THE UNDERTAKER and other Macabre Tales

THE WATCHER

The first time James saw it was on his way home from work. He was driving around the bend on Silver Lake Road, just before his house came into view. It was just standing there. Right by the stone wall that lined his property. He hardly noticed it at first. People often went for walks along the road. The road was pretty. Who wouldn't want to go for a walk? James thought. After all, it was his property. If people wanted to admire it, he couldn't blame them. He'd fallen in love with it too.

James drove right by the thing without a second thought. It was only after he pulled into his driveway and got out of the car that he realized it was just standing there, watching him. James watched the figure in the distance for a moment before heading inside, casting it from his mind. He figured the man was just admiring his house. And who wouldn't want to admire it? It was a beautiful house.

James had bought that house nine years ago, when it was half the price it would sell for now. A majestic mansion overlooking an endless expanse of one of the best views that Springhill, Connecticut had to offer. There wasn't another house in either direction for a mile or so. Just green forest, and a small field directly across the street from James' two acre yard. And that was just in the front of the house. In the back he had a full size in ground pool that was the pride of his summers. Anne, James' wife, had never wanted one. But James had promised that he would take care of it. And he had, Anne had never touched a drop of chlorine for as long as they had lived here. He would take care of the pool, and she would walk her dog. That was the agreement.

James walked inside, set down his bag, and greeted Anne with a kiss. Life was going well for them. Better now than it had in recent years. James was a lawyer, and he enjoyed his work. It was mentally stimulating. Kept him busy. And it paid the bills. Who could ask for anything more? Now that their house was paid off, he and Anne were even thinking about starting a family. Thinking being the operative word here. Kids were a big commitment.

Anne sliced vegetables on the countertop. James leaned back against the opposite wall, watching her. Anne coyly turned, catching onto James' lustful glances. "What are you looking at?"

James snapped out of it, returning the smile "Just you. Anything I can do to help?"

"No. Just don't ruin your appetite."

"Noted." James tried to be helpful. That was how you kept a marriage healthy. You help. He went into the living room and plopped down on the couch. The Red Sox game wasn't going to start for another hour, so he flipped through the channels, eventually landing on a Fixer Upper House show. He'd always liked houses. In another life, he figured, maybe he'd have been an architect.

James grew bored, and his eyes eventually wandered out the large window facing the street. That's when he saw it. That thing. Standing right where it had been before. Watching him from the street. What the hell was that guy's problem? It was cute before. Now it was getting weird. James debated about how to react. Maybe the man would just go away. Maybe he could go and talk to him. But what if the guy was some crazy person? He could call the police. But that seemed extreme. James was raised to believe a man had to try and handle things on his own. Emergency services were for exactly that. Emergencies.

James stood up and pulled the curtains closed, deciding to leave the man alone. People were usually good intentioned, James decided, even if the guy was being a little invasive.

At dinner James was silent. He picked at his salad. Anne was making a lot of salads lately. A diet she was trying out. James didn't mind. He'd never been picky about his food. Except for right now. Right now he was very picky.

"Everything alright?"

"Oh. Yeah."

"Do you like the salad?"

"Yeah. I love it. I guess I'm just not very hungry."

Anne watched him for a minute trying to read his mind. James grew uncomfortable under her strong gaze.

"What?"

"What's on your mind?"

"Nothing."

"Is it really nothing? Or do you just not want to tell me?"

"I just don't want to tell you."

"Tell me." Anne could be so persuasive.

"No." James could be so stubborn.

Anne stood up. For a moment James was afraid she was going to press the issue, but she just smiled, removing his plate from in front of him. "Fine. No dessert for you."

The game that night was a no hitter. Sale was on fire. It was a good thing for the Sox, but it made the game drag. James couldn't enjoy it anyways, his mind kept wandering to the curtain. Wondering if that thing was still out there. He couldn't take it anymore. He stood up and looked through the curtain.

Sure enough, there it was. A dark shadow against the setting sun.

Anne walked in wearing her pajamas. "What are you looking at?" She asked.

Might as well come clean. "Come here for a second." James beckoned Anne over to the window. "You see that thing on the road?"

Anne squinted. She looked all around, really trying to see whatever it was James was pointing to. "No. What?"

"That thing. That man. At the end of our yard. He's just standing there watching us."

Anne looked again, her face empty. "I don't see it."

James was getting frustrated. "What do you mean you don't see it? It's right there!" James looked again just to be sure. The thing was standing there, just like it always was. "It's been standing there ever since I got home."

Anne looked at James with concern. "Well I don't see it."

"Well then you need glasses."

"Don't talk to me that way. Maybe you need a shrink."

Anne left it at that. James wasn't going to follow her. It wasn't worth it. He looked at the thing one more time. Then closed the curtain. Maybe he was making too big a deal out of it. Sometimes the eyes could play tricks on the mind. He turned the game off. It was over anyways.

CONTINUED IN NEXT PART...