Whooo's In The Barn

Jessica had the worst week of her life. She had to get away from the rat race in the city and find the peace and quiet one can only find in the country. She finished her work early, and took her notes into her boss, telling him she was leaving town for the weekend.

Once on the road she knew she had to go to some place she had never been, so just hit route 9 and kept driving. Five hours later she found herself alone on the road, with no houses in site. But in the distance, she sees the remains of an old barn, still standing.

Jessica has always been a city girl. One of her best friends had tried to get her to go to the country with him, but she wanted nothing to do with it. So, now, being so strangely drawn to that falling down old barn has her mystified. Any other day she would drive right past and look for the first decent hotel.

This evening though, she pulls off the road and makes it down the overgrown path and stops beside the barn. Wishing she had a sleeping bag; she was glad she at least had the foresight to throw a couple blankets into the backseat before she left.

Jessica walks around the barn, looking up at the stairs. She’s never seen so many in her life. Coming back to the front she looks inside and sees some hay that would make a nice bed, under a hole in the roof so she can watch the night sky.

She’s glad it’s a nice summer evening, not to hot, not too cold. She grabs the blankets from the back seat and goes in to make her bed. No sooner had she gotten comfortable then she heard “Whooo Whooo.”

Jessica jumps up and looks around the barn but doesn’t see anyone. So, settles down again. Again, she hears, Whoooo, Whoooo.”

“Who’s there” she asks, as she pulls one of the blankets up to her neck. Getting no answer, she looks around the barn and sees a little movement in the rafters. Then suddenly these big eyes come around and stare at her. “Whoooo Whoooo”

“So, it’s you.” She wants to get up and run out but thinking the sudden movement might scare the barn owl into coming after her she decides to stay where she is.

“You don’t mind sharing the barn with me tonight, do you?” Not that she really wanted to share it with him, but she knew she didn’t want to make him nervous.

A much softer “Wooo” emits; and Jessica is almost certain he was saying fine, easing her fears just a little.

“You have a good spot to keep an eye on things. Probably better than mine, but I’m happy right here.”

“OOO”

Looking up into the night sky Jessica feels more secure than she has for a long time. But she can’t keep the events of the past month out of her thoughts. She can pinpoint the day that everything started going wrong.

Joe, her best friend since childhood had moved away. She was always able to go to him with anything. Now she didn’t have anyone to turn to. Her boyfriend of six months was hit by a drink driver on his way home after dropping her off. At least they say he died instantly so didn’t have any pain. But she wonders if that were true.

Then she got passed over for a promotion she had been looking forward to at work. They said she had too much on her plate right now with just losing Dave and all. “Didn’t they know I needed that to distract me?”

She looks over at the owl, he seems to be watching her with great interest, she can even see a little sympathy in his eyes. “Where were you two weeks ago when I really needed you?”

“Ooo, whaaa ooo” Then he flew down beside her. He cocks his head and looks her in the eye, nodding his head slightly, Jessica is almost certain she sees a tear forming.

“I must be losing my mind.” She mumbles. The owl lays his head on her arm, then settles in beside her as if he’s going to sleep there.

Cocking her head, Jessica smiles at him, “So you do understand. Thank you.” She closes her eyes and gets the best night’s sleep she’s had all month.