Taken VIII
Mia L. Hazlett
8/23/2014
There were woods everywhere. Woods and no street lights. Dark and only my headlights. Trying to follow my husband was impossible. He pulled onto a slight gated dirtway. It wasn’t really a trail, nor a driveway or street. He parked and opened the gate. His taillights stopped shortly after he entered. He relocked the gate, but did not get back into his car. A small spot of light wavered in front of him from his flashlight.
I parked my car and stepped out. Crickets. Owls. Rustling leaves. A strange barking in the distance. The cacophony of the night hid my clumsy steps, as I tried to following my husband’s spot of light. I stumbled through the branches and hid behind a tree when I saw headlights coming through the trees. The lights scanned over a small cottage before the engine cut.
I didn’t see my husband any longer. The tree continued to give me cover. I’m not sure if I needed the tree, the pitch black did its own job. My eyes adjusted to the frame of a small cottage, but not much else. I heard a slight creak. It sounded like a door opening.
Footsteps. I heard running in the woods in front of me. I found another tree and hid behind it. The small spot of light returned and jumped up and down. It must have been my husband. But what was in that house? What would make my husband run? My husband ran from nothing.
Faintly I heard the sound of two vehicle engines starting. Had he found my car? Before I could turn and run for my car, I saw a speck of light in the cottage. There was someone in the house. I ran towards the light and fell. In my home, this would have been a mere thump. In this desolate place, it was a clap of thunder. The light quickly went out.
Copyright © 2014 Mia L. Hazlett
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