The Barn

Chapter 2

"Dad?" 14 year old Benjamin called from the living room.  He was supposed to be sleeping over at his friend Dan's house that night but Dan became ill and cancelled the sleepover.  Benjamin's mother was away in the City for a meeting with interested publishers.  His mother was a kind and caring woman with a love for writing and an even stronger passion for her son and husband. 

"Dad?" Benjamin called again with no answer as he started to walk down the hallway toward his parent's bedroom and study.  Benjamin heard something fall and worried that his father was in trouble.  Benjamin tip-toed down the hallway, trying not to make a sound.  As Benjamin neared the bedroom, he heard voices. Voices that belonged to a man and woman. Benjamin knew the man's voice was his father's but he could not detect the woman's voice.  He stood in front of the door and realized that the voices weren't saying any words.  Benjamin opened the door without a sound and saw something moving from under the bed sheets.

"Dad?" Benjamin said softly, tears welling in his eyes, as he realized what was happening.  Benjamin's father's head emerged from under the sheets.

"Benjamin?!  Wh- why are you here?  I can explain!" Benjamin's father said,  shock lining his words.  Suddenly, a young woman around her mid-20's appeared from under the bed sheets.  Benjamin did not recognize her.

"How could you?!" Benjamin yelled, "What's wrong with mom?!  Is she not good enough for you?! You made a vow to be true to her!!  And now you've broken that vow!!  What the fuck is wrong with you?!"

"Benjamin Harrison Mathers!!  You will not uses that language in my house!  I am still your father and you will treat me with respect!" Benjamin's father bellowed as he stood up, only wearing his boxers.

"Why should I treat you with respect?!  After what you did?!  What the hell makes you think you deserve respect?!?!  Huh, huh??!!  You maybe my biological father but you will never be my true father ever again!!  Do you understand?!!"  Benjamin exploded at his father with tears streaming down his face. 

Benjamin's father approached him, anger and fury filling his eyes.  Benjamin's father's hand rose and came down upon Benjamin.  He lay on the floor, blood seeping from his nose and mouth, his face throbbing with pain. 

"Benjamin...  I'm so sorry.  I - I didn't mean to.  It all happened so-" Benjamin's father tried to explain but was too late.  Benjamin ran out of the house and fell into the middle of the quiet street.  Rain poured down upon him and made his face an amalgam of blood, tears, and rain water.  Benjamin screamed at the top of his lungs into the air as the rain washed away the blood from his clothes and skin.

He screamed because he would not have a father again.

He screamed because his mother would never be the same after she found out what had happened.

He screamed because he knew he would never have the same life as he did the day before.

He screamed because he knew that his heart would never be one again, no matter how hard he tried.

He screamed because he realized that he would never be able to trust or love someone fully ever again in his life.

Benjamin sat up in the bed violently, gasping for air.  Sweat was dripping from his face onto his shirt.  Outside, the freshly fallen snow glistened under the moonlight.  The old house was quiet and dark.  Benjamin's breathing was the only sound.

"Ben?  Babe, are you okay?," Charlotte asked sleepily.  She sat up next to him and put her hand on his warm, drenched back.  Benjamin jumped upon her touch, "The Dream again?" 

Benjamin nodded as he held his chest with his hand, still trying to catch his breath.  Charlotte pulled him toward herself and held his head against her chest, trying to calm him.  They stayed like that for a time until Charlotte fell asleep with Benjamin lying next to her.  Her breathing made Benjamin feel at peace.  But still, the nightmare haunted his thoughts.

Outside the window, the sun began to rise over the horizon.  The sun broke the darkness of the cold, winter night and created a new day of possibilities. Benjamin saw no point in going back to sleep.  He rose from the bed and went to the window.  In the distance, nearly hidden by snow-covered trees, he could see a building.  A small building that seemed as if it was a barn.  He wondered if the barn belonged to some past owners of the land. 

Benjamin heard Charlotte move in the bed.  He crept across the bedroom floor silently, trying not to wake Charlotte.  He walked down the long old hallway, past small light fixtures and tables with faux flowers placed on them.  He continued down the carpeted wooden stairs, past the living room, and into the kitchen.

"Now where is the coffee maker?  And the mugs?" Benjamin whispered to himself as rummaged through boxes stacked in the kitchen. After about 10 minutes of frustration, he finally found the coffee maker and mugs.  He plugged the coffee machine into an outlet along the counter top and started to count the scoops of coffee. 

After about fifteen minutes, the coffee was done.  Benjamin poured a cup and walked over to the French doors that opened up to their backyard of land and fields.  The sun was glowing dimly on the snow-covered ground.  As the sun rose above the treeline, Benjamin inhaled, exhaled,  then took a sip of his coffee.  He looked at the clock on the stove. It read 7:20. 

As more light showered the land, the outside world became more visible.  Benjamin marveled at the beautiful acres of land that was now theirs. Knowing that the land was theirs gave him such a sense of independence.  He grinned at the thought.

A small, lifeless leaf fell from one of the trees in the backyard.  Benjamin's eyes followed the leaf down, through the air. 

But the leaf did not land in the snow.

It landed on a red-painted footprint.

Benjamin stood at the French doors, cold.  The color drained from his face as he dropped his mug.  His eyes followed the trail of red footprints. The prints seemed to reach all the way to the old barn that he had spotted through the bedroom window.  Whatever made the footprints had walked from the barn and to the edge of the outside steps.

And then they stopped. 

There was no trail that indicated the person had left.

But yet, no one was standing there.

It was as if the person ceased their journey shortly before the house and vanished.