What Lurks at Night

Bella stood in her dark living room looking out the picture window at the glistening stars. Her house stood in a wooded patch in the country, the only house for miles. She was waiting for her husband to come home and she could see the main road best from this window. She thought she saw his headlights but wait… headlights are not red. Bella stared more intently than before at what she saw or maybe what she thought she saw. But wait, it blinked she was sure it blinked. Bella thought she was going crazy she thought maybe she was losing it. Was she really seeing something with red glowing eyes or was her imagination acting up again. Suddenly the phone rang and Bella just about jumped off the floor. She ran to catch the phone before it stopped ringing. "Hello." She said in a panicked voice. "Oh Daniel it's you, are you on your way home?" She asked. He was quiet and didn’t answer for a minute, "Daniel?" Bella asked. "I'm in the driveway." He began, "but I…" He stopped and didn't finish his sentence. "Daniel what is it?" Bella asked. "Bella can you see out the picture window?" He asked her. "Yes I have the light off why?" She answered. "Then you must be seeing what I am seeing." He said quietly. Bella put her hand over her mouth, if he sees it too then this means she is not losing her mind. "I have been watching it for a couple minutes now. I didn't even see you pull in." Bella said. "It is further out in the yard I am going to try to come in." He said. Before Bella could answer the phone clicked off, she now stared out the window not even wanting to blink. Although if it came closer there was nothing she could do to save her husband anyway. It didn't move any closer to the house but it did move around in the yard. She heard the door open and close, she quickly turned around and there he was standing in the doorway of the living room. She rushed over to him and he wrapped his arms around her "I was so worried." She said. "Bella I have no clue what that is." He replied. They both walked over to the picture window and looked out. "There it is." Bella said pointing. "I can't see it." Daniel answered. "Let's walk out on the balcony." Bella backed away, "No I don't want to." She said sounding worried. "Come on. I am right here with you." Daniel said grabbing her hand. Slowly they walked out the door and onto the balcony, Bella stood very close to Daniel as they looked around for the eyes. Finally they saw them; it was closer than ever to the house. Bella was grateful Daniel came in when he did and that he did not stay out there with whatever this was. Daniel grabbed his binoculars that he always left on the balcony and looked through them. "What is it?" Bella whispered. "It looks like a dog, a weird dog." He answered. "What does that mean?" She asked. "Well have a look." He answered handing her the binoculars. Bella held them up to her eyes "I don't see it. Wait… there it is." She said. Bella handed the binoculars back to Daniel and he sat them in the chair. "Come on, I'm starved lets go get some dinner." Daniel suggested smiling. Bella and Daniel walked back into the house and had their dinner. After the dishes were washed and put away they decided to go to bed.

Bella woke up the next morning, got dressed and walked outside to check on the animals in the barn. Having forgotten what she had seen the night before she walked out to the barn showing no fear. She opened the barn door ready to greet the animals with a smile but they weren’t there. She looked all over the barn and found there one and only horse lying in the hay. "Hey Ruby." Bella said as she got down by the horse. She had a few scratches on her but other than that she was fine. Bella helped her up and led her out of the barn; Daniel always had his breakfast on the balcony so that is where she led Ruby. "Daniel." She called. He stood up and leaned over, "What's wrong." He asked. "Ruby is the only animal I could find." Bella said sounding concerned. "Hang on I'll come down." He answered. A few minutes later he came out the back door "Hey Ruby." He said calmly as he walked up to her. "Daniel none of the other animals are in the barn." Bella said. "Did you check the chickens?" He asked. Bella shook her head, "no I haven't made it there yet." She said. They took Ruby to the field and closed the gate, "do you think she will be okay?" Bella asked. "She will be fine while we look for the other animals." Daniel answered. They walked in the barn and Daniel looked all over while Bella stood and waited. "Was the door open?" Daniel asked. "No it was closed; I didn't check the back door though." Bella answered. Daniel walked over to the back of the barn; he was gone for a moment and then came back. "Bella it's open." He said shyly. "Well, that doesn't explain how the stall doors were opened." Bella