Open doors

The Only Part

After waiting all night we was greeted (met, approached) by nothing, It's there but not. It sounds like Ma and Sim but no one at the same time. I was confused and uneasy from the anxiety of waiting but excited to be finally free. I broke the silence and had said, low and up front. "I'm ready, the children will be coming' too, I don't want' em living like a caged-up animal," I scoffed and glared in the direction of Pa's bed chambers. But the thing remains quiet.

The night prolongs and feels like it had been hours, but there's no sign of the sun rising. The children had been asleep for what seemed like an eternity. The outside is quiet, not a sound can be heard, not the mule, the dogs, or the creature of the night. "Why have you been in my ears every night, what do you want to tell me, why do you want me to follow you outside at night!" I said and gasped (choked, gulped) for air and shook my head before continuing. "What are you, and why is Pa so anxious about me baring the shutters and doors every night," But the same, the creature remains silent.

My head filled with nothing but more questions. I stopped and closed my eyes, and I reopened em. There stood before me was a being that had the appearance of Ma sickly hunched over. She smelled rancid ( putrid, tainted) and deathly (appalling, deathly) Looking closer there was part of her body that took the form of an animal. One of her feet turned to hooves and her left eye appears to be that of a wild animal. But when she had spoken she had the voice of Sim and Ma. But it had only said the same thing. Telling me to open up and come to em.

Giving in to the curiosity I left the kids and walked out the door dropping the ring of keys at front of the door. My feet blister and bleed from the rough hardwood floor. I followed the creature deep into the forest where even the moon's light couldn't seem to brighten. It was almost like my eyes weren't even open, but still, I kept walking deeper and deeper until it was like I was walking on clouds. A soft feeling on my body and my mind. My body stopped as I saw Ma and Sim plus the under kids I had left behind and also off in the distance I could see the Widow Range and some others that had a face which I didn't recognize. Ma's hand reached out to mine and pulled me in for a hug and said "Welcome to the land of the free," Putting my guard down I was rushed with an overflow of emotions and I couldn't help but cry (sob, weep), And say "I'm home Ma!" She then guided me to an old beating-up shack where there was a hatch in the middle of the small room after lifting it up and opening it. I took a step to look inside this dark grimy opening and I was pushed inside.

Later that eve, Pa who had been at the church talking with Pedre all night. Started his trackback, to the house where he was greeted by the bodies of everyone who has died or disappeared. And all together they said "Welcome home Pa! " and a black dog grabbed him by the leg and dragged him into the forest. The priest Pedre was later found dead inside the church with the front door being broken and scratched up almost as a bear had done it. The family remains missing with only the footsteps of a young girl walking into the forest the only clue to where they all went.