Tag: extra

It was night, and the combined light from the waning moon and the streetlights left stripes of light across the hallway through the open doors. The house lights had been off long enough that Isaac’s eyes were accustomed to the dark, and he could confidently walk down the hall without any fear of stubbing his toes on hidden obstacles.

He wasn’t really certain why he was awake. He’d been tucked in bed and dreaming of something, and then he was awake. The dream slipped away like water through his fingers, and he was left with a vague memory of needing to be somewhere to do something.

The feeling remained as he left the warm bed and shivered in the cool of the fall night. With no real idea of where he needed to be, he pulled on some slippers and started the journey down the hallway to the kitchen. He paused as he passed Charlie’s room.

He stepped inside and looked around. Everything was gilded by the light from the window. Charlie’s slow, even breaths sounded loud in the quiet room. Nothing looked out of place.

Isaac shuffled across the room and looked out the window. The backyard looked different at night. It looked like it was waiting for something to happen, something magical and mysterious. Even the sunflowers and cornstalks that were so cheerful in the daylight were now tall and brooding in the shadows.

His gaze skimmed across the yard, but his eyes returned to the oak tree in the back corner. Something was not quite right. The shape of the shadows was wrong. Was someone hiding back there next to the tree? Read More