Vulture

The Vulture... the monster of the House. I looked at him with my renewed gaze and tried to peel away the outer shell. Mourning... rings... black polish on his long nails... long hair and kohl-lined eyes. Remove all this, forget that he sleeps in a coffin, erase all evidence of his vile habits—and what would remain? A skinny, hook-nosed fellow. With a sharp chin. An unpleasant character, but far from a monster.

I was stopped dead in my tracks, because the unpleasant figure suddenly turned and stared at me. She must have sensed the process of her exposure. She looked at me with sleepy yellow eyes—and I lost the ability to think, frozen by that gaze.

Satisfied that I was neutralized and ready for consumption, the Vulture smiled, revealing very long, crooked teeth. It felt like someone had drawn a razor sharply across glass. I walked through the hallways of the house, feeling a clammy fear. What did he want from me? Or was it just my imagination. When suddenly he called out to me.

Description of the Vulture from Mariam Petrosyan's novel "The House in Which..." Vulture (nicknamed Rex in Sideshow, also known as the Siamese) is the leader of the group of Birds. Bird daddy, as they call him Appearance Skinny, with long blond hair.

Yellow round "frozen" eyes, hooked nose.

Long, thin, crooked yellow teeth (according to the Smoker).

She wears rings on her fingers, many earrings in her ears, and black polish on her long nails.

Touches up the eyes.

After the death of his brother, he wears all black—in eternal mourning.

Lame: limps on his right leg (he got it when Siamese twins were separated), walks with a cane.

Smell: acetone and mint gum (according to Blind).

The voice is a hoarse tenor.

Character and features Withdrawn, mysterious, surrounded by an aura of gloom.

He is constantly accompanied by the Shadow—the ghost of his deceased twin brother, Max. Because of this, the other inhabitants of the House keep their distance from the Vulture: many sense the Shadow and avoid approaching within three steps.

He is skilled at forging handwriting and picking locks; he always carries a set of keys and master keys (initially 18, later another small silver key appears).

He grows cacti and has extensive knowledge about them; he often carries around a potted cactus named Louis.

Godmother's grandson, heir to a huge mansion inherited from his grandfather.

Was sent to the House almost from birth.

Biography and plot points In Intermedia, he lived in Khlamovnik with his twin brother Max and was nicknamed Rex.

Later, together with his brother, he moved to the Plague Wheezers' room.

After Max's death, he goes into mourning and becomes the leader of the Birds ("Papa-Bird").

He is on good terms with the inhabitants of the Fourth Group, including the Sphinx, the Blind Man, and Tabaqui.

He feels a debt to his caregiver, Ralph, for helping him on the night of Max's death; he helps Ralph understand what's going on in the House, but speaks in hints and riddles.

At the end of the book, he receives a clock gear from the Lord and sets off on a new circle.