This rough draft came out of a challenge to use the expression “an encirclement of birds”.

(First draft)

Encirclement of Sparrows
 Roar like a train through the living room extra blankets on windows, surely frozen shut. Power lines down heat off, lights off, all shut down.
 Move away from the windows, he said. I want to be near when the sun rises, she said, You know me and sunshine-- I’ve got to-- I know he said, I know, and they huddled under yet another blanket and shut down.Listen, she whispered, hours or days or moments later,I hear the sunrise.
 Gray light through the curtains, and thentap, tap, tap
 on the tree branches scraping the windows an encirclement of sparrows.