The Vulture

On a stormy night in Cornwall, Ellen West crosses a graveyard and witnesses a giant bird with a human head emerge from a grave, then fly away laughing while carrying a box. The shock is so great that her hair turns white by morning, and nobody believes her account. The mystery surrounding the graveyard deepens as the town remains skeptical.

A recently discovered parchment suggests that Francis Real was buried alive with the bird he kept as a pet and that he swore vengeance on all descendants of Squire Stroud. The legend links the past to the current rumors of a monstrous creature. Locals remain skeptical, but the document sets a motive for future events.

Two Stroud descendants, Brian and Edward, live nearby, and their niece Trudy is visiting. Trudy is joined by her husband, Eric Lutens, who travels with her for their holiday. The presence of both locals and outsiders raises the stakes for the unfolding mystery.

Eric discovers a mutilated sheep in a clifftop cave, a grim sign that something predatory may lurk near the coast. He begins to suspect that the bird-man could be real and starts seeking explanations beyond superstition. The sighting fuels his scientific curiosity and determination to uncover the truth.

Eric sends large black feathers to be analyzed and learns they come from a hunting bird not found anywhere in Europe. This finding strengthens the case that a real creature is on the loose. He uses the evidence to support his growing theory of a scientific experiment gone wrong.

Eric visits the local antiquarian Hans Koniglich, who confirms that the parchment is genuine but doubts the legends surrounding it. Koniglich's skepticism contrasts with Eric's belief in a living creature. The meeting casts Koniglich as a potential catalyst for the investigation.

On the next night, Brian Stroud is lured onto his bedroom balcony and snatched by the talons of a giant bird, his body later found in a cave. The police are unable to offer explanations, and fear spreads through the Strouds and the town. Eric continues to press his case that the threat is real.

Edward and the police remain unconvinced by Eric's theories, and Ellen's warnings go unanswered. To protect his wife, Eric drives Trudy to a hotel far from Cornwall, hoping to keep her out of danger. The separation raises the emotional stakes as the mystery deepens.

While Eric and Trudy are away, Edward Stroud is killed in a similar manner to his brother. The pattern of attacks continues, increasing the sense that the creature is targeting the Stroud line. Investigators struggle to connect the dots as the danger intensifies.

Koniglich calls Eric with clues suggesting where the vulture-man might be hiding, prompting a return to Cornwall. Eric drives back, leaving his gun with Trudy for protection until they can confront the threat. The trail tightens around a suspected lair.

Eric arrives at Koniglich's deserted house and breaks into the basement, uncovering a fully equipped laboratory and the skeleton of Francis Real. He also finds Trudy's handkerchief, realizing Koniglich lured her there to be his final victim. The investigation takes a dark, personal turn.

Eric realizes Trudy has been taken to the Vulture's lair. He reaches the cave to find Trudy alive but trapped, and she shoots the Vulture while Eric shoots in return. Koniglich falls to his death on the beach below, ending the immediate threat but leaving the mystery resolved only in tragedy.