Fifteen crows all neatly lined up on the haggard stone wall that kept the little town of Meadsbrough away from the rest of the world.

They did not squawk, or flap, or move. They stayed still, watching and waiting for someone to find them. Until someone did.

James was a paranoid man, who believed too deeply in his culture, and his work, and that it was his choice to be divorced from his wife after twenty long years and to be the one to look after their son.

He walked the grounds every morning since then, to see if anything was amiss. And today something was. Those fifteen crows. All gathered in the morning cold as they always were when giving a warning.

He could scarcely believe what he was seeing. Crows did not come to Meadsbrough unless they had to warn somebody. And even then it was one, or two or three. Fifteen was unheard of.

He stepped forward, trying to get a better look at them. Maybe they weren’t crows after all but magpies?

They did not move even as he came closer. Even as he realise that they were crows and what this meant. “Fifteen deaths..” They did not move at his muttering either.

He reached out a hand as if to stop the inevitable but they flew up into the air, creating a small black cloud of wings and angry noises before leaving.

James was now the only one who knew fifteen people would be dead by sundown. He had to warn them all.

He ran through the fields as quickly as he could, leaping over fences and cutting through people’s hedges until he made it to the centre of town, where the morning market was just beginning.

“Everyone! I need you to listen to me!” James called out, heads turning his way as the words left his mouth. James did not speak much and everyone wanted to know what he needed to say.

James took a deep breath and spoke more quietly now everyone was paying attention. “Fifteen crows have visited us. Fifteen.”

Gasps rippled across the crowd, some people shaking their head in disbelief and others already crying and hugging loved ones.

“James. I think you need some sleep. You look exhausted.” His neighbour Mrs.Parsley and her scarecrow of a husband came up to him, patting his shoulder as if were a confused child.

“I know what I saw. Why would I lie about this?” His neighbours exchanged a look. “We know you’ve been out of sorts since Mary left we’re just…worried you might be seeing things again dearie.”

James glared at the pair. Silent Mr.Parsley and concered Mrs.Parsley, in that moment he hated them for not believing him.

“I hope you two are the first to go.” He spat.

He turned around before the could respond, already heading for the town hall. The Mayor needed to hear of this as well. He would know what to do, he always dealt with it when the crows came.

James had to knock with the big brass knocker for minutes before a mild mannered woman ushered him inside.

“Mr. Carter is in a meeting at the moment, but if you can wait here-“ James cut her off. “It’s crows. It’s urgent.”

The woman nodded, eyes wide. Everybody knew what it meant. “Come with me then.”

She led him to the Mayors office where James found him not in any meeting at all but drinking heavily, three bottles of beer already discarded on the floor. It was 10am.

“I told you I didn’t want to be disturbed Shirley!” The Mayor snapped, his huge belly jiggling as he pointed at her in anger.

The woman, Shirley, gave a distressed little smile. “It’s a matter of urgency. It’s..the crows, Sir.”

Mr. Carter went still at that. Solemn in an instant. “Shirley, shut the door behind you.” And he looked at James for the first time. “Bit of a recluse aren’t you? Didn’t even come for the Christmas parade.”

James frowned. “Why does that matter? I’m here to talk about crows not parades.”

The Mayor raised his hands in mock surrender. “I’m just recalling who you are. So, you say you have seen crows. How many?”

“Fifteen.” The silence that came after was heavy. “Fifteen?” “Fifteen.”

The Mayor shook his head, and took a long swig from the nearest opened bottle. “Well this isn’t good is it?”

James raised an eyebrow. “No. It isn’t. But can’t you just do whatever it is you usually do?”

Mr. Carter sighed as if the very thought of getting up and doing work was as painful as fifteen people dying. “Yes. I suppose so. Pass me that ledger over there.”

James looked behind where the Mayor was pointing and picked out the heavy red book, putting it down on the desk infront. “What is it?”

“Well, James. Its a list of everyone that lives in our lovely little Meadsburough. Now I have to find out who the crows have marked for death and who will be put down by the end of the day so they suffer no more.”

“How can you tell who the crows are targeting? I’ve always wondered.”

Mr. Carter rolled his eyes. “When you become Mayor of this place, which won’t happen, I’ll tell you. It’s a passed down secret. Can’t let everyone know about it.”

