The Sun

No people for miles, just me and the woods, its natural inhabitants, and the water, I had brought a charged laptop and smiled that it was working. I probably should have thought about how. Across the lake was a housing project and some stores, but society although present was not a close neighbor, I sat on the lakeshore as the sun faded. My camera was in action

The ribbles of light on the water, this was peace. I worked on my computer until the sun was replaced by the moon, and then I packed up and headed for the trail. I followed the moonlit path.

As I turned the corner I saw a shape in the pathway. I slowed and my hands began to sweat. A huge board had fallen across the dirt path. The board was bigger than me, about 5 times wider. How had it gotten there? I sighed, it would be cold soon and I had not brought my phone. I pulled it toward me. The goal was to lay it flat on the ground so I could walk over it. There was no way I could lift it.

Finally. no more obstacles obstructing my path. But the moon showed that there was a huge black pit. It was deep but not too large to leap over. My peace was turning to anger. None of this had been here two hours ago. I was only fifteen minutes from my car. I noticed two dead mice on the side of the path they were soaking in a pool of blood. Ahead of them was a dead bird. There were puddles of blood scattered over the path. I was beginning to feel sick, My stomach curled. I felt too sick to be scared.

I squatted down on the blood-free path and cried. I heard the swishing of the wind, waves were splashing in the lake. I pushed myself forward. I didn't know what to expect next. Three more minutes to the car but again the path was blocked. The problem was my nerves more than the obstacle. It was just a black piece of cloth hanging over a branch. I was afraid to see what was on the other side of it. I had almost reached the car. I pulled down the fabric. It slid down. There was a big pool of blood but no body or dead animal. I jumped over it and ran, My car was the only car in the lot. My front windshield was covered with blood. Dried blood. I felt sick but I fumbled for my keys and hurried into the car.

I locked the door and turned on the windshield wipers. I didn't want to get out of the car, It just had to be clean enough for me to see shapes through the window. The rear window had words on it but I could still see thru it. I had an old car it did not have windshield wipers on the back window. I felt my body shake. I knew I had to get out of there. There were now tiny clear portions on the front windshield. I drove down the road like a tortoise, but nothing jumped out. There was a chain across the path entrance. It was easy enough to unclip but I didn't want to get out of the car. I left the door open and ran as fast as I could. The chain was unlatched. I kicked it out of my way. I was feeling braver so I cleaned the blood off of the windshield. I got back in the car and breathed. The doors were locked and only my mind was my enemy. I slowly pushed down the road. Once I reached the highway this would be over. I knew the faster the better but I just couldn't. I poked down the road.

Once on the highway. I started to relax. I pulled into a McDonalds ordered a Big Mac combo and sat there and cried. I looked through the car. There was nothing in my car with my address except my phone. I checked it, I couldn't tell if anybody had been on it. I drove to the police station. I somehow related the story and asked if an officer could come with me to my apartment.

The young officer walked with me up to my apartment. On the door was a big blood splotch. I fell against the officer. I cried again. This was supposed to be a day of peace and all it ended out being was an upset stomach and a fear of being in my own apartment.

All I wanted was to get away from this situation. I ran into my apartment got my suitcase a bathing suit and some nightclothes. The officer took me to the Marriot and went back to research the evidence.

All I had wanted to do today was relax with nature, instead, I was going to relax with a sloe gin fizz and a whirlpool. Luck was finally with me. The pool was empty and still open. The heat of the sauna relaxed me. The drink made me think of happy things. Finally not anticipating the worse I went to my room and went to bed.

The next morning I awoke with the sun. I called the police to find out my fate. They had been working all night as I slept. My apartment, car, and the front door had been evaluated. No clues. It was fake blood, not from a person or animal. They were going down to the lake today. They had arrived with the sun. I told them I would not be going home today. I could not get myself to work on the computer, which needed to be charged. I called down reserved the room for another night and plugged in my computer. I felt numb. I could either sit in my numbness or do something to distract myself. I couldn't afford a night past this so I hoped they resolved this today. I went to a nearby park. The weather was perfect, and I was just a stranger among strangers. I stumbled on a hamburger restaurant. Real hamburgers - quarter pounders with peppers and mushrooms. I listened to the music in the restaurant and began to wish I had my laptop. Life -It is amazing how easy it is to bounce back.

The police called interrupting my fall shopping. They had found him. He had been playing investigator. He would not be bothering me again. To my surprise, they had paid my hotel bill. Even tonight's fee. I smiled. It was a reality check. Time to go back to the hotel relax and stop spending money.