After serving them their dinner, I ran upstairs to exchange one outfit for another. Deciding to take advantage of the mild weather, I wore a pair of shorts and a tank top. I pulled my hair back into a ponytail and removed all jewelry except for my earrings. Now appropriately dressed for outside work, I sauntered back downstairs and ordered the girls to stay inside while I labored in the barn and advised them to lock the front door until I got back.
With the girls contentedly eating, I headed toward the barn and donned my work boots, making sure to leave my flip-flops in a corner next to the door.
After picking up the pitchfork, I paused to survey the countryside. Everything was nice and quiet, much like it always was. There was nothing but patches of land for as far as the eye could see. Yeah, these were farmlands, all right. There was nothing remotely resembling a city in Wolf Creek Hollow, and even the downtown area consisted of just a few stores, businesses, and a grand total of three small supermarkets, which some would argue resembled convenience stores more than anything else.
Most locations around Wolf Creek Hollow were at a distance. My family and I lived the farthest from the local community college. So far, in fact, it took a whole twenty minutes of driving just to get there. Of course, it didn’t help that the college bordered the nearby township of Millersville.
We had neighbors, of course, but they were all farmers who lived about a quarter of a mile away. Of all my friends, Tracy and Claire lived the nearest to me, and by nearest I meant about ten minutes away by car.
Our small farm was surrounded by nothing but woods. Then again, most properties in Wolf Creek Hollow were. This small town was definitely an isolated place, perfect for anyone looking to escape city life. In the winter, it could become even more inaccessible, since the high snow accumulations could pretty much force families to remain indoors for days at a time. Last year alone the record was broken at forty-two inches in twelve hours—and that was just in the month of December. January and February broke their own records. There wasn’t much between my home and town except farms and a few Indian reservations nearby. Overall, it was a lonely but beautiful town to live in, which explained the Rousseau’s fascination with this place.
After a few minutes of lingering by the door, I proceeded with my barn duties. After cleaning the stalls and feeding the horses, sheep, chickens, and three dogs, I stopped to catch my breath. Having a farm, no matter how small it was, called for a lot of work. And to think that my father was considering the possibility of acquiring cows in the near future. I already thought that a nuisance, especially considering that I would have to clean up after them.
Hot and sweaty from working so hard, I decided to take advantage of the light breeze and marched over toward the wooden corral, climbing all the way to the top. I sat at the very top of the rail, leaning my head back as the breeze caressed my flushed face and cooled me down almost immediately. This was one of the benefits of living so close to Mother Nature; the air was so much cleaner and refreshing than in the city.
For several minutes I just sat there and enjoyed the fresh breeze, completely forgetting that I had other things to attend to. I wasn’t in any real hurry, since the girls were inside the house eating dinner and I had no class assignments for the next day.
Two of my favorite horses, a black stallion named Coal and a small pinto, were running around in the corral. During the week, they were allowed to roam around the huge enclosure so that they could stretch their legs and graze on what little grass there was inside. And as I sat there, I listened to the sound of their hooves as they pranced around inside, and relaxed.
I paid no mind to the horses until they started to stomp, whine, and snort loudly. I opened my eyes to see what was causing their distress and that’s when I caught sight of a beast-like creature standing twenty-five or so feet away from me. At first, I thought it was a product of my imagination, but as the creature blinked and looked directly at me, I knew it was real. There was no way I could imagine such a beast.
The animal was big, scary, and all too familiar. Grayish-colored fur covered huge muscles and long limbs; its thick head was easily twice as big as mine. His huge round eyes were a deep shade of gray and they stared back at me with interest.
By then the horses started to run wildly inside the corral, stomping and coming up on their hind legs as they snorted and neighed, their eyes wide with panic and fear.
I sat there and stared in mute shock, my entire body numb with surprise. There was no way for me to be able to determine if the thing planned to attack or was just passing through. I was too scared to jump down from the fence, pick up the pitchfork, and shoo it away.
Damn, living this far away from civilization no one would even hear me scream.
I started to weigh my options while keeping the creature in my line of vision, praying it wouldn’t make a move toward me before I could come up with some kind of strategy. If I ran, would it catch up to me easily? Probably. If I stayed, would it pounce on me in less time than it was taking me to come up with a better plan? Hell yes!
Thinking it would be best to run, because there was a slight chance that I would be safer inside the house, I started to jump down from the fence. However, in my haste to flee the immediate danger, I slipped and fell backwards outside of the corral, landing with a loud thump, eyes fogging with the impact. Cursing softly, I instantly pulled myself up and glanced in the direction where the huge beast had been standing on all four legs just moments ago. It was gone.
The vast open space between the corral and the woods was empty and there was no indication the beast had even been there at all. The horses, however, must have sensed something than I couldn’t because they were still stomping and running crazy inside their enclosure.
I focused my attention on the wooded area just beyond the corral. I couldn’t detect any movement but I had a bad feeling the beast was hiding somewhere beyond the tree line. Just because I couldn’t see it didn’t mean it wasn’t there somewhere. Ever so slowly, I rose and started moving alongside the enclosure, using it as a shield.
