Summer Patrol

Nighttime patrols are a refreshing change from the mundane.

The night’s breeze tousled her hair, carrying the scent of the summer’s heat. She was tired from the long day’s swelter, but the refreshing night held the promise of renewed energy. As she passed the stone buildings, her boots upon the gravel path filled the air with soft, rhythmic music. It was all these simple elements around her that she wondered if it was more than her imagination that she felt magic in the air.

The girl was filled with whimsy and returned to her thoughts of her tasks at hand. With the prospect of only a few more hours until sunrise, the girl began conducting checks around the perimeter and the buildings cradled in its fencing. The moon shone a brilliant light from its full orb. Its natural light proved fruitful in these wee hours of the morning.

Thus far, she had not found anything of note and soon fell into a casual walk around the buildings. A stalky cat shot from the thick grass, and a roly-poly raccoon waddled off into the darkness with a few morsels of fruit tucked into his cheeks. He paused only for a moment to take note of her before disappearing into the night.

They are probably taking some old fruit from the kitchen’s dumpsters to feed on in private.

The next building provided much of the same: all doors and windows secure. On occasion, a young youth would wave from his bedroom window as she passed, startled at first and then amused when he recognized the young, female officer.

Building after building, she secured. Nothing exciting. Nothing out of the ordinary.

Two more buildings.

Second-to-last, the building, shied away from the moon’s brilliant light. As the girl circled its exterior, she had to squint her eyes for better vision. She nearly missed the praying mantis on one of the window’s ledges and squatted down to get a better look at the creature. She had never seen one in person before and fell into awe at the insect. Both bug and girl admired the other for a moment. She smiled and wished him a pleasant evening.

Upon her trek to the last building, the night proved that it had more than moon and patrols.

Wiping the small streak of sweat beading on her forehead, the girl released a sigh of relief at the last building in sight. Although the patrol had proved whimsical and tantalized childlike curiosity, the girl began to feel parched, and a much-deserved break was being coveted. As her feel left the gravel and landed upon solid concrete, she felt a sense of accomplishment in her strides.

But as the front door of the building came into view, something moved.

A dark object flew across the ceiling light of the building, casting the entrance to the building into complete shadow before disappearing into the dark wall. The girl paused and felt her heartbeat bang in her ears.

What was that?!

Her steps took up after a moment but with caution. Every step created scenarios of monsters or ghosts in the girl’s mind. She tried to rationalize that there had to be a rational explanation for the shadow, but fear and anxiety bubbled in her core as she approached the building. Taking a deep breath, she breached the building entrance and released a relieved laugh.

Opposite the main door, a bench was positioned by a wall. And a tall and beautiful barn owl sat perched on the bench. He did not seem surprised at her approach and even titled his head in her direction. Feeling equal parts relieved and silly, the girl greeted the owl before beginning the check of the building. Until she was out of sight, the owl turned his head to follow her. To her delight, the owl was still waiting for her when she came around the building once more and approached the front door.

Her visit inside the building to check with the workers was short, and when she was ensured that everything was running smoothly, she exited the building. The owl still stood there and tilted his head at her.

“Still here, I see,” she smiled at the bird, close enough to examine the beautiful blend of colors in his feathers. With a final salutation, the girl headed to her original post in the main building. But a few feet from the building, she heard the whoosh of a bird taking flight and the beautiful screech of his farewell as he took back to the skies.