The Old Barn

Old Barn House

I Can believed we left the big city to move to the middle of nowhere! Couldn’t gran just leave us money like all the other old people do. What the hell were we going to do with a farm? The closest I’ve come to wild animals is seeing pigeons on the subway and in the streets, and I know better than to mess with those crazy birds. Why on earth would she think we could handle a farm? Of course, my gran went batshit crazy with dementia or something in her teens, so I guess its her attorney to blame.

I look out from the back window of this seventies style home into the backyard. Did no one tend to this place since she lost her mind? The land went wild with weeds, and everything looked, old. My dad was born in the asylum. He didn’t know who his father was, he was put into the system immediately after birth. I looked out into the darkness and notice a boarded up old barn. The top was missing a window and a single hung on by a single nail. The front doors to the barn have been nailed shut. What a mess, I shook my head.

After a lot of scrubbing, sweeping, and sneezing, dad and I got the house decent enough to sleep in. Tomorrow we will go to the hardware store for some paint. I slept on an air mattress since there were no sheets or bedding that hasn’t been rotting with mold and moth bites. The cherry on top was no wifi. There was electricity but no goddamn wifi. The nearest cell tower was a fifteen-minute drive into town! What did I do to deserve this life? Southern heat was also new to me. I think even my breath sweated, how hot it was in mid-July, stifling with no air conditioning.

“I called a company to install air vents. Should take about two weeks to do the entire house.” Said dad.

Two weeks? I tried not to roll my eyes before my lids broke a sweat. I put on my sleep shorts and cami and climbed into bed, passing out quickly from exhaustion.

Ice cold air brushed the back of my neck but not in a good way. The hairs on my body stood up straight. My eyes flew opened. Heart racing in my chest, I looked around, feeling I was being watched. I turned to look at dad even though I heard his muffled snores on the other mattress near the wall.

The night sky seemed to glow from the reflection off the window. I got up a noticed the barn was lit! What the hell? I thought dad said there was no electricity in there, only in the house. I laced up my sneakers, grabbed a flashlight and headed out. A soft warm breeze caressed my hair as I walked through the yard. The loud chirping of crickets gave me goosed bumps, sounding like an alarm to warn me. I looked up at the sky and froze. Stars. Real stars. Growing up in the city I assumed each glowing thing was a helicopter, usually I was right.

I turned my attention back to the barn as I grew closer. It was open! The boards were off. This had to be some welcome to the neighborhood prank. There wasn’t another house for about half a mile. I peeked in, “Hello?” It looked empty. I grabbed a piece of plank, holding it like a bat. I walked in with my shoulders squared. These stupid farm kids aren’t going to scare a city girl like me. “Hello?” I asked as I looked around. The barn doors shut causing me to jump. What the?

“Whoever you are, this isn’t funny? I might be new here but I’m not stupid.” I waited. “Well? Show yourself!” I yelled.

“Oh my god, shut up!” A boy came out behind a stack of hay. “You city folk are so annoying.”

I felt my hands slick with sweat from adrenaline. “We’re annoying? You break into an abandoned barn in twilight hours, waking me out of my sleep, and I’m annoying?”

“And entitled.”

“What!” This boy was pissing me off. “Listen you small-minded farm boy, I get that there’s no wifi so you can’t watch Netflix, but you need to find yourself a girlfriend or a hobby.” I grilled him. Staring into his dark eyes so he knows I’m not to be messed with.

He smirked, “How generous to offer to be my girlfriend, I don’t know how they do things up in there, you big-minded city girl but here we like to court before dating.” My jaw dropped.

“That’s not what I-” He held his hand up to stop me.

“I get it. I’m tall, brooding, muscular, who wouldn’t want me.”

UGH! Who is this infuriating jerk!

“Why are you in here?” I dropped the plank.

“I was curious. No one has been here for years, and we heard that this barn was haunted.”

I rolled my eyes. “Of course, you people believe in ghosts.” Just as I said that the lights shut off. “Funny. Very Funny.”

“I-I didn’t do that.” He stammered.

“Who else is with you?” I demanded.

“No one. I swear.” He said as I turned back on my flashlight. It suddenly felt really cold again. A gust of wind picked up in the closed barn.

“I had enough of this!” I turned to him. “I’m leaving.” I walked to the barn doors with him in toe, but it wouldn’t budge. “Open the door!” I banged on it. “I’m sleepy and it’s to hot for this!” The boy started banging on the doors as well. Playing along with the prank.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

We froze.

I held my light towards the sound. Nails! We were being nailed in!

