still didn't pay me any mind. Not that I cared. I wasn't interested in dating and my mother should have known that.

"What's Phil doing these days?" My father tried now. "Why don't you guys go out? See a movie? Chase some skirts. When I was your age, I was dating all the girls in school."

My mother shot him a glare.

He changed his tune, "And I hated it. Couldn't wait for the day I found the right one. Your mother was an angel who lit up my life."

My mother rolled her eyes at this before continuing after him, "We just want to see you enjoying life, Devin. To be productive. To gain more skills and grow into a talented young man."

"You guys are giving me this talk like you found drugs in my room." I muttered in a pout.

"Son." My father sighed, "I wish that is what we could be talking about now."

"Wow, dad."

"Devin." My mother interjected, "Do you want us to sign you up for a sport?"

I told her, "No." She should have also known how wretched I was at anything to do with physical exertion. "I'm just going to go to my room and do my homework." I lied. Anything to get out of this terrible conversation.

The next day, I spent my time staring out my window. Maybe this was for the better considering I would normally be spending my time staring at a television screen. I noticed at one point the seeds were all gone. I would need to add more. I just couldn't be caught by my parents. I had had enough discussion with them over this whole matter.

I went outside as casually as I could and took a few handfuls of the seeds. I spread them all about the ground and on my windowsill once again. This time, I heard a distinct "caw" come from behind me.

I looked around before I noticed that crow. It was back. Just staring at me from the same tree branch. Its head bobbed and its black eye blinked as it stared me down.

I felt awkward. "Want some?" I offered with some still in my hand. I carefully sprinkled it out a bit further trying to show the crow I meant no ill-will.

The crow only watched.

"Okay." I put what was left of the bag into my pocket. "Suit yourself." I felt a bit ridiculous to be speaking to a bird. Yet also uncomfortable. I don't know. Like this bird was judging me or the quality of the birdseed I got. Like it was expecting name brand here in this economy.

When I went back inside and returned to my post at my window, the crow was still there. It most definitely appeared to still be staring at me. I was certain of it. This wasn't just paranoia.

I eventually felt too uncomfortable as the sun started to set. Something about crows at night just made me feel unsettled. Besides, I didn't need this thing watching me change into my pajamas. I maintained eye contact as I shut my mini blinds. Then carried out my nightly routine for bed.