Four Crows
by K. A. Patterson

Four crows fluttered to the ground. As one, they approached the kill near
the road in a series of hops. Heads cocking left then right, then bobbing,
they reflected on the furred carcass before them. In turn, they poked and
prodded the lifeless raccoon with their beaks. They communed in a series of
caws and scratched the dirt beneath their twig-like feet.

Wings out-stretched, they shuddered. From their motion, a stream of tiny
ebony beads rained from their black-feathered bodies. Each bead sprouted two
pairs of wiry, filament legs. As an army, the beads swarmed over the
carcass, poured inside it, infested every body cavity and coated each
damaged organ. They manufactured bone and tissue, repairing. They encased
the brain, sparked the heart, and assumed control. Reanimated, the carcass
rose. It darted into the woods, obeying its internal masters.

This mission completed, and with another waiting, the crows flew away.

Bio:  Kay Patterson lives in the outskirts of Pittsburgh. She's the creator and senior editor of AlienSkin Magazine. Her tales have appeared in numerous publications, including: Murky Depths, From the Asylum, Apex Digest, Read By Dawn, Black Box, and FlashSpec II.