The Yard Sale

                                                                               CHAPTER ONE

                                                                     SOFT SODDEN GROUND

Driving down the forever long road , finally I came upon THE YARD SALE......

As I drove into the uninviting overly weeded yard, it was as if to be uninhibited, not a soul in sight...I followed the length of stone thrown driveway with its wet rubble and bland character of decay...

Stepping out of my vehicle, I heard the sound of silence. I yelled " Is any one home ?" "Hellooooo....." My voice echoed among the barren trees and damp hollow birches . The smell of musty metals as I approached a porch another 30 feet away....

Stepping cautiously passed old tools in the like of sling blades from the late 1800's and chains that only Hercules could lift...I saw , finally a sign...YARD SALE....OUT BACK...

Attentive to the potential problems of lurking soft sodden ground and possibilities of sinking as if in quick sand, I am suddenly approached by the murmur of a low,grumbling deep voice beckoning..."Come in, this way...." The voice much like a Jack in the Box leaping at my surprise.

Looking up in unexpected wonderment I am suddenly, and without warning, starring at a mere simpleton. He looks not at me , but rather at the ground, waving me hither..."C'mon...this way, in here..." His hair has not looked to be washed in months, the dirty torn clothes he wore , the farmer jeans were faded and one strap hung off his shoulder,boots with worn padded souls,my first thought much similar to whom he looked to be.

Leaning to  one side he, mind you still looking not at me , but at the ground...he waved, once again, his hand in the air, dirt embedded nails that I thought I could smell with each curl of his cupped hand, waving me in...

"Oh...hello there, I was beginning to wonder if I was at the right house?" I say, quickly with a crackle to my voice.

Now, the one thing I neglected to mention, as I tell you my story is this...when the simpleton spoke his words..."COME THIS WAY" it was not so easy to decipher, for it took me five long minutes to understand...for they actually sounded more like this....' RUUAAAHHH...DAAA....WAAA"...."RUUAAAAHHH...DAA...WAA",  I figured the meaning by merely watching the flying motion of his garbage smelling hand...beckoning me closer..inside the tomb of a basement.

I hesitated, breathing hard to swallow some air at same time as gulping...not sure of the next step to take, either that of being one step closer or further. But as the saying goes, curiosity killed the cat.....I thought..I have but 9 lives still so why not...I took a step forward. "No turning back now" I thought to myself...." No, no turning back..."

Brave as I am always wanting adventure, I grasped my purse knowing I always carry mace and a knife...always....ummm that was until this day...of course I changed purses...the old one had my "specialties" in it..this one had only my wallet,lip balm and a lighter...and a few other non essentials.

Two steps forward now, the sun falling off my shoulders, the protection of the outdoors now gone as I bravely step past the unknown . my eyes meet his for a mere flicker, as if sending a sharp bolt of lightning thru my soul...I see hollow eyes of grey, one misshapen,dropping under swollen cheek, the other hidden by grease slicked bangs. Turning his gaze in my direction I see my reflection in his conformity, I feel my heart leaping wildly in my chest, for he then says smiling with brown tobacco stained teeth, all three of them that there were...

" Yauw...hoyda..here...ower here.." He then grabs my arm, to which I yank it furiously away....telling him " Please do not touch me...I see what you want me to see!"