A Rendezvous at the Old Red Barn

Part I. Jane

With each agonizing step, blood seeps from my wound, and trickles onto the dry dirt.

Come on Jane, it's right there, maybe 50 more steps.

You've come this far.

Don't stop now.

My torso burns, and my legs nearly collapse from under me, but I lug myself forward until I reach the colossal barn door.

Using my last ounce of strength, I yank the rusty wood door sideways, and let my eyes adjust to the cavernous space, spot a storage room stocked with hay bales, and limp towards my makeshift bed for the night.

I choke on thick specs of dust, and barely manage to avoid the fresh horse manure corroding the floor.

As the moonlight slips through a small broken window, I lie down on the dusty concrete floor resting my head on a patch of hay.

Okay Jane, you've got to get up early; no one can know you are here.

And clean up the blood, there can't be a single trace, but for now…

For now, get some sleep.

Part II. David

EEEEERRRRR. The rumble of a tractor breaks the empty silence of the farm.

Shit. That has to be Jim.

As I cower behind a large oak tree, wracking my brain for a valid excuse, Jim's raspy voice howls, "You know I can see your fat ass hiding behind that tree."

I shrug, step out into the clearing, and make myself completely visible.

"Top of the mornin to ya, Jim."

"Your Pops would be pissed if he knew you were waking up late when he's not here. Get your lazy ass to the barn, start cleaning those stalls, and then load up some mulch."

I chuckle, "Aye Aye captain."

"And don't forget to lock up when you finish."

I salute Jim, and continue towards the barn.

As I trudge closer, I notice a trail of red puddles leading up to the barn.

Is that blood?

I lean down, and dip my finger in the pool of dark liquid.

I shrug. Damn wolves probably got a chicken or something.

As I slide open the rusty barn door, the trail of blood continues towards the back of the barn.

Oh, shit. Did the wolves get one of the horses? Better not be Comet, she's got a big race coming up. Pops would murder me.

Fearing the culprit could still be lurking in the barn, I grab a pitchfork, and follow the trail of blood.

"AAAAAACCCCHOOOOO."

My heart nearly jumps out of my chest.

What was that?

"Is somebody here?"

Silence.

As I creep forward, the pools of blood keep getting bigger and bigger.

"Whoever you are you better come out right now."

A voice whispers, "Shit."

"YOU KNOW I CAN HEAR YOU! COME OUT RIGHT THIS SECOND!"

No response.

Cautiously rounding the corner of the storage room, I cock back the pitchfork ready to strike, lunge forward and…

I stop.

A sallow girl, with her auburn hair matted to her head, leans against a hay bale, clutching her side.

"What the hell?"

As she turns, her vibrant sapphire eyes glow.

Wait… I know those eyes.

"Jane, is that you? What are you doi - "

She lifts a finger to her mouth, "Sssshhhhh, no one can know I am here."

"Why are you here? What happened?"

Fumbling for her words, she replies, "I - I'll leave ri - right now," and as she stands up, she immediately groans, grabs her waist, and comes tumbling back to the floor.

Without hesitation, I race for the first aid kit, and reassure her, "Just rest here, Pop is gone, and I'll keep our farm hand, Jim away. No one will know you are here."

She mutters softly, "Thank you," before falling back into a deep slumber.

Part III. Jane

My stomach growls while the sweet cinnamon tickles my tongue as I devour the last piece of french toast.

David chuckles, "Hungry eh? You always loved breakfast for dinner."

My face reddens, "Shut up."

Grasping a bottle of rubbing alcohol, David marches towards me, and declares, "Okay, now let's clean up that wound."

"No it's fine rea - "

"Jane, that wound is crazy deep. We gotta clean it, or it will get infected."

"Fine, make it quick."

Towering over me, David proclaims, "Okay, on the count of three. One. Two."

"AAAAAAAHHHHH."

I taste his salty sweat as his pudgy hand covers my mouth.

"I thought you said on three."

"Anticipation makes it worse."

"Asshole."

While my wound burns, David retreats, and moments later, returns with a shabby radio.

"How bout some music?"

"David, are you an idiot? No one can know I'm here."

David turns smiling, and snickers, "Don't worry, Jim went to his cabin for the night; he won't hear us."

"No, David. We can't risk it."

Ignoring me, David crouches down, fiddles with the radio's nozzles, and the radio starts to cackle as it searches for a signal, then a sweet sound begins humming out, "Yeah I'm freee. freeeeee fallin…"

A warm sensation surges through my chest.

"This was our song."

Standing above me, David replies, "How could I forget?" 

Offering me his hand, he begs, "One dance. Come on."

I concede, grab his squishy outstretched hand, gingerly stammer to my feet, and latch onto his hips.

We sway back and forth, a rush of adrenaline flows through me, the pain subsides, and I can't help but smile.