“Okay farm boy. This isn’t funny.” I turned to him, but he was shaking, and pale. He looked terrified. I exhaled in a huff and saw my breath. It was freezing in here, how was he doing that? A flash of green came from the center of the barn, large enough to be a doorway. I walked toward it. The boy was frozen in fear.

“Come on.” I motioned. I walked around the green light. “The visual effects are really good. But how did you make it so cold in here?” I turned to him.

“I didn’t.” He whispered.

Rolling my eyes once more, I stuck my hand through the green light, and it completely disappeared.

“What the?” I pulled my hand back out and examined it. “How did you do that?” I looked at him. He looked like he was about to faint or vomit. I put my hand in again this time something grabbed on to it. I tried to yank it back but whatever it was held on strong.

“Let go! Stop it!” I fought. The boy held my other hand yanking me away and I dropped the flashlight. Fighting hard to retrieve my hand, the green light glowed brighter and grew in size. Then we were both sucked it in.

We were pulled into a field of pear trees. It was daylight here.

“You’re both late.” A woman said. Causing us to jump. “Come with me.” We looked at each other raising our brows. She was dressed very odd, like something out of a museum. I shrugged and followed her. The first thing I noticed was a large table with teas and pears sitting in front of a frozen lake. The weather felt like a crisp summer morning.

“Take your seats.” She said. As we looked down our names appeared on placement cards before us along with a pear and cup of tea. Others quickly joined us, dressed exactly like this woman.

“Would you like some honey for your tea?” I nodded. She reached over drizzling a generous amount into my cup. I noticed a small tattoo on her wrist. A bull.

The others were dressed in stuffy oversized dresses, with corsets, suits, and top hats. I felt like I was in a time period dream.

“Dig in.” She announced to the table. I took my knife and fork into my hand and cut into my pear.

“Chocolate cake?” said the boy.

“Why of course. What else would be inside pears?” They all laughed.

We looked at each other stunned. I took a bite and groaned in satisfaction. This was amazing!

After we ate, we were told to get dressed. Him and I changed behind one of the pear trees into proper clothing. When we returned the woman handed us a pair of skates.

“I can’t ice skate.” Said the boy.

“Of course, you can.” Said the woman. And because she said it, so it was.

We glided on the frozen lake joining our previous guests. As I looked down I notice frozen marigold flowers in the lake. How pretty!

We skated for what seemed hours without growing tired. It was freeing and fun.

I reached the center of the lake with the boy, and we were spinning around like tops. I stopped and bent over with laughter. Then I noticed a rectangle in the center of the frozen lake. I got on my knees for a closer look. A brown package was frozen amongst the marigold. I tugged on the boys pants.

“Hey, look at this.” He knelt down beside me.

“Who’s Ashland Rose?” He asked.

“Me.” I answered.

“It’s addressed to you.” I looked up at him. Then around us. Everyone was at a standstill, staring me down.

“Umm, I don’t think they like this.” I got up and began to make my way off the lake. I could feel their eyes on us.

The woman appeared. “Where are you going?”

“We’re going home. Thank-you for everything. It was fun.” I said as I unlaced my skates.

“Why don’t you have another pear, darlings?” Two plates appeared with the pears before us with our names.

“No thank-you.” I said with a smile.

“Royce?” She looked at him.

“How-how do you know our names?” He asked. The woman’s smile quickly melted off her face.

Royce grabbed my hand, and we took off running through the field of pear trees.

We ran and ran, seeing no end of the field in sight. We stopped, panting hard, we braced a pear tree. Eventually our breathes quieted.

“Listen,” Said Royce. “Do you hear that?”

“Hooves?” I asked.

Royce climbed up the pear tree to look. He jumped back down hastily. “Run!”

I didn’t ask questions. We just took off running until we saw the barn. The pounding of hooves was gaining on us.

I finally braved turning around to get a glimpse of what was after us. Bulls!

The largest one stared at me. It hand a brown package tied to its horn. The package from the lake.

Curiosity struck me over common sense. I slowly began to approach the bull when Royce grabbed my hand.

“Come on!” We ran towards the barn and the bulls charged toward us. As we reached the barn the bull with the package nearly caught up to me. We ran into the barn and saw the green light. The bull charged through the barn and made a grunting sound in frustration as we approached the light.

Just a few more feet away. With my legs aching and lungs burning, we run towards the light. Holding Royce’s hand, he enters, and I turn back for one more look at the bull. It tilts its head giving me a chance to grab the package. Just as the light began to shrink and Royce disappears, only his hand visible holding mine, I grab the package off the horn.

We fall back on to the floor in our old barn. I land with my back on Royce’s chest who’s still holding my hand.

“I got it.” I panted. He looked down at me then at the package.