Fire at Dusk: Part 29

Shirley Sue and Buck stood outside of the door of the mill. Buck tapped his foot while he waited and Shirley Sue stood with her thumbs tucked away in the pockets of her shorts, looking toward the building. The moon had disappeared from the night sky, leaving the stars as the only form of illumination in the night. Buck looked up. The mill towered over him and Shirley Sue, obscuring half the sky. He wished they could be alone together, anywhere else. He sighed. He knew that after tonight things would go back to the way there were before, with him pining after her as he struggled to work up the nerve to ask her on a date. He had never been good with words, but tonight he wished more than ever that he could say something to woo his childhood friend.

“Look!” Buck whispered “A shooting star!”

Shirley Sue looked into the sky and spotted the meteorite. Her eyes followed the long streak of light which disappeared behind the building.

“Another one right there!” Shirley Sue whispered back. “Make a wish!”

In spite of the evening's events the duo smiled widely, although darkness concealed their expressions from one another. Shirley Sue shivered as the cool night breeze brushed across her bare arms.

“I'm a little cold,” she said rubbing her arms with her hands, and then leaned against Buck.

Buck's heart skipped a beat as he wrapped his arms around her. They stood in silence, staring into the sky, the evening's events melted away like a nightmare they had awoken from.

“Shirley Sue,” Buck whispered. “I've been wantin'-”

A beam of light spilled over the pair. “Aw, I hate to break up such a sweet moment,” said a deep voice behind them. “But you best be puttin' yer hands up or I'll put a bullet in yer heads.” The sentence was punctuated with the click of a gun hammer being drawn back.

Buck and Shirley Sue complied with the order.

“Now turn around nice and slow like,” ordered the voice. “I thought I seen you two bein' chased off by that monster earlier. Judgin' by that shotgun, I reckon you've come back ta settle some business.”