Maggie Cartwright: Book 2 Man In The Window

Not Again

We got home while the sun was still setting and I dismounted, tying Cochise to the hitching post, then untying the rope from the his saddle horn. I led Shasta over to the paddock and put her in. Hoss made sure she had some hay and the water trough was full.

"She sure is a beauty, ain't she?" Hoss exclaimed.

"Yes, she is. Hopefully I can ride her tomorrow." I said as I watched her orange around, tossing her golden colored mane.

"Well, maybe. I don't know." Hoss said, watching her. The sun was pretty much down, leaving only a faint glow to the west.

"Hopefully pa and the boys should soon be getting home." Hoss said as we untied the horses from the hitching post and took them into the barn.

"Maggie, you let me untack. You wouldn't want to ruin you're dress, y'hear?" Hoss said, shoeing me away.

"Oh alright." I sighed, walking out of the barn. I went inside and heard a buggy and horses coming into the yard. They must have been home. I was sorta hungry, and I started walking towards the kitchen, when I looked out the window. My eyes widen, and my chest tightened. There he was again. He held the knife above his head, but this time, I could see his face. Or part of it. He smiled gruesomely at me, his eyes still black. My eyes wavered before I let out a shirk. I shrank back towards the wall, lunging for the door. I quickly opened it, almost falling as I ran out. Shasta was having a fit, rearing and let out shrieking whinnies.

"Maggie!" Joe yelled. I feel on me knees on the porch, clutching my chest as my breathing was cut short. My chest hurt as I gasped for breath, shaking like a leaf.

"She's having a panic attack." Adam said as Joe knelt in front of me.

"Maggie, Maggie, look at me. You're okay. What happened?" Joe asked. He never had much of an experience with this stuff. I still gasped for air, squinting my eyes shut.

"Maggie, look at me. Take a deep breath. In and out." Adam said, trying to regulate my breath. I tried slowing down my breath, but my urge to gasp for air was stronger.

"Maggie, deep breath, deep breath in." Adam continued saying until I could finally speak.

"What in the blazes happened in there?" Pa asked.

"It was him! He was back! At the dining room window!" I said as Joe helped me stand up.

"H-he held a knife above his head, and I could just barely make out his face. He smiled at me, so unnaturally, and his eyes were black. It was so inhuman, but I know he was there! Oh I hate this, I hate this!" I said as I started crying. Joe slowly held me against him as my shoulders shook.

"Let's go have a look around the house then. Hoss, get some lanterns from the barn." Pa sighed. Joe took me into the house, but I couldn't bring myself to look at the window. He sat me down on the sofa as I wiped my tears. Joe watched as Hoss, pa and Adam walked in front of the window, shaking their heads. Joe got lost deep into thought. What in the world was happening around there. Joe then noticed Shasta was still freaking out in the paddock. If a horse was spooking, that means it could have been true.

"Maggie, do you want to stay here, or come with me? I want to check on Shasta." Joe says to me.

"I'll come with you." I said. He stood up and we went outside to the paddock Shasta was in. She pranced around, not with pride this time, but with fear. The whites of her blue eyes showed, even in the dark. She was scared. I slowly went in the paddock, reached my hand out to her nose. I slowly calmed her down, glancing around at every corner and every dark shadowy spot.

"Let's go put her in the barn." Joe says, throwing a lasso around her neck. He led her out of the paddock, leading her into the barn. He put her in the empty stall between Cochise and Tulsa.

"Good girl. Easy there. You're okay." Joe said, stroking her muzzle softly. Joe ever so often glanced at me. I definitely was a bundle of nerves.

"Okay, let's go inside now." Joe said. We went inside to see my brothers and pa talking in feel conversation in the sitting area.

"Did you find any signs?" I asked. They all looked at each other, then pa shook his head.

"Not a single thing." He said. I looked to the floor, feeling ashamed.

"Well, why don't you go to bed?" Joe said, nodding towards the stairs.

"What if he is in my window?" I asked.

"Fine. I'll go up and check, and then you go to bed." Joe said. He quickly ran up the stairs. I waited until he returned a few minutes later.

"Nothing. Now of to bed." Joe said as he sat down on the sofa beside Adam.

"Night." I mumbled, going up the stairs. Joe was right. There wasn't a sign of him anywhere. I changed and got into bed, closing my eyes shut tightly.

~

"Boys, I just don't know what to do. Or what to think. We know someone is after Maggie, but if there really is someone there, why isn't there any signs of him?" Ben sighed, shaking his head.

"I don't know pa. I still want to believe that it's all in her head, but I don't know." Joe said quietly.

"I don't know either boys." Ben sighed, looking towards the window where Maggie was said to see the man.

"Whatever it was, imagination or real, she had a panic attack, which is something she rarely ever has, so it had to have been scary." Adam spoke.

"Yea, but we need to figure out what this man in the window is." Joe said, everyone agreeing with a nod.