Seth

She stood in the warm patch of sunlight streaming in through the front entrance way’s many windows. She was fully dressed, and even though she had gotten very little sleep the night before, she felt wide awake and alert. The pockets of her jacket bulged with an odd assortment of familiar objects: her cellphone, a flashlight, her handgun.

Everyone in these parts owned at least one gun, and after Gerald’s insistence that she take lessons at the local shooting range, she had finally given in and purchased one of her own. While small enough to fit in a pocket or in the bottom of her purse, it packed enough firepower to deter a person, or at the very least, a large animal. She disliked the thing intensely despite being able to handle it, but right now it gave her a strange sort of comfort.

Did she honestly think she could use it if the thing showed itself to her again? What if it attacked her out of fear once she happened upon its hiding place? She honestly didn’t know, but she hoped like hell that she wouldn’t find out for sure.

I’m going to walk right into that barn, step through the doorway, and have a quick look around.

The barn was mainly used for storage—feed, various farm equipment and the like—and no animals resided in its old wooden stalls. There was a hayloft in the topmost portion that contained a few moldering bales of hay, but for the most part it was clean and fairly empty. There weren’t many hiding places in there aside from the stalls and hayloft, so conducting a full sweep of the place shouldn’t take that long.

“Okay.” She squared her shoulders and reached out to unlock the front door. The door opened just as soon as she put the key in the lock, and she had a moment’s panic as she realized that the door had been unlocked.

I know I locked it behind me after Tom left for the evening.

On the other side and on the weathered boards of the porch, were small irregular smears of mud. Bits of grass clung to them, and as she examined the lock from the outside, she found more smears on the door and knob.

“I’m not afraid, and I’m not crazy.” She stepped out onto the porch and let the warmth of the sun shine full on her. She was shaking but determined to make her way into the barn and confront whatever it was that had been in her house last night. Whatever it was, it had enough intelligence to understand the mechanics involving locks, latches, and doors, but again, it had done nothing even vaguely threatening towards her.

I need them to return—will you help me find them?

The five strange rocks remained on the windowsill where she had left them the day before. The crystalline structures winked and sparkled in the early morning sun as she’d stood in her silent kitchen, her cellphone in hand, debating what to do next.

Friendly and neighborly offers aside, she knew that she couldn’t involve Tom in this, even if she wasn’t entirely sure what this was. Something strange yet profoundly wonderful had occurred, and it was happening to her and her alone. No, this was something she was going to have to work out on her own, and careful not to disturb the tracks that led from the field up to her front door, she made her way towards the barn.

*********

“Hello?”

Her voice sounded loud in the open space, and she worried that if she came on too strong or aggressive, the thing may bolt.

The strange tracks were all over the place, crisscrossing in seemingly random patterns all across the dirt floor. The double set of stalls—two on each side of the main center aisle—were dark and full of shadows as she carefully made her way to each one, her flashlight trained on their depths. Nothing but small drifts of old hay and the occasional feed or water bucket greeted her in return, and a search of the hayloft revealed nothing of note. The tracks hadn’t made their way up there and for a moment she considered if the thing had difficulty navigating a ladder.

She sighed and stood with her hands on her hips, surveying the empty space. Tackle and other pieces of livery hung from hooks on the far wall, and on a metal stand covered with a sheet of heavy duty plastic, lay an old saddle. It was conceivable that something could be hiding in this part of the barn, especially if it was small and slight of build. The thing she’d seen last night had been about the size of a child with disproportionately long arms and legs.

She shuddered, feeling an odd feeling creep along her spine. Abnormal appearance aside, it appeared clumsy and largely defenseless. It had been naked and apparently barefoot with absolutely no means of protecting itself from the elements. Fall was gradually yielding to winter, and it wouldn’t be long before the temperature dropped. There would be cold snaps that would freeze the water in the pipes and water troughs, and where was this creature supposed to go? How would it fend for itself if she didn’t intervene?

“Where are you?” She edged slowly towards the far wall to where the saddle stood enshrouded on its stand. She really had no need of the thing, but it had been in the barn when she and Gerald had bought the place a decade ago. The ropes, bridles and other livery were equally as useless, but they gave the barn a sort of purpose and charm.

A faint scuffling sound came from the area near the saddle and she stopped, her heart hammering in her chest. She stood stock still, ears straining for the smallest sound, when she heard it: a faint, barely perceptible sound of someone breathing.

The sound was strained, as if whoever was doing it were frightened and was trying desperately to control their fear.

Without a word she slowly and carefully dropped into a crouch. Training the flashlight on it may frighten it further, so she peered intently at the area near the covered saddle, willing her eyes to adjust to the dimness.

There was a barely perceptible shift of movement, and that was when her eyes locked on it. Hidden behind the covered saddle was the thing. Only it wasn’t a thing—no, nothing as simple as that.

Short, pale legs stood in an upright position as whatever it was cowered behind the saddle. They ended in a pair of bare feet, which were caked with mud and dried hay.

My God, it’s only a child.

The small, frightened breathing continued, and as she watched, the toes twitched as if were preparing to run.

A tin pie plate lay on the ground next to it, and her mind immediately flashed to her dinner with Tom the night before:

“If you like it that much, I can leave the rest here with you….”

The pie had been placed in the refrigerator after Tom had left. The thing had obviously come in the house as evidenced by the unlocked front door, and it had apparently been in search of food.

She remembered the feeling of something touching her face as she slept, and of the way the thing had made a move to help her up from the floor when she had fallen. It had not only been in search of food, but apparently comfort.

God, is this what loneliness does to people? Does it make them imagine there is more going on….?

“You’re hungry, aren’t you?”

The thing seemed to stiffen and a small, frightened sound emanated from it. It dug its toes deep into the dirt floor and her first thought was that it may cut or hurt itself. All sorts of diseases lived in the dirt, and really, no one should have to be without proper food, clothing, or safety.

She carefully stood up from her crouch and began to back up a step at a time. The thing didn’t move, but it was now making a low whimpering sound as if it were trying to speak.

What is happening to me? Why is this happening to me?

She was now at least a good ten feet away from it but still it did not emerge from its hiding place.

“I’m going to leave but I’ll be right back. I’ll have some food and clothes for you when I return,” she called out. There was no answer.

Why is this happening to me? She thought again as she turned and began to make her way across the center aisle towards the barn’s entrance. Nothing moved behind her as she stepped out into the bright morning sun, and it was then that she released the breath in her lungs.

She felt a strange sense of purpose as she climbed the steps leading up to the porch. Her heart still beat like crazy, and she felt slightly dizzy and euphoric.

Something amazing and without apparent explanation had come into her life. Never mind that she didn’t understand the reason or purpose for what had occurred, the point was that it had.

Why is this happening to me?

Because like this poor creature, I too am lonely.