answered. "Let's go out and look in the fields and see if we can find any of them." He said rubbing her shoulder. "Okay, maybe they just got out." Bella said. She was trying to justify what had happened, but really she didn't know. She had checked on the animals yesterday morning like she always does, and they were all there. Daniel and Bella walked through one of many of their fields looking for the animals. Daniel had walked ahead of Bella so they could cover more ground. As Bella was walking she kicked something in the grass, she bent down to pick it up. Bella gasped as she held the item up in front of her "Daniel!" She shouted. He ran towards her "What did you find?" He asked. "Millie's cow bell." She answered. "Well I found Millie." He added quietly. "What where?" Bella asked. They walked up the hill and when they reached the top Bella gasped. There lying in the valley was Millie, they walked down closer to her. "Oh Millie." Bella said. "Try to stay calm Bella. We have got to find out who or what did this." Daniel told Bella. It came time for him to go to work so they both walked into the house. Bella cleaned up the dishes while Daniel got ready for work at the base. "Bella I'm off to work." He said as he walked in the kitchen. Bella turned around from the sink, "Well don't you look handsome." She said smiling. She walked over to him and fixed his collar "better?" He asked. "Yes, be careful okay." She said as she rubbed his face. He leaned down and kissed her "If you go outside take the shotgun with you. And please be careful." He told her. "I will." She answered with a smile. He walked out the door and left for work. Bella ran over to the picture window and watched him go down the road. When she could see him no more she walked away and did some of her daily chores. When she was ready to take a basket of laundry out to hang on the line. She remembered Daniel's words, and grabbed the gun off the mantel. As she finished hanging the clothes on the line she noticed that Ruby was still out in the field. Bella got Ruby out of the field and took her back to the barn. It was then that she noticed the chickens were all there except for two which was lying dead beside the barn. They had probably been laying there since that morning. Bella went in the house and finished up the rest of her chores then started dinner. When the soup was simmering Bella walked over to the picture window to watch for Daniel. She saw nothing unusual and she was very grateful. Then suddenly as it got dark, there were the red eyes again. Coming from the lower field towards the house. Bella knew she had locked up every door on the barn but she did not want to take any chances. She suddenly had a bravery streak and rushed out on the balcony with the gun. She picked up the binoculars and looked through. It was the same strange looking dog but this time instead of just standing there. It was going right towards the barn "Oh no you don't." Bella said harshly. She picked up the gun and shot into the air. It stopped and looked right up at Bella with it glowing red eyes. She felt as though it was looking through her soul and she felt her bravery leaving her. It stared at her for about a minute and then continued towards the barn. Bella shot the gun again and it stopped and stared at her, same as the first time. Bella heard the back door open and close but this time she didn't move. She kept her eyes fixed on the red eyed creature. "Bella you okay." Daniel whispered from the balcony doorway. "It's here. Going towards the barn." Bella whispered. Daniel rushed out and took the gun from Bella "Go get the light." He whispered. Bella ran in the house and got the big flashlight and ran back out. "Light it up." He said. Bella turned it on and shined it right at the red eyes. Bella was amazed at how weird it looked. It looked up at them but then continued towards the barn. Daniel pointed the gun waited a moment and then took his shot. They both heard a screeching then saw it fall to the ground "Okay come on." Daniel said turning to Bella. They walked downstairs and out the back door Bella held on to Daniel with one hand and held the flashlight with the other. As they walked closer to where it fell he had the gun ready, just in case he needed to shoot again. Finally they reached where it fell but it wasn't there. "What?" Bella said confused. "I know I hit it." Daniel added looking around. Bella looked around the yard and then gasped "Daniel look." She whispered clutching his arm tighter. There at the edge of the yard were the red eyes. Daniel and Bella slowly walked back into the house. They never saw those eyes again but every once in a while they would hear people in town talking about it. And every once and a while they would have an animal come up dead. You never truly know what lurks at night.