The Retracting Field

Alby didn’t want to leave the car, although, as everyone else piled out and left their seats, he was sitting in a piercing silence which forced him to succumb and open the car door.

“Alby! Come on, you should see your new room!” One of his younger sisters shouted from the front porch.

Stupid old house.

Kicking a stone, Alby sighed in frustration and started walking off the driveway. He peeped up from his long wispy fringe that covered his frown, and noticed an old barn that sat looming in an overgrown field of dead grass, opposite their new home. Alby’s well worn sneakers crunched beneath him with each step, as he made his way toward the barn door. As he pushed it open, it’s hinges gave way. Heavily creaking, it started to fall. Alby ducked out of the way just in time, before the entire door crashed to the ground and left a gaping hole into the old barn.

If there were no cracks of light shining in through the roof and the loose walls, Alby may not have been able to see a single thing. He reached into his jeans and pulled out his phone, shining a bit more light into the various grey depths of the barn. There was a strange odour tinging the air, causing the hairs to stand tall on Alby’s skin. Yet, he felt curious enough to venture further inside. As he stood in the middle of the barn floor, a rat scurrying up a flight of dislodged stairs caught Alby’s attention and he shone his light towards it. Noticing something tucked under the first step, he went over to investigate.

Blowing away a thick layer of dust, his breath revealed an old, rusty tin capsule. Picking it up, he inspected it while he walked out of the barn to look at it in better daylight. He unscrewed the lid and found a worn, brown leather journal stuffed tightly inside. Alby took it out and opened its covers. He sat down on the crunchy grass and tucked his legs in comfortably as he started to read.

Wednesday, 24th June, 1970

I still do not understand what was going on. The last night I can remember began with me laying in my bed, waiting for Mum to come in and kiss me goodnight. I knew that I was probably getting too old for a kiss goodnight, but there is something so comforting about having Mum be there beside me while I fall asleep. It was when I was waiting for her, it felt like a really, really long time. So, I got out of bed to see what was keeping her. Except, she wasn’t in the house. I had looked in every room, including the outhouse, but it was like she had disappeared! I remember feeling scared and I started crying. It’s not like Mum to just disappear and not tell me where she is going.

I ran inside from checking the outhouse and leapt into her bed, hiding under the sheets. The bed smelt like her, and though it was comforting, it made me miss her even more. Then, I could hear a strange buzzing in the air. I came out from my hiding place to see what it was. Peering my head out into the hallway, I saw a bright, green light shining through the window into the front room. Something felt weird, like the buzzing was pulling me towards it. I crept closer to the front room, and paused at the front door. Quietly, I slipped on my cherry red gumboots and tip toed my way onto the front porch. Looking out to the driveway, I could see the green light was coming from the barn in our field. The buzzing in the air felt stronger, and unwillingly I started walking towards it.

My heart was pounding so loudly in my throat, I was struggling to swallow it away. When I reached the barn, the door was open, it felt almost like someone was expecting me. As soon as I stepped inside, the buzzing came to a halt. The green light was coming from upstairs in the loft. Intrigued, I started climbing the stairs, when I felt a hand grab the back of my nightie and pull me backwards. I started screaming as I tried to gather my footing. Everything after that is a blank. I woke up in my Mum’s bed by myself the next morning. I don’t remember anything else before this night.

Alby frowned while trying to decide if this could have truly happened or not. His curiosity continued reading.

I’m writing this down to get it out of my brain, and leaving my journal here. I don’t want to carry my past around with me anymore. I’m moving in with my Grandpa to his place in Darwin, and leaving my old life behind. I don’t know if anyone will ever read this, but if someone does, I am telling you now, go. It’s not safe. My Mum is still missing, with no trace of where she went. Do not stay here. Get out, now.

Snapping the journal shut, Alby wiped away droplets of sweat that had since formed on his brow. Feeling strange about the entry he’d just read, Alby stood up, dusted bits of dead grass from the back of his jeans, and started walking back toward the house. As he looked up, he noticed the car had gone.

“Mum? Dad?” Alby called out.

He stopped walking and stood still, hoping to hear his family rummaging around inside. The silence rung in his ears, causing his heartbeat to quicken.

“Guys?” He called again, starting to run towards the front porch. As he crossed the driveway, he noticed not only was the car gone, but there was no evidence that their car was parked there in the first place. Panic started to settle in, as Alby went inside the house, frantically looking for his family.

Panic turned into fear as he went from room to room, finding nothing but dust mites floating around inside. His mind turned back to the journal and remembered there was an outhouse. Alby sprinted outside and checked the yard. Tears had begun to well in his eyes as he came to the confusing realisation that his family was no longer here. With no idea what to do, Alby sat down on the front porch, tucked his knees up to his chest, buried his face and started crying. Before long, Alby’s sobs were interrupted by an intense buzzing that had begun to fill the air. Looking up, he wiped his eyes and his gaze fell straight ahead onto the old barn.

He noticed it’s door, neatly hinged and hanging where there was once a bare opening. Illuminating through the cracks of the walls and beneath the door, shone a bright green light, flickering with anticipation. Alby shook his head and sighed with annoyance. He knew his imagination was getting the better of him.

Alby realised he was still holding onto the worn leather journal. He couldn’t understand where his family had gone, and why they would leave him. It wasn’t something they would do. An intense wave of confusion and frustration overcame him, as he gripped the journal and threw it high into the air, landing it halfway between the old barn and the front porch.

Looking up at the night sky settling in, Alby saw it’s stars glimpsing behind ruffles of bundling grey clouds. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out his phone to try call his parents. As he hit the on button over and over again, the realisation kicked in that his phone battery was dead. He decided he should see if there were any neighbours further down the main road. While he started making his way down the driveway, Alby suddenly felt a hand grab hold to the back of his jacket, tugging him back so forcefully, he fell down and knocked his head hard on the loose gravel.

When Alby woke, he was sitting against the wall outside the old barn. The night had well and truly settled in, as the bright moon and twinkling stars were taking advantage of the clear sky to light up the Earth below. Sitting forward to rub the back of his pulsating head, his hair felt sticky and warm. He slowly stood up, noticing the luminous green light was still shining through the gaps of the old barn walls, sending a chill shooting down his spine. Cautiously, Alby crept over to peep through a small gap near the door handle. His mouth gaped at the sight that hid behind it. Without warning, the door shot open and a strong pull launched Alby into the barn, the sound of door closing loudly behind him filling his ears.

Outside, the air stood still, the grass crisply retracted its imprinted footsteps, and the brown leather journal sat waiting for its next reader in the middle of the driveway.