Black Crow Down (Dream)

I switched the light on and went down into the half-finished basement of our new Gretna bungalow.  A big black crow sat on the concrete in the utility area outside the rec room and Dad’s study. It backed up against the wringer washer,  its wing was broken. I lifted Dad’s .22 single shot from the  rack next to his study, fumbling in my pockets for bullets. The first I couldn’t load, ejecting it without firing. The second I loaded properly, took aim, fired, and missed, the lead embedding in the washer. The crow took a good long black-eyed look at me.  I pulled the trigger again, waking.