Old Barn

The night air was crisp with a light breeze blowing through. The stars twinkled and glimmered in the vastness of the dark sky. A peaceful quiet that had not been there during the busy hours of daylight, settled over the town like a blanket; comforting and reassuring.

The townspeople were tucking themselves away in their homes; joyous laughter and clinking of dishes could be heard in the distance. Families had gathered for food and drink to celebrate the end of another great day. There was a warmth in the atmosphere that had nothing to do with the temperature and everything to do with the love and jubilation that engulfed the little town.

But while the town reveled in the company that surrounded them, one young lady slipped out of her bedroom and out the window, seeking absolute solitude. Soon, everyone would be slumbering in their beds and the deep silence of the midnight hours would be upon her. Darcy escaped on her nightly pilgrimage to the family’s old worn down barn, the deep desire for isolation and solitude burned in her veins. A shiver ran along Darcy’s skin, giving her goosebumps. The excitement and anticipation of the evening ahead of her catalyzed an adrenaline rush throughout her body.

Once inside the barn, Darcy locked the barn doors, hefting over a stack of hay and placing it in front of them. No one and nothing would interrupt her. Not that anyone would have tried.

Although she “snuck out” of the house at night to go to the barn, everyone in the family knew about it.

Darcy’s parents and older brothers had redecorated the inside of the barn specifically for her use. Hers and hers only. After the farm had failed, the Pemberton parents had taken jobs in the city and had little need for the barn. Once they had discovered that she spent most nights in there with her books and sketch book, they took it upon themselves to make it a special place for her.

In order to surprise her, the Pembertons sent Darcy on a wild goose chase that would have her out of the house for most of the day. So, early one morning Darcy went off on her bike to run her fool’s errand and with the help of her two older brothers, Josh and Harlin, Darcy’s parents spent the day cleaning, redecorating and building an artist studio with a reading nook.

Upon her return home, Darcy was herded back out the door and to the field behind the house.

“No peaking, Darce!” Exclaimed Mama. “You’ll spoil the surprise. Now, cover your eyes, babygirl.”

“Mama, Papa, what’s going on? Oh, Mama. I’m so tired. Can’t we do this later? I just want to shower and eat.”

Mama Pemberton removed Darcy’s hands from her face and Darcy gave a small gasp. She looked inside the open barn doors. The loose hay from the floor had been cleared and the windows had been cleaned.

Against the wall to her right was a drafting table with an adjustable glass table top and stool with a red bow on it. A sketch book and charcoal lay on the table, waiting to be used.

In the far corner of the room was a large wooden easel with a blank canvas on it. A tabouret sat patiently next to the easel and canvas, holding up a painting palette, brushes and solvents.

Off to her left, she saw the stairs to the second floor of the barn had been fixed and decorated. A long string of lightbulbs wrapped around the bannister and led her eyes up the newly carpeted balcony. Under the window sat a beige couch and a reading lamp. A book case covered the majority of the right wall, each shelf lined some of her favorite books.

Tears welled up along the rims of Darcy’s eyes. This place was her own little heaven on Earth. Her own little oasis.

“Is this…is this for me?”

“For you and only you, sweetheart. Your mother and I thought about tearing this old thing down, what with the all the repairs it needs. Would just be cheaper to bulldoze her down. As we were discussing it the other night though, we heard a strange sound that distracted us. We peeked out and noticed that you were trying to stealthily find your way into the barn. So we followed you and saw you get comfy on a stack of hay and we realized that tearing this old lady down might devastate you.” Papa smiled softly. “I remember growing up with a big family. I understand needing a space to call your own.”

Mama wrapped her arms around Darcy.

“We love you sweetie. Just remember to be careful in here. Your Dad is right. This place needs a lot of repairs that we can’t afford just yet, so just be mindful and aware. We wouldn’t want you getting hurt.”

Darcy had always been careful when using her paints and solvents, making sure to keep all flammables away from her painting area. She also made certain that the windows were open so that she would have proper ventilation.

Tonight, Darcy had decided that she would start with a little light reading and then dive into some painting. She had brought with her a small candle to put on the nightstand by the couch and used match to light it. Darcy preferred reading by candlelight, despite the fact that the lamp proved to be so much brighter. But on nights like these, she craved the romantic ambiance of the soft flame. She would watch the shadows lick across the walls and floors, endlessly, sometimes forgetting to read.

Darcy was deep within the pages of the novel she was currently reading, so engrossed that she nearly jumped straight off the couch when the wind picked up outside and sent a window shutter smacking into the glass pane with a loud “WHACK!”

She ran down the stairs to investigate, the wind howling against the barn. The trees outside bowed in protest against the wind, debris flew around the fields in circles. The wind blew harder and harder, pounding on the crumbling walls around her. Darcy knew the drill. A cyclone was coming, so she would have to make her way to the hidden cellar of the barn. Tidying up was the first thing on her list, though. Before she could get down to safety, she had to make sure that all her affairs were in order. She would go upstairs and turn off the lit candle before quickly putting away her painting equipment.

Darcy ran back up on the stairs, the wooden planks groaning in protest. Just as she approached the last step, her foot went right through the wood, ripping through her calf muscle. She screamed in agony as warm, sticky blood poured from her open wound.

A loud crashing sound muffled her screams. Broken glass flowed around her and the howling of the wind surrounded her, whipping her hair around her face.

A large tree branch had been broken off and launched through the upstairs window. The branch landed on the couch with a thud, but not before knocking over the still lit candle. The candle plopped over the edge of the nightstand in what seemed like slow motion. As it touched the shaggy rug, though, time seemed to speed up.

The flames exploded over Darcy’s reading area in one quick swoosh, moving to the right and swallowing the book case in its path. The flames moved away from Darcy, crawling down the right wall to the floor below her.

Darcy clenched her teeth together and tried desperately to free herself. She screamed for help as she tried to wiggle herself free. The air around her was growing hotter and hotter and the smoke was filling up the barn quickly. It was getting harder to breathe. Her failed attempts at screaming for help ended in hoarse coughs. She knew she had to get out of here as quickly as possible. The flames would be reaching the painting solvents in just seconds.

“DARCY!!!!!” She heard her parents banging not the barn doors. Relief washing over her.

“Darcy, open the door! Can you hear me? We can’t get in!” Papa banged on the door while Josh and Harlin tried breaking the downstairs windows.

Darcy had forgotten about the hay stack in front of the barn doors. Panic returned to her, hitting her like a train.

“MAMA! PAPA! I’m stuck!!!!” Darcy screamed in desperation.

Josh successfully shattered a window and began climbing inside the barn.

“I’m coming Darcy! Hold still! You’ll make it worse!” He screamed as he noticed that her leg was trapped in the wooden plank. “I’m coming to you!”

The flames licked at the blank canvas, creeping closer to the exposed solvents.

Josh and Darcy locked eyes, just as the explosion erupted, flames engulfing the whole barn.

“GET BACK!!!!” Papa shouted to Harlin and Mama. They left back just as the walls of the barn caved in.

“NOOOOOOOOOO!” Mama wailed.