Bull's Eye

My blue eyes were steadily staring out the window when I saw hundreds of eagles rapidly falling from the sky. The clouds became darker and teardrops were falling to the ground. Whistling sounds of the wind whispering my name. I felt a gentle breeze rocking my shoulder.

“Emma,” the sounds became more clear. I slowly turned around. My pulse charging at a fast pace. I felt a warm breath hovering over me.

"Oh my God!" I shouted, startled. It felt like I'd been running for miles, sweating and out of breath.

“It’s time to go home. Sorry if I scared you." It was a familiar voice. I took a bow of relief. It was Jake.

‘Brinng!!!’ I heard the blaring school bell ringing! For some odd reason I found myself falling asleep more frequently in the last period. I don't remember when it all started, but the school principal made it clear that if I was reported for these sleeping episodes again I would surely receive a week suspension.

As we walked through the parking lot, he wrapped his arm around my shoulder.

He smelled like fresh daisies on an earthy day. “Emma, can I come over to your place today?" Jake asked, "We could study… you know… among other things." He smiled as his lips met mine with a kiss.

We had been dating since the 3rd grade. He held the title of boyfriend, but for me, he was everything. It was our senior year in high school, and while everyone was throwing up cheap conversations of college, Jake and I had different ideas. He was going to work as an intern at his dad’s newspaper company, and I… well I guess I still hadn’t figured it out yet.

“Can you take me to the mall today, Jake?" I asked him. "It’s Halloween this weekend and we need costumes for the party." I knew him better than anyone, and that look on his face said he forgot.

“Sure thing," he responded, "I’ll take you and you could pick out my outfit too… kinda like two birds one stone kinda deal." We both laughed. He was in a happy mood and so was I.

On the way to the mall, we stopped by our friend’s house. He lived in an upscale neighborhood just on the outskirts of town. His house was like a 5-story mansion sitting on about 8 acres of land. I rang the doorbell and waited. Jake was in the car nodding his head to the beat of the soundtrack playing in his old yellowish-brown mustang. This was going to be a quick visit. 

The door squeaked as it opened. “Hello Emma Grace,” Chris greeted me. 

Beyond his geeky glasses he had the darkest brown eyes that felt like they were piercing your skin with every glance. He waved at Jake in the car, who quickly waved back. They were like brothers from two different dimensions. “Hey Chris! I’m here to grab Jake’s house keys. He said he left them here,” I told him.

“Sure!” Chris answered, “Jake’s very forgetful self left them in the theater room yesterday. Come on in, I’ll show you.” I followed behind him, looking at the distinct furniture in his living room gleaming with beauty. Every piece was so uniquely detailed. My favorite of all was the bull’s head statue made of pure gold that belonged to his dad, George. The bull’s eyes were fierce, and looked as if they saw beyond your soul.

Chris once told us that he believed the statue may be bewitched. This idea of his stemmed from two tragic events that he witnessed not too long ago. In the first incident he explained that his great uncle Todd came to visit the house the day before last Halloween. Amazed and blown away by the sight of the golden masterpiece, he quickly gravitated towards it. Ignoring the huge sign above it printed in bold letters ‘DO NOT TOUCH!’, he gently patted the head of the bull while staring into its wandering eyes. He was interrupted by Chris’ dad but not soon enough.

That same night, upon his departure, he complained about hearing strange noises in his head, and later fell down a flight of stairs, breaking both his legs. Maybe it was just an accident or maybe old age. But when he told us of a similar incident that took place with his aunt who was in her early 40s, our whole outlook changed. She had only spent a few minutes looking into the animal’s eyes, and that same nightfall as she gazed at the beautiful starry sky, she slipped and fell off the patio from the 3rd floor and broke her neck. Why would such a cruel thing be in the center of the home as if the main attraction when it’s beauty would lure anyone in despite the warning?

George often traveled for work, getting the most elaborate stories all over the globe. About 12 years ago, he worked on a series based on a mysterious power in Egypt. His last day in Cairo, he received this gift from a spiritual healer named Abanoub. The healer expressed gratitude for George’s time and efforts and told him that this mysterious gift belonged in the center of his home and would bring him good luck and great health for as long as he lives, but it came with a condition or more like a price if you asked me.

George and only George was privileged to lay hands upon the bull’s head as they were now connected through divine power. But no one, including George, should look directly into the bull’s eyes. Like a window, the eyes were an entrance to another realm that only the strongest of minds could survive its many atrocities. Any refusal from the new owner to grant it such a request would bring years of bad luck bestowed upon him. Nevertheless to say, George was a religious man and did not want to discover if there was any truth to such a tale, and did as he was advised. Shortly after George’s return home, he was awarded with an accolade of a visit from the former president who was impressed by his work in Egypt. That same year he received his first Pulitzer Prize and many more recognition awards followed.

We were briskly walking through the room, when suddenly I missed my step, and fell forward. As I staggered, the earring I was wearing hit my cheek and came undone, flying from my ear and hitting the statue before bouncing to the ground. I slightly raised my head, and there I was looking right into its eyes if only for a quick second before looking away. Awkward silence. The world stood still.

