A crisp fall breeze tousled my hair, sending chills down my spine as my footsteps crunched on the gravel path that led from my car to the front door. In the twilight, the white siding of the old farmhouse stood in stark contrast to the trees in their autumn shades of orange and yellow. The rolling pastures, yellowing in the cooler weather, stretched out behind the house, broken up by the two barns on the property and the tree line that stretched from the house.
"Jenna!" Rachel bounded down the steps followed by her boyfriend, Alex. When Rachel released me from her hug, Alex enveloped me and took my overnight bag.
"Welcome," he said. "Everyone else is inside."
I followed the pair in the screen door, grateful to have shelter from the cool that was descending with the fall twilight.
"Jenna!" A pair of male voices chimed from the kitchen.
"Finally," Brian said. His bright red hair was tucked under his baseball hat, and his thick flannel and boots did not suggest comfy weekend by the fireplace that I was hoping for. He lit a flashlight and held it under his chin. The light casted long, dark shadows under his eyes, and he lowered his voice to a deep whisper. "We are starting annual fall break weekend with some flashlight tag. Every man for himself. No boundaries until the property line fence."
"I told you man, my parents said use the house only." Alex entered and swiped the flashlights from the kitchen counter.
"That means there is all sorts of trouble to be had out there, stuff they don't want us to find."
"Exactly," Rachel said, hands on her hips. "Like holes or wild animals or dangerous farm equipment they haven't had a chance to remove."
"It's cold," I added. "I'm putting on PJ pants and spending the weekend playing card games by the fire."
"Suit yourselves." Brian walked toward the door. "But, before you descend into comfort, you may want to find me. It will put your minds at ease."
The screen door screeched open and slammed with a bang. Alex ran to the door to catch him, and I rolled my eyes. "Always with the drama."
I moved my duffel into the bedroom and changed, but when I came back to the kitchen, only Nolan was there.
"What the heck?" I asked.
"Alex said Brian took off before he could catch him." Nolan shrugged. "Then he said he had to show Rachel the upstairs bedroom."
"Seriously?!" He didn't even strain himself with that excuse. "What happened to card games by the fire?"
"I'll play card games with you, Jen. Just grab--"
A male scream of pain made my stomach curl in on itself. "Where was that from?"
"That was outside," Nolan said. His head flicked from the door to the stairs and back.
"Go get Alex."
"I'm not interrupting them. It's just Brian screwing with us. He's mad no one has come out after him yet."
"You're right. Let's start cards."
We moved toward the plush rug by the fire.
Smack! A crash of wood on wood rang through the air.
"What was that?" I heard my heartbeat in my eardrums.
Smack!
Goosebumps ran up my arms.
"That could be anything."
"We need to find Brian," I said. "Four is a better search party than two. Will you get them now?"
"Fine." Nolan trudged to the stairs but halted when the male howl came again. His eyes widened as he took the stairs two at a time.
I returned to the kitchen, scrambling for the flashlights that Alex confiscated. Drawer after drawer after drawer in time with my speeding heart. Where were they?
Nolan reappeared. "They aren't up there."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean there are only empty rooms."
"This is some sick joke. Flashlights are gone too. When I find Brian, I swear. Come on!"
But the palpations in my chest belied the courage that I portrayed leading my friend into the cool darkness.
Each one of my steps echoed with one from behind me. The shadows enveloped us with each step away from the house. This shadowy air was thinner. Or I was having trouble catching my breath.
Holy crap, it was dark out here. I felt like we should be yelling for Brian or Alex or Rachel, but my voice was stolen by the night.
I led the way to the looming silhouette of the barn and stopped just inside the door. In the night, the farm equipment lining the barn made it look like some medieval torture chamber. For all I knew, it might be. What were we doing here? Why did I leave the house for the cool, pitch black night?
"This is the stupidest thing we've ever done." I whispered to Nolan. Who should've been to my left. But he was not.
"Nolan?!" He wasn't there. My heart beat at an unnatural rate.
A shadow darted across my periphery. A tree rustled to my left. Another shadow to my right. No. I was seeing things.
I spun on my heel and ran away from the barn. No, no, no.
This wasn't real.
My feet weren't moving right. I stumbled but regained a quick pace. My breathing wasn't fast enough.
I watched the trees on my one side. I scanned the fields on the other. Was no movement better? Did I want to see a shadowy shape? Where did they go?
My footsteps gained speed. At least I thought those were mine. Was someone following me?
What would I find at the house? Should I even go back? I could't stay out here alone.
My feet found gravel then the stairs. And I collapsed through the screen door.
My breathing. My heart. I couldn't even focus my eyes but they adjusted.
"What the heck happened to you?"
All four friends sat, at the fire, cards in hand looking at me like I had lost my mind. And maybe I had.
