By Friday, it wasn't just her phone. Her tablet pinged. Her laptop chimed. Even the smart display on her refrigerator flickered to life, showing a progress bar: Downloading: The Birds.

She looked from the window to her phone. The scene on the screen was identical. But in the movie, the attack had paused. The frame froze. And then, across the bottom of her phone, new text appeared—words not in the original film: Eloise didn't understand. But she felt the change. The air outside was suddenly empty of song. No coos, no chirps, no rustle of wings. Just an unnatural, waiting stillness.

It was a single word, downloading directly into the ambient system of her home: