Tuesday, May 3, 2016

Fire at Dusk: Part 4


Jessie wandered in the direction of the forest, calling out for Richard every dozen steps or so. The night air was cool and a breeze caught hold of her hair and tossed it gently across her face, obscuring her vision with the long, straight locks. She pulled the strands away from her eyes and rubbed her bare arms, wishing that she had brought a light jacket with her. It was too late now to go back to the cabin. She knew if she returned without Richard, then Mike and Jim would rib her and claim she had turned 'yella' from the outlandish tale the brothers had drugged up from the forest. She dwelled on it briefly and the image of Richard being attacked by the ghostly creature wormed its way into her imagination. She squared her shoulders as she pushed the story out of her mind, standing straight up and assured herself that it was all just nonsense. She resumed her search with new resolve.
“Hey Jess! Wait up!”
She turned around and saw a pair of floating yellow orbs bobbing in the darkness. The dim glow intensified as the figures which carried them drew closer. Moments later Buck and Roger stepped into her flashlight beam.
Jessie greeted her new companions, “Aw, you two boys didn't need to come on out all this way to help me find Richard. You're gonna to miss the game.”
“After what me and Buck saw earlier, it didn't set right 'bout lettin' you wander 'round out here by yerself,” Roger replied. “'Sides, we reckon he can't be too far 'way.”
The trio moved toward the pitch black line of trees. They called out for their missing friend once more, yellow beams of light tracing the perimeter of the forest.
Buck whipped his attention toward a cluster of distant bushes and spoke in a hushed tone “Ja hear that?”
“Hear what?” Roger and Jessie whispered in unison.
“Dick?” Buck's voice squeaked as he called out for his friend. “That you?”

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