James knew what that meant. “Fine I’ll leave. But at least tell me if the crows have marked me or my son.”

The Mayor opened the book and flicked through it. “Samuel isn’t it? And you are his full time caregiver, hm. No. Doesn’t look like it. And the one who sees the crows can’t be the one to die- same as if your the mayor, you need to be listening to the weekly broadcast of the rules more often.”

James felt a weight lifted at the explanation. It was not everything but it was enough to know him and his boy were safe. That’s all he wanted really.

“Well…thanks for all your help.”

James left and went home, trying to ignore the people approaching him, asking for more information.

‘Could you tell if they were male or female?’ ‘Did they look large?’ ‘Were there baby crows- oh please tell me there weren’t!’

He shoved them off and locked himself inside his small country house. He was safe here, him and Samuel. The crows hadn’t marked them.

“Sammy! You need to put on your Sunday best!” He called out up the stairs.

It was tradition for the whole town to be in the square in the best clothes by midday to find out who the crows had marked and would have to die by the next morning.

His son rushed down the stairs, already dressed in his black and white pants and crisp shirt. His responsible son. The only person he would ever care about again.

“When I was with Lily and Jackson their parents told them the news and rushed them back home. So I went home too. Is it true, daddy? That it was you who saw the crows?”

James sighed, putting a hand on his sons head. “Yes. Fifteen of them. It’s a dark day. But we are both safe, don’t worry about that. And I’m sure your friends are as well. They rarely mark children.”

Samuel nodded with a sincerity that did not match his age. “Okay. Let’s go to the square early. Just in case. I want to see them again.”

James did not have the heart to tell his son no. He took his hand and they made their way to the square where half the town was gathered already, all in their best clothes, quiet and sad.

“Go find your friends I need to talk to The Mayor.” James told his son and made his way throwing the crowd to the front where the Mayor and his secretary were stood.

“Do you know the names yet?” James asked. The Mayor looked up at him. “Yes. It’s..unfortunate who they chose. I’m reading out the names in a minute go wait with the rest.”

James did as he was told and stood with his son as the Mayor held out his book and began to list fifteen names.

“Gary Sutton.”

“Sylvia Martson.”

“Jill Bracken.”

“Marie Bazar.”

“Bill King.”

“Miles Turner.”

“Jackson Kaysen.”

“No!” His son’s shout cut off the Mayor who stopped abruptly. The rest of the names called were already up at front, some sobbing, some shaking in silent anger.

Jackson’s parents looked at their soon, tears streaming down their face. “Jackson go to the front.”

The shaggy haired boy looked confused but walked up the front. Samuel cried into James’s trouser leg. “It’s okay. It’s okay. It’s how this works.” James said but even he felt wrong about this six year old boy dying.

The rest of the names were called out. Eight males, seven females. Three elderly, two children. That’s what the crows must have been.

James knew this was for the greater good, even as Samuel cried, even as he felt something he never had before now his son was old enough to understand.

“We applaud you for your sacrifice and we are deeply sorry the crows chose you. But this is what must be done to spare more pain.” The Mayor announced.

One by one the chosen lined up by the nooses. The two children, Jackson and a red haired girl James couldn’t remember the name of, got stools so they could reach the height of their rope.

Then they placed their heads inside and almost everybody turned their heads away. The families sobbed openly, the rest stood in stiff shared grief. James could only stare.

One by one they choked and spluttered and turned blue, red, purple before it was over. Jackson held on the longest. Somehow. But it was over for him too.

The ropes were lowered slowly and the bodies given to the families. Samuel stared at the ground stubbornly. He did not want to see and James did not blame him. The bodies were limp and wrong.

The mayor approached him. “A sad day. But you should feel pride. You found them. If you hadn’t, these fifteen brave people would have died in absolute agony tonight without our intervention.”

James wasn’t sure he believe that was true anymore. “Yes. Murder for the greater good.”

The Mayor gave him a strange look with an even strange smile. “I thought you understood. I guess you don’t. Let’s hope it’s not you and little Sammy next time.”

James felt a chill down his spine, and held Samuel closer. He hoped the crows would not return again but that was naive.

People always had to die after all.