“Yes, sir,” she shouted down the beach. It was not entirely true—she’d seen a small bird fly into the bubble. The bubble had flickered for a second, and the bird had slid down to the ground, where it now lay motionless with one wing sticking up awkwardly. It could have just been knocked out: she’d seen that happen when they flew into windows. On the other hand, the bubble could have killed it. Somehow. She resolved not to touch the thing, just to be on the safe side. 