As the song comes to a close, David leans in, and brushes my lips with his.

We lower ourselves to the ground, and I rest the entire weight of my body on top of his, succumbing to lost emotions.

Shocking us back to reality, a voice from the radio announces, "Breaking news."

My heart begins pounding. Oh, shit.

"Authorities are looking for a woman suspected of murder. Suspect has auburn hair, is five foot six, approximately 115 pounds, and is said to be wounded…"

Instantly, David pulls away and leaps back to his feet.

Now glaring at me, David demands,"You need to tell me what the hell is going on."

Part IV. Jane

My voice breaks as I fire back, "I swear I didn't do it."

Collecting himself, David resolves, "I believe you, but you can't run from this."

After taking a deep breathe, he continues, "Comet has a race on Saturday; she will win. Fastest racehorse I've ever seen. She's a sure thing. We can use that money to get you a lawyer, and clear your name."

Enraged, I cry out, "David, you don't understand. Dangerous people are after - "

A raspy voice intervenes and echoes from the front of the barn, "David what in the hell is up with all the racket!"

Our eyes lock, and David grumbles, "Uh oh, that's Jim."

Part V. David

With his arms crossed, gnawing on a wad of chaw, Jim shoots me a death stare.

"What the hell is going on? You're waking up late, causing a raucous in the middle of the night, there's still horse shit covering the floor, and why the hell is all this blood here?"

My heart pounds, this is not good, should I tell him about Jane? No. I can't. His boy scout ass would surely report her. Think fast, think fast, David.

Jim commands, "Speak. I need answers."

"A wolf got in the barn, and tore up one of the horses. I've been cleaning up the carcass before the maggots hit."

"Damnit boy. Did you really forget to lock up you entitled lazy…"

"Yep, I'm sorry. I fucked up."

The anger fades from Jim's voice, and as tears well up in his eyes, Jim pleads, "Which one, please tell me it's not Com - "

"It was Harold, Jim, Comet is all good, don't worry."

A tear slides down Jim's face.

He hesitates, stuttering on his own words, "O - okay. Old Harold has been lethargic and limping around for a bit, didn't have much left in the tank. Your Pops will be pissed, but as long as it's not Com - "

I wrap my arm around his ropey shoulder.

"It's all good Jim. Comet is all good."

Part VI. Jane

"I held off Jim, we are in the clear, but we got a situation to handle."

"What's that?"

With an emotionless scowl, David lugs me to my feet, and leads me out of the storage room, to the horse stalls at the back of the barn.

Four horses peer over the blue gates, neighing as we inch closer.

I reach out my hand rubbing the top of one's light blonde muzzle, "Hi there. This Comet? The fast one?"

Nodding in acknowledgment, David turns, looks me in the eye, points to a thin buckskin horse, and mumbles, "This one here is Harold. We gotta put him down. I'll do the dirty work, but you gotta hold his reins, and muzzle him up so Jim don't hear his wails."

Feeling a stabbing sensation in my gut, and nearly vomiting, I choke out, "What are you kidding?"

"I wish I was."

"Couldn't we just shoot him?"

"Nope. Too loud, and I said a wolf tore him up."

"Bbb - bu - but there's gotta be someth - "

David cuts me off, "Nope," and then unsheathes a foot long machete from his waist.

Part VII. Jane

Covered in blood, with traumatized empty eyes, David trembles as he heads into the horse showers.

As the blood disappears down the drain, I hobble towards him, my torso aching again, and place my head on the crevice of his neck.

With tears pouring down his face, David whimpers, "I can't believe I just did that."

"Oh David," I reach out my hand nudging his chest, "You saved me; that means the world."

He turns gazing into my eyes, and pleads, "Will you please promise to stay. We'll figure things out together. I promise. You are safe here."

"I promise."

"I'm going to crash for the night. I'll bring you clean clothes, and food tomorrow."

"Okay."

While David begins trudging towards the door, I blurt out, "David."

He freezes in place, and without turning around, grunts,"Yes, Jane."

"I love you."

He pauses, still paralyzed.

"I love you too, see you tomorrow."

Part VIII. David

Wielding a tray of scrambled eggs, and a couple slices of bacon, I sneak out into the clearing.

Gnats hover around me in the moist air, and the sun hides; still hours away from rising.

After ensuring the coast is clear, I sprint across the clearing towards the barn.

Still huffing and puffing, I kick out my foot and slide the barn door open.

As I march towards Jane's makeshift room, butterflies sweep through my chest, and I smile.

Together again. This time we can have our happy ending.

As I inch closer, I call out softly, "Jane, how'd you sleep? Got you some breakfast."

Then, as I turn the corner, I notice that the room is empty.

Confused, I set the tray down, and head back towards the horse stalls.

My heart drops.

The gate of Comet's stall hangs open, and Comet is nowhere in sight.