Several long seconds passed before the horses finally calmed down enough that I felt whatever was there had to be gone. The horses were still and silent now, but I was in a near panic. My heart was beating so fast I thought it would pop straight out of my chest. My legs were shaking so much it was difficult to walk in a straight line. Slowly, I edged along the perimeter of the wooden fenced corral, hoping not to see that horrid beast again. I didn’t want to take the unnecessary risk of running forward and having whatever demon was out there tackle me to the ground. So far, the only animals that actually alerted me to that thing’s presence were the two horses inside the corral. The three dogs we kept as watchdogs didn’t even bark.
Those worthless mutts! I could have been eaten alive and they would have never even given me an advance warning. So much for being excellent guards, yeah right.
Assuming the coast was clear, I started running toward the house, hoping to find refuge there. I was halfway there when a loud howl coming from the wooded area near the corral stop me dead in my tracks. The chilling sound was like a person screaming combined with a dog’s howl. I froze on the spot, unable to move. Shit. I couldn’t even think, I was so scared. The cry resonated again, this time louder and closer, spooking the two horses even more. They went berserk, running and neighing in their panic.
The sound of breaking branches forced me to turn toward the wooded area near my house. It sounded like a bulldozer was plowing through the woods except I knew it wasn’t a bulldozer. The wooded area was dark and very thick so I couldn’t see a thing through the thicket and there was no way in hell I was going to investigate. But I knew it was there, I could sense it. And I could sense it looking at me, too.
The snapping of what I assumed to be breaking branches stopped. All of a sudden, I felt alone, like whatever was there was gone, this time for good.
“What was that?” Cynthia’s voice startled me so much I turned around, nearly stumb
ling over the poor girl.
“Jesus! Cynthia! You scared me half to death! Don’t do that,” I shouted.
Her eyes widened. “Sorry, but what was that noise?”
“I don’t know.” I shook my head, trying to shake off the image engraved in my brain. “Where’s Nanette?”
“Taking a shower.”
“Good. Did you girls eat everything?”
“Yeah, and we finished our homework too.”
“All right, let’s go in.” I grabbed her arm and started to lead her to the house, but she wiggled free.
“Wait!”
“What now?”
“Can you get Buggy out from underneath the porch?”
I fought the urge to roll my eyes. “Why is he there?”
“I don’t know, but he’s shaking real bad and won’t come inside. No matter how much I try to pry him out, he won’t budge.”
Releasing some air, I glanced at the porch and shrugged my shoulders. I wasn’t going to go inside without the freaking dog. “Fine, go upstairs and put on your pajamas and I’ll get Buggy out for you.”
“Thanks, Marjie.” Cynthia ran to the house, wet strands of her hair blowing wildly in the wind as she made her way up the wooden stairs.
If Buggy was cowering underneath the porch, where were the other two dogs?
I approached the porch and, just like Cynthia said, Buggy was underneath the steps, looking very much afraid. I’d never seen a dog that size so scared before.
“Buggy! Come here, boy.” The dog acknowledged me for a second before turning his face away. “Come on, you sorry excuse for a dog, get out here!”
It wasn’t my custom to be mean to the animals but I’d had a long day, and the stress of what just happened was getting to me. “Buggy, I know you’re scared shitless right now, but so am I and I want to go inside the house and lock the doors. It’s getting dark and I don’t want to be standing out here if that thing decides to come back.” Buggy stood then, as if understanding my words, or maybe he just understood the desperation in my voice; either way he ran inside so fast he could have passed for a furry blur.
I didn’t wait long either, running inside and locking every door and window inside the house as soon as I went in. I made sure the girls were safely tucked in bed and then ran to the first floor to turn on all the lights from outside so that the front and back yard were clearly illuminated. I hoped that would keep all predators away.
Buggy, as usual, slept at the foot of Cynthia’s bed. The other two dogs were still missing, but there was no way I was going outside to look for them, especially since night had already fallen. One scary encounter per day was more than enough.
Finally, I ran up to my room, closed the door, and then locked it. I considered it a blessing that my room was equipped with its own bathroom so I could take a quick shower and not have to walk down the long corridor where I’d be the farthest away from the girls sleeping in the room next door. After donning my pajamas, I curled up in bed and stared at the moonlight that invaded the privacy of my sanctuary by penetrating the glass of my bedroom window.
It was getting late and I knew Vicki would be home soon, but that did little to calm my frantic nerves. I was still on edge from that strange encounter with the overgrown beast and I couldn’t manage to close my eyes and relax.
The girls were sleeping soundly in their bedroom and I greatly envied them because I couldn’t, for the life of me, doze off into oblivion. Since my search for an explanation over what had happened was futile, I decided it was best to pretend I saw nothing.
