The Barn Portal

THE BARN PORTAL

“LEO!”

They had been looking for hours and Leo was still nowhere to be found.

“Mom, what if something bad happened to him? What if someone took him?”

It was dark outside but the worry in Brie’s voice was very obvious. She was right, either one of those things could have happened. Andie wasn’t sure what to do. They were standing in the middle of a field she had never been in before, barely knowing where they were. It was the middle of the night. The fog was thick and it was very difficult to see. The air was damp, holding an eerie feeling all around them. Leo was not just her daughter’s canine. He was her best friend. Her biggest confidant and her number one playmate. He had never done anything like this before. He would never leave Brie’s side, especially for so long. If he had heard the call, she was sure he would come running. Where was he? What had happened to him?

Andie sighed in exasperation. “I just don’t know what to do honey. Maybe he is back home, waiting for us. He probably just got caught up in his own adventure. I am sure he will return as soon as he realizes he went further than he thought. Maybe once the fog clears, it will be easier for all of us to find our way.”

“Hey! What’s that?”

Andie looked to see what her daughter was pointing towards. There was a large dark shadow in front of them. It seemed to only be a few feet away. She wondered how they had not seen it before. Maybe the fog was starting to lift a bit. She heard thunder.

She shook her head. “I don’t know. It looks like a building of some kind. I don’t hear anything. It seems to be really still. Maybe it’s an old abandoned barn or something.”

“Maybe Leo is in there!”

Andie was thinking the same thing. Maybe he had somehow gotten himself stuck in there. Leo was a boxer. The truth was, no matter how well trained, they did seem to have a habit of getting themselves into some very precarious situations.

She nodded her head. “You’re right. He could be in there.”

Andie cautiously walked over to the mysterious structure looming before them. As she got closer, she could smell the damp wood. There were two oversized doors closed in front of her. It was a barn. She put her hand on one of the doors, Brie was standing beside her.

“Wait,” instructed Andie. “Let me look first. Stay quiet as I slowly open the door. Watch out for bats…or anything else that might be running about.”

“Okay,” agreed Brie. She was scared but she was more concerned about finding her dog than being defeated by her own fear.

Andie carefully opened one of the doors. She peaked her head inside. It was dark but you could feel the vastness of the space. The air was damp and filled with the aroma of old wood and musty hay.

“Mom, it’s starting to rain.”

“Let’s head inside but stay close.”

The girls entered the barn, closing the doors behind them. A flash of lightening shot through the sky and a loud clap of thunder filled the air. Brie jumped away from the doors, falling into the barn. Andie slid the door shut and it was dark again. They could hear the pounding if the rain outside. She turned towards her daughter.

“We are safe from the storm in here. Just give your eyes a few minutes to adjust.”

She pulled a flashlight out of her pocket. “I am going to turn my flashlight on. Obviously there is a lot of hay in here but I don’t know what else we may find. I am pretty sure it has been abandoned for quite some time. But we don’t know how long this barn has been just sitting here and what has decided to take residency or claim as its own shelter. Are you okay?”

Brie was standing up now, brushing hay and dirt off her clothes. “Do you think Leo could be in here?”

Andie scanned the barn with her flashlight. She was right. Bales of hay were scattered about, mostly broken up with a few randomly still held together with baling twine. There did not appear to be any other movement. The only sounds she could hear were that of the storm brewing beyond the weather-beaten walls surrounding them.

“I don’t know, maybe.”

Brie couldn’t stand it. She just wanted her companion back by her side.

“Leo!”

They both stood silent, desperately hoping to hear something to indicate his presence. Andie noticed something was odd but she just couldn’t quite figure out what it was.

“Don’t you think it feels…different in here?”

“All I know is that my dog is missing and it’s storming like crazy outside. What if he is out there somewhere, all alone in this mess?” Brie was starting to hit panic mode.

Andie walked over and put an arm around her. “Sweetie, I know you’re scared and you are worried about Leo. But you know as well as I do, how smart he is. If he’s not back home I am sure he has found a nice dry shelter to wait it out in.” She let out a little chuckle to lighten the mood. “You know as well as I do he is way smarter than the two of us.”

Brie laughed. “True. He will probably have to be the one to come and find us!”

Suddenly she heard loud bark coming from other doors at the back of the barn.

“MOM! Did you hear that?”

They both listened intensely. Andie looked at her daughter. She was now at the doors, trying to pry them open.

“They won’t budge!” There was another bark from the other side.

Andie went running over to help. They both yanked on the doors as hard as they could. Nothing.

“Ugh,” gasped Brie.

Leo was barking again.

