We were here

I always took this road home, it wasn't the quickest way but the silence of the night and the quiet was my serenity. Tonight the stars are out brighter than any other night, that familiar feeling of nostalgia set in, the sweet memories of me and Lorain stargazing, we always did that she was an astrology nut but damn that was just one of the things I loved about her.

I continued on my way dwelling on my memories of Lorain, I missed her so much. That day I should have been by her side, I should have tried harder to be there for her in the final moments as her mind slipped away...I tried but it was all too much for me, I couldn't stand watching her lose her mind to Huntington's. Snapping out of my daze I realized I should have hit my turn by now...maybe I missed it, I started to pull a U-turn when I realized I couldn't see anything past my headlights, where did the street lights go? My car turned off suddenly and there I was shrouded in darkness the forest surrounded me on both sides, I tried to start my car up again and again but the engine just sputtered out. I pulled out my phone, no signal, of course, damn MobileBoost I should've switched when I had the chance.

I got out of the car, I'd driven this way before and I know there's a house just back the other way, maybe they could let me use their phone. As I began walking the road ahead seem to get darker and darker. The sound of an owl rang through the trees, its hoots comforted me. Lorain loved owls, she was almost obsessed with them.

As I kept walking it sounded like someone was walking behind me, was it the echo of my steps? no, these were offbeat from mine...I started to get anxious so I quickened my steps but it sounded like they did too, I started running and to my relief, the road seemed to lighten up and the forest became less dense. I sprinted to the end and nearly collapsed but stopped to catch my breath I turned to see if whoever was behind me caught up but there was no one but me, I heard rustling coming from the trees, I prepared myself but out flew an owl, I laughed and kept on, finally walking in the illuminating light of the waning moon. I remembered when Lorain use to say this rhyme her mother taught her about the light of the moon. "Silver light shimmers over the night and the land sparkles and gleams but beware all the glitters is not what it seems." I never figured out what that meant, her mother was always estranged from me.

My journey seemed to drag on and I was beginning to think there was no house and my mind was slipping away but there just past a thicket of trees was a house. My heart jumped and I ran full speed through the trees, I felt a gust of wind shoot past my head, I stopped so quick in my tracks I fell out of the thicket, stumbling to my feet I made it to the porch of the house, there an old barn owl perched itself on the banister. "'So it was you, watch where you fly." it stared at me with its void-like eyes as if it was gazing into my soul, I felt a familiar feeling inside me deep in my heart and gut.

I knocked at the door it slowly creaked open. "HELLOW?!" no answer. There must not have been anyone home so I let myself in. I figured I'll just use their phone, leave a note and some money and be on my way when help arrives. As I stepped into the house I tried the first light switch I saw but no light, I found my way into a large room, there was a lamp by the entrance. Click Click it worked.

The room was simple, a brown wallpaper with tweed couches, pictures of people hung on the walls. I searched for the phone and there it was on the opposite side of the room by the window. I picked it up, one of those old rotary phones. The dial tone buzzed in my ear as the faceplate spun around to each number. Riiiiiinnnnng riinnngggg riiiinnn-someone picked up "Yes hello, I need a tow right-" I stopped the sound of static blared through then the voice of a woman "Why...did...you...leave...me here..." It sounded like...no it couldn't be. "You...left...me here...cold...so cold...why?" No, she's gone it can't be her she was gone. The static stopped and the dial tone buzzed louder in my ear, it was her...no it wasn't...it sounded just like her... she's gone it's just my grief and guilt. The line died and there I was standing in the middle of the room.

