Zugunruhe

"Geese have landed on the neighbors’ lawn. Some pick at the grass, others rest their heads on their breasts. From her window they look alien, with eyes the same black as their feathers and beaks. The neighbor is trying to get them to disperse, approaching those on the outskirts and waving his hands as if he’s treading water. This causes the geese to waddle in a lopsided circle around him. Several of the men perched on the lip of their news vans are entertained by this, one throwing potato chips into the crowd, causing the birds to burrow into their center so feverishly that she worries they’re beginning to eat each other’s feet."

"Zugunruhe" was published in The Kenyon Review. It's about an unplanned pregnancy and a missing girl. To read the full story, visit their site.