Dreams of the Sleepless

Stormy Night

Boom . . . crackle . . . sizzle . . . lightning strike . . . somewhere near. I was jolted from sleep . . . and the lightning was blinding! Lightning? Something wasn't right! The lightning didn't flicker. It was the light, THE LIGHT! Had to hurry! Made the window. Slipped the lock. Slid out as quietly as I could. I should have practiced this part. It was an awkward procedure. I slid the window closed as the light went out. Not much time. I found the trail behind the cabin and followed it for a few feet. Then I left the path circling around, struggling through the underbrush to get a view of the front of the cabin. Had to be slow. Had to be quiet. Thunder crashed and boomed ever closer. The sky was a mixing bowl of light and darkness. To the east, the crescent moon could be seen just above the tree line. To the north and west, black clouds heaved like a living, breathing thing. The lightning was an uncertain strobe against the low hung clouds.

I had managed to work my way to a point where I could see the front and the side of the cabin. A dark figure was slowly moving toward the door. I couldn't make out any detail and the lightning wasn't cooperating. At the door, the figure stooped near the lock. A few seconds later, the shadow stood and pushed against the door. I must not have wedged the chair solidly because I heard it clatter to the floor. Next, the shadow was swallowed by the blackness of the cabin doorway.

I continued moving slowly toward the front of the cabin until I was behind the Grovers so that I had a clear view of the door. There was still no visible movement.

Suddenly, light filled the cabin and spilled out the doorway into the clearing. The figure stood silhouetted in the backlight of the doorway. The figure seemed to be as startled by the light as I was. The shadow spun around to face the inside of the cabin, looked quickly left and right, spun back again to look out the doorway. I couldn't grasp what was happening until I heard a series of pops coming from my right near the top of the lane. The pops were accompanied by flashes of light, but not lightning. There was the sound of splintering wood. I looked back to the cabin and the shadow in the doorway had slumped to the ground. The pops continued, giving way to a series of clicks, no flashes.

It took me a few more seconds to figure it all out. A second person had triggered the motion sensor, bringing on the cabin light. For some reason, the second figure emptied his gun into the silhouette in the doorway. The clicking sounds came as he continued to pull the trigger with an empty magazine.

I tried to focus on this second figure, but his form blended into the shadows of the trees near the end of the lane. I saw movement, and then the shadowy figure cleared the trees. A bright flash of lightning followed by a loud bang lit up the clearing for a second. The shadowy monster had a face. It was Jeb. He was dressed in camo shirt and pants, no uniform. But if that was Jeb, who was the other shadow? I looked back at the cabin. I could just make out the figure prone on the ground. Jeb, again shrouded in darkness, came into the open. The moon cleared the clouds for just a moment. I could barely make him out. He had something in his left hand that he threw to the side as he strode toward the prone figure. He appeared to stumble as he moved forward. Jeb's shadow stood above the motionless figure. I was so confused. This must be another nightmare. Who was the other figure and why did Jeb shoot him?

Jeb jammed his pistol in his waistband, behind his back. He then leaned down and with both hands rolled the body over. He stood, a bit unsteady. Then he bent over, hands on knees to study the body. Having trouble seeing clearly in the dark, he knelt and brought his face closer to the face of the dark figure. His head shot backward. "Oh, Shit!" He brought his head down close again. "Shit! Shit! Shit!" His head came up again and swung from side to side as if he were looking for something. He stood up, turning slowly around searching the darkness. He left the body and wobbled to the cabin door. He disappeared inside. The cursing became louder. He stepped out of the blackness of the cabin, still scanning the clearing and surrounding trees.