The Blood-stained Deer

Chapter 1: Finding the Doe

Laying in my hospitable basement home, I couldn't help the feeling of unease creep through my spine and nerves. My ears twitched slightly as I sensed something was outside. But I was to not come upstairs, no matter what. Lest I be found out. He was the only one to know of my existence. The only one to feed me, to bathe me and to clothe me. I had the occasional outing outside when the weather was nice in the fall and summer. But today was different.

The tense air around the house was eerie. The footsteps were normal, breathing patterns, normal. Then why did I feel so off. I couldn't shake it as I lay, curled up under the covers. Most of my days were spent eating, sleeping or reading novels. Nothing that made too much noise. Suddenly, a shriek filled the room, like smoke rising to the ceiling. It was a disgusting choked scream until it faded. Someone was being pushed out of the house. But soon, more people entered the house.

I slowed my breathing and steadied myself. In hopes of hearing what had just occurred. "Garrett Jacob Hobbs, you are under arrest!" exclaimed a youthful young man, with authority lacing his words. But I also could tell there was more than just one stranger in this home. another pained filled gasp added to the vocal smoke and gunshots soon followed. A number counted to ten.

And then a deafening silence rang out. Someone was taken out of the house, but the dangerous strangers did not vacant the property. Sounds of emergency vehicles sounded outside the home and I cowered in my sheets.

"We have to check the entire premises." Said the man's voice, now softer as his footsteps sounded along the descending staircase. They passed by my bedroom at the beginning and my body tensed up as I knew my mind switched from 'Are they going to find me' to 'when will they find me'. My door was quickly opened, letting in light from the outside hallway.

"Will, we got someone here..." A masked man said as he shined a flashlight to my lump inside the bed. I brought up the covers to hide my face, and extra extremities. The other men left, by order of the other, as I saw only one man return to poke his head around the corner. He waved behind them, no doubt telling the others to back off as he slowly entered the room. He sat at the very end of the bed and looked at me cautiously.

"Are you okay, miss?" He asked, as softly as he could.

"Please don't look at them." I begged in a timid voice as I peaked out from the covers. They were still hidden by shadows of the dark room.

"Them? What do you mean by them?" he asked, as if he was talking to a kid who just said they had imaginary friends. "I won't. Now, can you come with me." He asked as he stood up and offered his hand.

Knowing I couldn't stay here on my own forever, I pushed back the sheets and swung my legs over the side of the bed. I walked towards the young man who had spoken to me, and in the light from the doorway, he saw clearly what I was trying to hide. But so, did other men from the hallway.

"What is that on her head?!" exclaimed a different man, as he gestured. The man I was standing beside, stood in front of me, shielding me from view. "None of our concern, for all we know, she has become an experimental object to the Hobbs." The man said in my defense.

On the young man's order, the men said nothing more of it and we left the house. I was seated in the backseat of a man's car whose name was Jack Crawford. Will, the young man who coaxed me out of bed, sat in front of me. I had to accompany them to a different cabin. Where bad things supposedly happened.

I was spared the act of going into the cabin as I watched from inside the car still as many FBI officers worked in and around the cabin. I was never told what was in there nor what transpired inside. Will did his best to quicken their work inside the one-roomed cabin.

Their work was done swiftly, finding evidence of someone tampering inside the cabin prior to their arrival. Jack returned to the car, but Will did not. Once situated in the driver's seat, Jack turned around and looked at me carefully.

"Since we just tore you away from the Hobbs's home, you shall come to mine, for now." Jack said with a smile.

I nodded in the back and stared out at the passing trees and scenery and watched as the trees turned to buildings and homes. We soon arrived at a gorgeous medium sized home. Jack left the car first and told me to wait in the car once more.

I took off my seat belt and rested my head down on the headrest of the car. I didn't really like the complete silence around me, but I wouldn't have to put up with it too long, as Jack soon returned with a young woman beside him, who I assumed was his wife.

The wife gently bent down and peered through the glass of the car door. She smiled and grew a sympathetic gaze to me as she opened the door. I did not move closer, nor farther from her. But soon she was coaxing me out of the car with a gentle hand and I was walking alongside the two into the home.

The entire time, Mrs Crawford never once made mention to my antlers. Which I was very thankful of. I was fed a proper meal before my eyes were threatening to fall like anchors. Jack smiled a little and helped me to a spare bedroom.