Of course, that was easier said than done. That strange-looking beast was unlike anything I’d ever seen. Well, that wasn’t exactly true. The night of the accident I saw an animal very similar to the one from moments before. But up until today, I honestly thought that there hadn’t been an animal there. That probably what I’d seen or thought I’d seen was a product of the multiple beers I’d consumed and not a real, living, breathing creature.
Now, however, I was convinced I did see the beast after all. But I didn’t know what to make of it. What could it possibly be? I mean, this wasn’t exactly something one finds in a zoo.
A cracking sound outside my bedroom window startled me straight out of my thoughts. The ruckus emanating from the woods was enough to turn my blood ice cold in a matter of seconds. The sound of branches snapping and breaking drifted in despite the closed window. Rustling noises soon followed the snaps, and then soft thumps, as if someone was having trouble moving around or was caught up in something. It took all the power I possessed not to panic and start screaming like a lunatic as I pictured the hairy beast roaming outside my bedroom window.
Summoning what little courage I had left, I rose from the bed and tiptoed to the window facing the dark woods. The noises stopped at once, causing me to hesitate. Did it sense me moving around? Was it somehow alert to everything, detecting even now how fast my heart was going? I wasn’t yet looking out the window but my mind went wild with crazy images of furry creatures of the night.
Unable to stand the tension any longer, I moved the beige-colored curtain aside and peeked out the window. At first nothing struck me as odd. Although I’d heard abundant noises, I saw nothing moving, no animals, no humans, and no in-betweens of both. That brought a sense of relief to me. Until I saw the tall dark figure lurking behind a tree.
At first, I couldn’t clearly identify the shape as human or animal and that terrified me. But then the figure moved and I noticed the slim, lean body of what appeared to be a tall man. What could be worse than seeing an unknown figure outside your bedroom window? Knowing that he’s stalking you, and that he’s letting you know it, too.
Despite the darkness preventing me from getting a good look at his face I could still sense his piercing eyes on me. He watched me watching him, and that angered me. That freak had some nerve! How dare he stand there so openly, as if it was an everyday thing to be standing outside someone’s house in the middle of the night? I wanted to grab any solid object I could get my hands on and bust his head open. Normally, I wasn’t a violent person, but the jerk was practically asking for it. This was my home, my territory. He had no business trying to intimidate me like this.
I kept close watch over the figure as he just stood there staring at me. I only wished that I could see his face clearly. His profile was hidden by the shadows of the night, yet there was something vaguely familiar about him. Just the bold way he stood there appraising me, as if he knew me, was enough to make my skin crawl. I wasn’t a very brave person but I would fight for my own, and right now I was the only one left to protect my stepsisters from this predator of the night.
Unable to take his audaciousness any longer, I finally decided to make a move. However, I opted to reach for my cell phone a little too late. As soon as I turned to grab my cell from the dresser next to the window, the headlights of Vicki’s car illuminated the driveway and the figure bolted into the woods, disappearing before I could get a good look at him.
The tall figure vanished through the thicket just before Vicki’s car pulled up to the house, leaving me both fuming and worried. Soon, I heard Vicki rummaging through the kitchen downstairs, probably looking for something to eat. I debated whether or not to tell her about tonight’s incidents. But I figured it was best to keep silent. If the man was just passing by, then he wouldn’t come back; but if he did, then I’d be waiting for him. And I would get to the bottom of things, even if it meant that I’d have to go freak hunting…alone.
***
The following day passed pretty much uneventfully. Kyran and I avoided each other as much as possible because it seemed he didn’t want to be near me, so I obliged his desire to remain at a distance. Every time we came close to bumping into each other, Kyran would take another route or move to the other side of the hallway. His attitude confused me, especially because he’d been so cordial that first day. However, it was obvious that had changed now and he had no intention of being nice to me again.
As expected, Angela and the rest of the girls drooled all over the French hottie and his brothers. Not that I could blame them, but since he didn’t seem to like me much I stayed clear of him. Despite all my attempts to avoid Kyran as much as possible, I kept bumping into him all the time. Of course it wasn’t much help that he was taking the same classes I was.
Every single time I happened to “casually” glance his way, I caught him staring at me. Everyone else noticed too, and as usual they made their little stupid remarks. I pretended not to notice and shrugged it all off.
By the end of the day I was more confused and annoyed than ever. By that point, it was better just to change my major to something else so that I didn’t have to bump into Mr. Dour all the time. I wanted to slap him just as much as I wanted to kiss him. Thank goodness the end of another day at college came, and I returned home with an eagerness I hadn’t felt in a long time.
Vicki didn’t take a second shift that day, so the girls and I just spent the afternoon watching a movie and giving each other pedicures. By nine o’clock, Vicki and the girls retired for the night and, having nothing else to do, I headed up to bed also.
***
My eyes closed the second my body made contact with the soft bed and I dozed off to la-la land within moments. I realized I’d fallen asleep when a sound from outside woke me up. I glanced at the digital clock sitting on top of the nightstand and noted it was midnight.
It took me a moment to realize what I was hearing. They were the unmistakable sounds of branches being rustled and foliage being disturbed.
Secrets of the Moon Page 8