The Night Owl

The barn owl gazed in the hayloft window gazed curiously on the woman creeping surreptitiously from the small white house.

Dusk hung in the air with expectation. Soon it would be time for the owl to spread wings and hunt.

The woman held a stuffed bag close to her side. Head ducked down, she made her way quietly to a dark car. A clicker pinged and locks popped open. Hastily she opened the door and threw the bag into the front. Her flannel sleeve caught on the door lock as she jumped in. Frantically she tugged at her sleeve, impatience causing it to rip. A curse whispered forcefully caused the owl to blink and cock it's head.

Engine turning over. Another try. A 'brrrring' noise as the engine finally hummed into life. The woman shut the door quietly. From inside the car, a repetitive ding ding ding indicated a door improperly closed.

The door of the small house opened and a man exited. Standing and looking around, he spotted the car with engine running and lights on. He half jogged to the car, slamming his hands against the door as the woman engaged reverse.

The car jerked, causing the man to stumble back. He ran toward the car again and grabbed at the door handle. Futilely he yanked at the locked door and followed the car at a half trot, then a run, as it accelerated. The partially closed door sprung open.

The man was shouting as he reached into the front seat for the woman, grabbing at her as she stomped on the accelerator and shifted to Drive. The woman screamed as he buried a fist in her thick hair and yanked hard. Her grip on the steering wheel failed and she fell out, half in and half out of the car as the man cursed and dragged at her.

The car slowed down, turned toward the left when the woman's hand was dragged off the rim. It hit the man on his hip and knees causing him to stagger.

He fell to the dusty drive, hand still in the woman's hair, pulling her down with him. The woman jerked away, leaving a fistful of hair in the man's clutching hand and scrambled to her feet. She jumped back in the car and slammed the door. The accelator was pushed to the floor in her frantic attempt to escape. She bumped over the man with front and back wheels.

She slammed the car to a stop, intermittently sobbing and moaning. Shuddering she got out of the car and examined the man's body. . He was unconscious, his chest shattered and uneven.

The barn owl was disturbed by the noise and scuffling. It flapped over to a treetop just behind the house. It could still see and hear what was happening but felt safer in the tree.

The woman was engaging in curious activity; she dragged the man's body into the trunk of the car with much grunting and cursing. The body slid into the trunk from the rim with a heavy plopping noise. The man was no longer breathing.

The woman started sobbing and saying softly 'god, oh god....' as she got into the car. Starting up she drove through the pasture behind the barn. The dry ground was rough and the car bounced over ruts and rocks. She headed to the woods.

The barn owl had amazing vision but couldn't follow the car as it disappeared deep into the woods on a primitive road. It heard the engine and even caught the faint sounds of the woman crying.

The car engine stopped; there was the sound of a car door opening, then an unlocking sound. The sound of something heavy being moved with great effort, with whispered curses and grunts. A thump. The sounds of branches being dragged around.

A humming, rattling sound indicated the car coming back from the woods. The headlights disappeared as the woman drove out of the pasture and turned onto the county road in the direction of the highway.

The owl smelled prey. Wings unfurled and beat with powerful strokes as it headed to the bounty resting under the canopy of branches.