The Barnyard Babes

The midnight air brushed on her cheeks as she stalked into the old barn. Her dark hair lightly tapped her lower back. She was in her mid 40’s and desperately wanted to reconnect to her youth. Her name was Jezebel and her eyes were a radiant green with specs of brown in them. She wasn’t a patient woman and she was pacing back and forth. Her thin frame made her appear hungry with an appetite she couldn’t satisfy.

The barn wasn’t what you would expect it to be, it was somehow much larger when you stepped inside of it. The outside was a faded red with splintering wood. There wasn’t a road to lead to the farm, or anything in the area. Most people would pass the barn and never give it another thought. This wasn’t an ordinary barn, however, it had secrets.

After twelve minutes, a small older woman walked in and greeted Jezebel.

“You are looking quite lovely, Jezebel. I see you couldn’t wait for the rest of us,” snapped the older woman.

“It was only a sip and I only had so much time left. I couldn’t sit back and depend on you all.” Jezebel barked back at her.

The old woman, whose name was Cora, took off her fringed overcoat and hung it on the wall. She looked frail, but somehow still powerful. She turned to face Jezebel.

“Always a selfish woman. There isn’t enough to go around for you to have extra” Cora took a glittering green vile out from her pocket and a large wooden black box from her satchel. “The others will be here soon.” She continued.

She placed the box on what appeared to be an altar of some kind. She took out a silver knife with a red base. It was decorated with exotic jewels. As she took a long deep breath and then two other older women entered the barn. The first woman, Edith, was hunched over and moving at a slow pace. The other woman, Willa, was approaching the group using a cane. As they met with Jezebel and Cora, anger filled the space.

“What a surprise! I knew you couldn’t wait for us.” Edith shouted. The barn shook from the magnitude of her temper. Willa began laughing and everyone faced her.

“What humor is this? Is this your idea of a joke? There is only so much power to it. The spell won’t work right if it doesn’t have the right amount.” Her light-hearted joke turned quickly into anger. A blue fire surrounded Jezebel. She didn’t seem to care or be phased by the argument.

“Let’s move on with it. We will all be gone by sunset if we don’t start this now. Everyone take out your offering.” Cora stated to the group as she took out a small sack. “Heart of an innocent,” she said as she placed it on the alter.

“Soul of an unwilling,” Edith also placed her offering which was contained in a small white box that if you listened closely enough you could hear screaming from within it.

“Brain of the untamed,” Willa said as she devilishly smiled. Her offering was in an orange box, with ancient writing on the side.

“And the blood of the bold.” Jezebel added a red long vile.

Cora mixed the items together on the alter and then took the knife and raised it up. They all began chanting and the room begin to spin. Cora then took everyone’s palms and sliced them, dripping blood onto the altar. They each took a turn drinking from the vile. One by one, they each became younger and younger. The wrinkles on their skin smoothed, their hair turned back to black, and their joints became agile again.

“We only have so much time. Close the portal. If we did this correctly, we will have 20 minutes to collect the gold and go back home.” Jezebel said as she took a sword from the barn. They each put on long robes and placed hoods over their heads.

They opened the barn door and they were in the dungeon of a castle. They quickly moved throughout the medieval rooms avoiding guards and anyone who would alert them. There was a large guarded door that had all the glory and treasures behind it. There were two guards heavily armed with swords and chains. Cora and Edith took on them first. Cora slid and sliced both their legs dropping them instantly to the ground before they could see her. Edith grabbed the keys and moved forward stepping over them. Willa took out sword and then took them out for good. She enjoyed it too much and Jezebel shot her a look.

As they opened the door, they were greeted hastily by the king, who was on the other side of the door. “Hello, Jezebel. I’ve been waiting for you.”

Jezebel raised her sword, “How did you know? This doesn’t make sense, I didn’t meet you yet,” she screamed.

“Why, yes. We have met. This is the 20th time you have tried this and failed. You are stuck in a loop, but it ends now. I’m sorry to report that there is only room for me in this time. You see when I met in the barn that day, I realized I could go back in time and become a king. You had a weak plan. Get rich. I dominate by ruling the land. Your time is up. Kill everyone, but her, she's mine.”

He whistled and guards surround the four. They fought hard and long, but each of them slowly fell. Jezebel was the last standing. The king walked up to her and smiled, but his smugness ended when she started to laugh.

“You just confirmed that if they die, I won’t.” Jezebel beamed with laughter.

“It doesn’t matter because your end is near.” He added.

“You see, the thing is, I planned all of this. I just needed to know if we really were connected by the spell. I’m going to live forever and you are going to die. I will stay here and become their queen. This wasn’t just about gold. I have been going on with your loop over and over again to learn everything about this castle. What I did learn was how to bribe each of your guards with gold. Imagine what 20 visits here landed me. I paid them so well that your time is over.

“No, wait.” He began to say as his personal guard thrust his sword into him. He slowly fell to the floor. Jezebel laughed and took her seat on the throne. She would live forever and rule the land.

The barn was sent back to it’s time. It would go on to sit undisturbed without anyone knowing of its special powers. A secret set in a dusty path where no one would ever cross it.