Courage

We all know and love the old cartoons that we grew up watching, my favorite was Courage the Cowardly Dog. So when the day came that I found out we were actually going to move to an old farm house was probably the most excited I had ever been. I know going from a big city girl to a farm girl wouldn't be the ideal setting of a teenage girl but what can I say, I was excited to set off on an adventure into a new reality that was not known. Okay not unknown but at least something different in the middle of nowhere far, far away from somewhere.

"Sasha, wake up we are here" as my mother screams knowing damn well I'm just as excited as her.

"I cant believe it mother, its even better than I could have ever dreamed of" This house in the middle of nowhere was a dream come true. It was small and quant just enough room for the three of us to live comfortably. The house was yellow with white shutters and a beautiful blue porch that wrapped fully around the house. It was a little old, just the right amount that as the wind blew you could hear the house and the shingles on the roof in a way as if it was trying to speak to you.

"Darling, are you truly happy we are here" as she looks at me with those eyes full of hope and waiting for acceptance.

"Yes, I promise I truly am" as I wrap my arm around her waist I feel a little bit of doubt wash away from inside her.

"I love you my darling, now lets go inside" she pulls my hand in tight as we venture up to the front door.

"Well I don't see John's truck so I'm assuming he isn't home right now. But that's ok it will give us sometime to look around and judge it for ourselves" My mother quite the OCD she has at times but I feel as if John would know that and yet I feel as if he is in for a surprise with her and I. Its only been a few years since my fathers death but as long as she is happy that's all I care about.

"Mom I'm going to go take a look outside if that's ok" as she smiles I walk out the front door. It was a little hard to open I admit, with that beautiful cherry oak wood swelled through out the years from sweet dew that I smell as I breath in the morning air and freshly cut grass. I mean the little grass we had around the house was nice as I look around into the open, its full of nothing but rocks and dirt so I wont complain.

"Damn, no windmill" as I chuckle "Now that would have definitely gotten me into the mood of a creepy story, or at least find a purple dog left behind".

If my friends could see me now they would swear I lived in a scene straight from a movie, it definitely gave you that creepy vibe as nothing but silence and the rustling of the wind kept you company. No neighbors in sight, just miles upon miles of dirt in the middle of no where. When you walked around to the back there was a well, as I approached it with ease I feel a slight shudder within my bones looking at it. I placed my hands upon the cold stones that surrounded it, peeking over just a little as if I was expecting the girl from The Ring to be charging after me. I take a deep breath with a subtle rustle of noise, I look deeper into the void of darkness within the well thinking something lies within and yet nothing. I mean its good because wouldn't that have been a trip or a way to go out in this world, "No thank you" as I turn around slowly.

"Shit!" as I scream, I turn to see its only my mother placing her hand on my back, you know its not like I almost peed myself or anything.

"Are you ok? im sorry hun I just wanted to let you know I have to run into town to pick up John. He said his truck is acting up and needs a ride" my mother, what a prince charming she is.

"No you're fine, just startled me is all. Yeah that's fine ill probably just hang around here and check out the barn" as I wipe my hands across my sides.

"Are you sure? it might take all night with everything that will need done. I would hate for you to spend your first day here by yourself" my mother always worrying as if I'm not almost 18 years old.

"No ill be fine mother, go get your princess and be that knight in shinning armor to rescue him" as I chuckle she cracks a smile and laughs herself. She gives me a hug and kiss goodbye as she heads back inside.

What can I truly say about this barn besides it's definitely creepy, as all old run down barns usually are. It was a subtle red with chipped paint exposing the wood that lied beneath it with broken doors hardly hanging on by the hinges, using each other as support to even stay put together. As I place my hands on the doors, I tug gently " Are you kidding me right now, just open for fucks sake" I dig my heels into the dirt with my back against the door, I push harder even if only to open it a little. "Finally it moved!". Panting I turn my eyes to gaze upon the doors as I point my finger "Now don't collapse on me or my mother will throw a fit" damn that would a terrible way to go being crushed by the doors or would it be a quick death that only some experience.

As I crouch into the dirt on all fours I army crawl my way between the doors only having to dig my nails deep within the dirt to pull my self through. "Phew, no problem at all for this girl. Well shit its just hay, I was hoping for something a little more exciting if none the less". As I kick the dirt beneath my shoes watching the hay fly with it I hear a nose, thinking it was a mouse I run to the furthest corner of the barn which in reality was only about 70feet from where I was standing. Grasping at my shirt I take a minute to realize I'm getting all jumpy for no reason, besides my own fear of the unknown.

"Damn it" as I lean against a pile of hay I find myself thinking of my dad and wondering what ever happened to him after death. Is it all true with pearly gates or has he found himself full of sin in the depths of hell. One would only hope it was as easy as one or two answers. For all we know he could be a ghost, who forever haunts our lives weeping for he could never be with us again. My mind wanders further and further into a world I don't truly understand as I rest my head upon the hay. With the feel of tears running down my cheeks I sleep and hope to dream of something simple and sweet.

"hello" says a whisper in the air.

I awake with a sudden gasp at the unfamiliar words of a hello looking into nothing but darkness, am I still in the barn? Shit I really passed out in here my mothers probably worried sick about me. Wait, no she went into town to help John, but I swear I heard something. As I climb down from the hay feeling my hands slide across something to what only I could describe as a feeling . Its as if my hand was engulfed in thick nightmares, but not knowing the unknown as to which my hand touched, made it all that much worse.

"Hello, are you awake finally" My body freezes in fear as if all the life has gone from my body, as a slight whisper in the air.

"I promise I am not here to hurt you, I just need to know if you are fully awake this time"

I cant see what it is that frightens me so and yet its words are nothing but sweet lullabies in my ears. I cant help but to think, it should not be trusted.

"what" I said it out loud but not sure why it was the only thing I could come up with. Just something so simple is all I feel was needed for something I could not muster through my body, feeling like it was frozen in time and could not be moved.

"I just want to help you" this time the words sound closer as if it can see me through the darkness. I feel a brush of air breeze past my skin and as I fall to the ground I am sad and I truly don't know why.

"But why do I need help" as I try to feel along the floor to find a way out hoping I will escape whatever it is I can not see.

"I don't know why you try to run? It is no use for I am only here to help you. I know you don't remember who I am but I thought over time you would finally muster it yourself, to just accept what had happened and come with me"

I stop in my tracks, not as if I was truly getting very far. But what does it mean by "remember who I am, I know who I am" and yet I didn't understand why I could no longer move. Wrapping itself around me I feel the sensation of the nightmares, keeping me at bay not allowing me to move or breath. I try to scream but it fills my lungs up with nothing and everything and a flash of light appears.

"No! Don't, this is it please come with me and stay. Just let it all go and come with me. I promise I will make this pain go away. Don't do this to yourself again" hearing the words and yet I cant allow myself to stay, my mother needs me. We were just about to start this new adventure, I wont let it end here. Next thing I know I feel the light barely on the tip of my fingertips. It wasn't inviting, but all I knew was I could not stay where I was and with one final reach I hear eight final words "I wont be back this time, I'm sorry"

I finally reach it and with one final look behind me I see its face. A face too familiar for words; for his words were what were there, to help me not hurt me and as I weep to only realize what had happened. I awake to the words.

"Sasha, wake up we are here" as my mother screams knowing damn well I'm just as excited as her.