Andie started looking around the door. “Look for a latch, or some kind of bolt…something…”

Brie shouted through the doors. “Don’t worry Leo, we’ve got ya boy!”

Just then, the doors began to shutter. The girls took a few steps back. Brie’s eyes were wider than ever. Andie just stared at the doors. She had a feeling she knew what was about to happen.

“Brie, you might want to step back a bit more.”

The two started slowly backing away, never taking their eyes off the doors. The vibrations became stronger, fierce. The doors were shaking so hard by now it looked like they were going to burst into the air.

“Run!” Commanded Andie.

The girls sprinted for cover. Suddenly there was a bright flash of blinding light and a thunder like Brie had never heard before. The girls dove behind a hay pile hoping it would provide some kind of protection. Then, just as fast as it had all happened, it was over. There was complete silence. Dust and hay floated through the air. Andie peaked her head out from behind the bales. Brie was laying on the ground beside her.

“Do you see anything?” Brie asked anxiously. “Is Leo there? Is he okay?”

Andie squinted her eyes, trying to get a better visual through all of the debris. At first, she couldn’t see anything. Slowly she started to get up, coming out from behind the bales. Brie grabbed her hand and stood next to her, afraid of what they might see when the air cleared.

Soon they saw movement through the dust. Two, what seemed to be, very large figures were walking towards them. Brie squeezed her mother’s hand tighter. She kept her reaction to herself but could not help thinking, “Holy crap, this is just like out of one of those horror movies or something. Is it aliens or vampires? We’re gonna die.”

Andie looked harder, the figures came closer. The closer they emerged, the smaller they became. Soon, the images started to make some sort of sense. Brie loosened her grip but didn’t let go.

Andie let out a sigh as suddenly everything became quite clear to her. She knew what had happened and why Leo had not come back when they had called for him throughout the night.

Brie was now paralyzed as her hand dropped to her side. The look on her face was one of incredible surprise and complete fascination. Standing before the two girls were what appeared to be two mythical creatures. One was a gargoyle, standing proud and strong with a stoic presence about him. He looked fierce, but Brie noticed his eyes were kind. They were familiar to her. She was not afraid. Next to the beast was another creature. This one could be described as nothing less than magical. A majestic black horse stood before them. Her fur was as dark as a starless night. Her mane, the silver of the moon and a single horn, boldly spiking up from between her ears. Her eyes were dark with some sort of hints of sparkle in them Brie didn’t quite understand. Both creatures bowed before them.

The gargoyle spoke first. “Forgive us your Highness, we did not mean to scare.”

Her mother’s voice interrupted Brie’s trance. “Brie, I seem to have a bit of explaining to do.”

Brie just stared at the gargoyle. “Leo?”

He bowed his head again, “My Lady.”

Brie looked at her mother. “What the hell is going on?”

Andie smiled. “Aye, this is indeed your Leo. Still your mate, just perhaps a bit bigger than you are used to.” She gave him an endearing wink. “He may not be as easy to cuddle with but wait until you experience the ride.”

Brie noticed a new kind of glint in her mother’s eyes. It was one of playful mystery seemingly filled with many secrets. She walked over to the black beauty. “And this is Anu, named in honor of the Irish Earth Goddess.” Anu nuzzled against her as she spoke.

Andie walked over to her daughter. She put her arms around Brie’s shoulders and looked back to Leo and Anu.

“And by the looks of things, I am guessing there is great trouble in the winds.”

“Indeed my Lady,” interrupted Leo. “Anu called to me from the shadows of the night. I apologize for my haste in leaving the Princess but I had to find out what was amuck to best protect my ladies.”

“I understand my dear, I should have put more thought into it. I just thought we had more time.”

Anu stepped forward. “Our time has run short your Highness. The Shadowlords have found a new path into three of the other Realms. The High Council has convened and there seems to be no other choice than for you to return home…with the Princess.”

Anu sighed. Brie was baffled, having no idea what they were talking about or what was even going on right in front of her.

“Have the times been stopped?”

“Aye my Lady. Just as you had instructed before leaving. When I crossed over, a stillness was created over all 7 Realms. It shall remain as such until your return to Salindera.”

The Queen of the Fae turned to her daughter. “Brie, there is much to tell.” She waved her hands, turning the shabby old barn into a comfy place of rest resembling a piece of her homelands. Foods were manifested and soft beds laid for the creatures to rest upon while the Queen explained everything to her daughter.

Andie went over and sat down in one of the thrones that were now before them. She gestured to the other one. “Have a seat my dear. There is much to tell of the magic that runs through your veins before we go.”

“Go where?”

“Home. To Salindera.”