My thoughts ran wild as several questions went through my mind: 'What the heck just happened?’ The subtle sound of metal clashing was now loud echoes through the walls. My heart was bursting out of my chest. Chris looked at me with wide eyes and worried. ‘Does this mean I touched it? Did I look into its eyes, the forbidden entity? It wasn’t my skin, but does my belonging, my earring in some way carry my essence with it? Was a single second of a gaze be enough to be called a look?’ 

Confused and still in disbelief, my body lay frozen. Chris helped me up off the ground. “Don’t worry about it so much Emma,” he tried to reassure me, “You’ll be fine, I know it.” We walked through the hall to a small passageway on the right. 

“Chris!” we heard a voice yell from afar, “Get in here for a second!” It was George. 

Chris looked at me and shrugged his shoulders. “You remember where the theater room is right?” he asked me. I nodded. “Go on ahead and I’ll be up in just a second,” he continued as he walked off. 

I said Okay.

‘Ding’ I pushed the button and waited for the elevator door to open. The theater was on the 3rd floor. I quickly got in and pressed 3. ‘Third floor,’ the voice said. It must have been the longest 3 seconds of my life when the elevator door seemed like it was about to open but suddenly came to an abrupt stop. Darkness quickly filled the small area. I dug my hands into my deep pockets.

‘Where’s my phone? I gotta call Jake for help. Or maybe Chris since he should be coming up. Where’s my phone? Oh no! I left it in the car. This was supposed to be a quick stop yet here I am stuck in the elevator.’

My heart was pounding fast. My head was spinning. I frantically screamed, “Help! Chris! Can you hear me? Can anyone hear me? I need help!” 

My cries went unanswered. Why was everything so silent? I’m having a heart attack! Oh no, a panic attack? Whatever it was, it didn’t feel good. I was scared. I started hitting the emergency button, but it didn’t seem to work. I was hitting every button, nothing worked. 

“Help me! Please somebody help me!” I started to weep as I banged my head against the door. Streaks of blood ran down my forehead. My vision blurred from too many tears in my eyes. ‘Why won’t it open? Why? Why won’t anybody help me?’

I sat on the floor, hitting the door with the palm of my hands until they were red and sore. My knuckles bruised from the impact. Nobody was going to be there for my last moment. 

‘I can hardly breathe. Why didn’t I just take the stairs? My asthma is kicking in, I’ve been in here too long. But no, I don’t have asthma. Why does my body feel so weak? Am I losing too much blood from my head injury?’ Thoughts of fear ran through my mind. I was all alone on the battlefield and the bull did this to me. It was my fault. I should have been more careful.’

Clinging to the left corner of the cell, I stared into the darkness, my body shaking. I felt my lungs took their last breath. Outside of my body, I could see myself laying there lifeless on the floor. Tears ran down my face. It was over. I didn’t get a chance to tell Jake goodbye. I messed up. Where was I? This was not heaven. 'How do I get to heaven from here?'

“Emma,” I heard a soft voice call out to me, but from where? “Emma!” 

My body shivered with cold. 'Why am I shaking?' I felt my eyelids gently opening. There was a face, it was faint but it looked like… “Jake…” I slowly opened my eyes to see my rescuer. I could feel my wet shirt as I arose to consciousness. Someone had poured water on me. “What happened?” I asked. I was in a state of shock and confusion.

“Well,” Chris explained, “We were going to get the keys and you tripped, hit your head on the hardwood floor and immediately passed out. Am sorry, I tried to wake you up but Jake here seemed to have done the trick.”

Jake consoled me. In his arms, his warmth never felt so good. 

“But my earring,” I whispered as I touched my ear. 

Both earrings were still intact in my ear. I swore one fell or maybe it didn’t. I sighed with relief. Everything started to come back to me. It was right at that moment when I hit the ground.

 Jake kissed me, “We need to get costumes, remember?” he chuckled then smiled.

I nodded. That look in his eyes was all the comfort I ever needed. “I love you, Jake,” I responded, “I think I’ll buy you a dolphin costume this time!” We all laughed.

Loud music from the mustang filled the air as we cleared the driveway at Chris’ house. George came down to see us off. They waved good-bye, standing on the front steps while we drove off on the dusty road. I was okay and they all knew it. On our way to the mall, all I could think about was the crazy episode I experienced earlier. “Jake,” I started, “today I had the weirdest dream.” I rest my hand on his thigh.

He looked over at me, “Really?”

Honkkkk honkkkk!!!!

“Jake NOOO!” I screamed!

He instantly stomped on the breaks. The hissing sound from the green trailer truck honking its horn echoed as it approached us head on. Time slowed like a light trance. It's only a few feet away. A blank moment. A blank stare. 'Did we just avoid a direct hit or did we not?' I smelled fresh air.

Lucky for us the mall was only a block away. I was ready to get the costumes and go home. The costume shop was on the second floor. As we entered the main door, we could clearly see the signs marked Out of order on the stairway that was under construction. I looked at Jake, my body frozen.

“I guess we gotta take the elevator,” he said. 

The elevator door opened. I hesitantly walked in with Jake holding my hands as they grew cold. ‘Second floor’ the voice said.

It must have been the longest 3 seconds of my life when the elevator door seemed like it was about to open but suddenly came to an abrupt stop. Darkness quickly filled the small area.

…..