Now, I must tell you about Robin Redbreast.
Robin lives on the chimney pot above the Post Office, which gives him an excellent view of everything and everyone in Willowburrow Village. He considers this a great responsibility.
Robin considers it a great many things, actually.
He considers it his calling.
His purpose.
His platform.
Robin has four thousand followers on BirdTok. He mentions this often.
His handle: @PerchAndReport
On the morning of the Terrible Thing, Robin had been filming his Sunrise Update — a daily broadcast in which he described the weather, the mood of the village, and any developments of note — when it happened.
A snail.
A perfectly ordinary garden snail, making its perfectly ordinary way across the chimney pot, bumped into Robin's left foot.
Robin screamed.
Not a small scream. Not a polite, startled sort of scream. A full, magnificent, operatic scream that sent Mrs Partridge's washing off the line and woke up old Mr Mole three doors down.
Within seconds, BirdTok had the story.
"BREAKING," Robin announced, feathers askew, eyes enormous. "Willowburrow under ATTACK. Creature of UNKNOWN origin. I alone stand between this village and CHAOS. More soon. Please share."
By the time Constable Bartholomew Badger arrived, he assessed the situation with professional calm, disappeared briefly, and returned with Mr Hedgely's ladder.