I'm writing a short story. The main character is visited by a strange black bird during the night (first draft):
I glanced around but there was no sign of the bird. I didn't spot it in any nearby trees, street poles, or roofs. It had dissolved into the darkness. Just like that.
Had it been a bird, or something else? But if that was the case, what was it? An hallucination? No, it hadn't been product of my imagination. It had been a real bird—with real eyes, real feathers, and a real beak. I went over to check the window. There wasn't a single scratch on it. On the contrary, it looked smooth and spotless as always. Should there be at least a tiny mark? Maybe the bird didn't shove the window as hard as I thought.
I wonder if I should use he instead it to refer to the bird. Would this improve the clarity of the text? Is this a common practice?
Had it been a bird, or something else? But if that was the case, what was he? An hallucination? No, he hadn't been product of my imagination. He'd been a real bird—with real eyes, real feathers, and a real beak. I went over to check the window. There wasn't a single scratch on it. On the contrary, it looked smooth and spotless as always. Should there be at least a tiny mark? Maybe the bird didn't shove the window as hard as I thought.