Eyes of the Blood Moon

The Son Returns

Ella felt the cold wind nip at her face and hands, so she tucked them into her coat pockets.

March was passing quickly, it was getting warmer as Easter weekend approached. Yet the night still felt as cold as the winter days.

As Ella strolled through the streets she saw a familiar shadow in the distance. A silhouette she hadn't seen in a good long time.

She felt a smile grow across her face as she recognized the man.

"Riley," she laughed running up behind him.

He turned to face her, and once he saw the familiar face and beautiful smile he began to run towards her.

They met in the middle and she threw her arms around his neck. It was so good to be back with her best friend.

"Why didn't you tell me you were coming home? I called you every month when you were...you know," Ella asked letting go.

Riley chuckled. "Ha. I...I really appreciated that by the way. Even if I never said it," he told her in his familiar rough voice.

"Well well. The three amigos reunited," another voice said.

Both turned to see the kind, sarcastic face of Erin Greene. She had come back at the same time Ella had. The three of them were best friends throughout their whole childhood.

"Misses Greene," Riley chuckled.

"It's good to see you," Erin smiled back at him.

"Look at us. Back together at the place we all so desperately wanted to leave," Ella laughed.

"Running away was easy," Erin sighed.

"Staying gone though was pretty tough," Ella agreed.

Riley just nodded.

They walked back to Ella's house, hers was the first, just like old times. Talking and catching up.

When they arrived at the little yellow wooden cabin, they said their goodbyes, promising to meet up the next day.

Ella pushed open her creaky front door, into the dark living room. She flipped on the light to see her kitten, Pebbles sitting on the leather sofa looking back up at her lazily.

Ella smiled. "I'm home baby buddy. You must be hungry."

Pebbles meowed in agreement.

Ella put her coat down on the couch and walked to pour Pebbles his food.

He stretched and hopped down waiting for the food to pour.

Ella pat his head before walking back to the couch and laying across the sofa.

She wasn't tired, not after her nap on the beach earlier.

She looked over at her small tv wondering if she wanted to flip it on.

But she wasn't in the mood. She just stared up at her ceiling and thought over her day.

Her mind wandered to Father Paul and his charming smile.

She studied his face in her head. It seemed familiar, in a way, but she'd never seen him before tonight. At least not that she knew of.

Perhaps he just has one of those faces. He's so approachable, he already feels like a distant friend.

She adjusted herself on the couch feeling her eyes grow heavier. She was more sleepy than she thought.

She felt the light pounce of Pebbles jump up onto the couch he was resting on earlier, clearly annoyed she had taken up his spot, so to assert dominance, he walked right up onto her chest and lay down.