The growl of my stomach broke the silence, I walked out of the room leaving twenty dollars next to the phone. Finding my way to the kitchen, surprise surprise the lights don't work but there were slightly melted candles and matches at the center of the table, I lit them. I opened the fridge to find a single beer and a container covered with foil, I'll leave them money for the meal. I sat at the table cracking open the beer and foil, I took one bite and instantly realized what it was...my favorite twice-baked cod and fried rice, I picked up the beer, it tasted like the exact brand I use to buy before- did it get colder in here all of a sudden? I looked over to see the kitchen window wide open and that damn owl perched right on the sill. " Go on get outta here." I tried to shoo it away but it just stared at me, its' eyes, those giant empty eyes stared bullets. I walked over to the window to attempt to close it but it flew in. "Damn you're one annoying bird." I grabbed a dishtowel and went to grab the bird from the top of the fridge.

"Easy now, I'm not going to hurt you." making my way closer to it, I noticed on the freezer door there was a note left. "My darling, don't forget to pick up-" the rest must have been smeared away but wait...the bottom was signed 'Rainny'.

That's impossible... it can't be...her name that's what I use to call her. SCREEE! SCREE! SCREE! my heart lept from my chest at the sound of the owl. "DAMN IT JUST LEAVE YOU STUPID BIRD, HOW COULD SHE EVER LOVE SUCH DISGUSTING CREATURES!?" I fell to the floor the sound of my breathing filling the gut-wrenching silence. Creeekk, I looked up to see the back door opening, "WHO'S THERE?!" I shouted forgetting this wasn't my house. Standing to my feet I watched the owl fly out into the backyard, something in my body said to leave and look for help elsewhere but my legs were already moving towards the door.

The moon drenched the yard in its light, distorted shadows dancing around, I felt watched but before I knew it I stepped onto the back porch. My eyes adjusted and I saw that damn owl perched on a rock in the middle of the yard. I felt rage overtake me and I rushed that damn bird. As I got closer I noticed the rock was an odd shape, no not a rock...a headstone. My blood ran cold, I knelt down to read the name, it was worn but I made out the letters. "L...O....R...A...I....N" my body felt stiff, I turned around facing the house, it was...our house, the house we built together.

I forced myself up with weak knees, I walked back into the kitchen, grabbed the still-lit candle, and headed into the living room. The candles light finally reviling what I feared inside. The portraits on the walls were me and Lorain all of them were. I felt disoriented, the air felt freezing and thin. I walked up the stairs on the walls more pictures of us even the pictures of her final days hung seemingly untouched by time.

I wandered into the first bedroom, her bedroom, a damp musty smell overpowered my nose but I kept going, I had no idea how to react, I can't seem to wrap my head around what was going on, none of this made sense, was my guilt really eating me inside that much? is this grief? is this madness? was this all a sick dream?

Her room still held all of her possessions, I opened her closet and to my horror, there was only one dress on the hanger...the one I handpicked for her...to be buried in, the stench of her perfume seem to waft through the air. RINNGG!....RINNGG! the phone, I felt hot yet cold sweat started running down my brow. I stepped from the room heading downstairs. The steps felt like they stretched endlessly, the sound of the phone rang throughout the house. I approached the phone the ringing pounded in my head now, the room felt like it was spinning, I picked up ...

"Stay..."

"Lorain is that you?"

"With me..."

"Lorain IS THAT YOU?!"

"You will..."

"DAMN IT LORAIN IS IT YOU?"

"Stay..."

"GO AWAY! YOU'RE GONE! YOU'VE BEEN GONE ! THIS ISN'T REAL! YOU'RE NOT REAL!"

I dropped the phone and started sobbing, I looked up through my tears, I could've sworn she was standing right in front of me but it was that owl again staring into my soul, I stared back, a cold breeze brushed my neck as if boney fingers were caressing me. Then I heard her directly in my ear.

" With me..."

Two weeks later...

"The search for local man, Timothy Pergin, comes to a standstill as authorities have hit a dead end. Timothy's car was found abandoned but nothing else of his has come up, authorities believe Timothy spent the night in an abandoned farmhouse just six miles away, but the only things found in the dilapidated home were twenty dollars and what is speculated to be Timothys last mean before his disappearance."

End.