Old Man Red's Barn

Edith and Rozelynne were two ordinary girls, living in the very ordinary town of Woodbury, Tennessee, where the leading cause of death among adolescents was boredom. As summer faded into a distant memory, the girls prepared to start junior high at the local middle school. They were neighbors on Hillcrest Lane, a quiet street tucked away in their sleepy little town. They loved to walk to the Five and Dime, wade in the creek, and watch movies at the cinema; the only place they were forbidden to go was Old Man Red’s barn.

Rumor had it that the barn was haunted. Red had used it for years to slaughter the pigs he raised, hauling the carcasses up to the rafters, bellies cut open with entrails ripped out and laying on the floor. The blood flowed from the lifeless animals like unyielding rivers and it could be smelled all the way from the town square to the outlying highways.

A few years ago Red’s wife had died in that barn. She fell from the loft one night; no one would say it in public, but the town was rife with whispers that it had been no accident. Some said she was pushed and now haunts that barn. All of the children in the town knew to steer clear of Red’s property. He was not a kind man and not the sort of man that should be around children at all.

One night Edith and Rozelynne were out playing as children do. They were running through the fields chasing after fireflies when they came to Red’s barn.

“Betchya it’s haunted,” said Edith.

“Oh I know it is,” replied Rozelynne.

“Go in and take a look around.”

“No way!”

“Give you a quarter..”

“You don’t have that kind of money.”

“Got it right here,” Edith pulled the coin out from her pocket and held it out, “Got it from grand dad for my birthday. I always wanted to know what was in there. If the stories were true. Money well spent if you ask me.”

"You know we aren’t supposed to go over there."

“I’ll keep a lookout no one will ever know."

"All right then."

"Well get going and be quick about it we don’t have all night."

Edith reluctantly walked into the barn. ‘It was dark, drafty, and smelt of dried blood. She saw a table bench and hooks from the ceiling where the pigs used to be slaughtered. She walked up stairs to the loft and peered out the second floor window at Rozelynne. Edith looked up at her and gestured for her to come down. All of the sudden Edith heard wood cracking and Rozelynne disappeared from sight with a scream.

"Help! Help! Anybody. Please! Help us!" Edith screamed out.

Red came running from his house. He didn’t even acknowledge Edith; he just ran into the barn carrying a lantern. He climbed the uneasy staircase and rescued Rozelynne from where the floorboards had snapped beneath her.

“What were you thinking you stupid child!”

“I’m sorry Mr. Red we never should’ve been here.”

“This barn is no playground. What were you doing on my land?”

“It was a dare. A stupid, stupid dare.” Edith was crying and Red took pity on her.

“Come with me I’ll make you two some tea.”

They walked back to the farm house and sat at the kitchen table.

“People have always had questions about that barn. Ever since…” his words trailed off as he swallowed hard and a tear came to his eye. “Ever since I lost my wife. You see I was out in the barn working and she came to call me for dinner. I asked her to go up into the loft to fetch me a tool I needed. She was pregnant but we had not told anyone yet. We had lost babies before that one and we were scared she might not ever be able to carry to term. It was dark and she lost her footing and fell down the stairs. I called for the doctor immediately but there was nothing they could do. She had lost the baby and bled out from it.”

“That’s awful,” Edith spoke softly and placed her hand on Red’s arm.

“We never knew.” Added Rozelynne, “If we had we…” Red looked back with knowing eyes, and took a handkerchief with the letter R embroidered on it to blot the tears coming from his eyes.

“Maybe it’s finally time to tear that old barn down, sell this place, and get out of the pig farming business. I have a cousin in Nashville that runs a tavern. He says he’s had trouble finding a reliable manager. Only reason I haven’t yet is because I can still feel my wife’s spirit here. I’m scared that if I leave her spirit won’t come with me. But why am I telling you two about this? You shouldn’t trouble yourselves about the worries of an old man.”

“We don’t mind, do we Edith?”

“No, not at all.”