I took another deep breath, the crisp air cleansing my thoughts. As I was about to get up, I paused, my eyes going toward the waterfront.
I could feel something watching at me. Right by the shore. I didn’t see anything, but the hairs on the back of my neck stood up and goosebumps rose on my arms.
No.
There was more than one.
“What is going on?” I whispered to myself, dread creeping down my spine.
I strained my eyes, trying to pick up shapes or movement. There was nothing, just the gentle sound of small ripples hitting the gravel sand.
Slowly I stood, taking the three steps down the porch to the front lawn. I dared not go any further. Nothing happened, nothing moved, nothing breathed. Then I heard a loud snap come from the woods on my right.
I spun, heart pumping red-hot adrenaline through my bloodstream. The trees swayed slightly in a gentle breeze, the sound of rustling leaves clogging my ears. I begged them to stop, my eyes darting back and forth, half-expecting some dark being of the night to come charging out. But nothing did.
“OK, time to go back inside,” I said, turning. I stopped.
Whatever was watching me from the shore had moved closer. I could feel some kind of weird energy and heat flowing in my direction. Or was I just imagining it, paranoid by my girlfriend’s nightmares?
Not sticking around to find out, I bounded up the steps and back into the safety of the house. I locked the door and turned on the porch lights. Trying to slow my heart rate, I went back into the bedroom and tucked myself in next to Jenny. When sleep finally came, it was restless and full of moving shadows.
Both of us slept until almost noon, our bodies tired from the night activity. A warm sun peeked in the windows and eventually we got up. We were quiet as we started the day, murmuring good morning to each other and making coffee. When it was finished, we took it outside to the porch, Jenny sitting on my lap with her head resting on mine.
I took a cautious sip from my mug and swallowed the hot liquid before asking, “You remember any nightmares you had last night?”
Jenny looked at me, puzzled. “Nightmares? No, why? Was I keeping you up?”
I shrugged. “You were talking in your sleep a little bit. Sounded like you thought something was in our room. Scared the shit out of me, to be honest.”
She pinched my cheek, smiling. “Awww, don’t worry I’ll protect you from the monsters under the bed.”
I shrugged her hand away and took another sip of coffee. “I was just worried about you. You were tossing and turning the first night, too, all sweaty and muttering stuff.”
“What was I saying?”
I took a moment, collecting my thoughts. “Well, it’s weird…you kept saying these two words…in fact, I’m pretty sure you said them last night at dinner. You kept repeating, ‘shimmer’ and ‘shine.’ And last night when I was trying to get you to calm down you said, ‘It’s gone back to the shimmer.’”
Jenny ran her tongue over her teeth. “That’s sounds crazy as a crab cake, buddy. Next time just kick me and tell me to shut up,” she giggled and leaned down, kissing me. “Just not too hard, mister.”
I wasn’t about to let it go so easily. “Look, baby, it really freaked me out. You would have been scared, too, if you heard the things you were saying.”
She stuck her bottom lip out at me. “I’m sorry. Maybe I should drink some tea tonight before bed. You do look pretty tired.”
I wrapped my arms around her. “I’m just worried about my girl, that’s all.”
She stroked my hair. “You’re a good boyfriend.”
We sat like that for a while, finishing our coffee and watching the water. Seeing the lake in the daylight made me feel kind of silly about last night. Of course there had been nothing there. Still, I decided to keep that part of the story to myself, not wanting to add fuel to any potential nightmares.
“What do you want to do today?” I asked after a while.
Jenny shrugged. “Anything you want. You decide.”
I motioned my head toward the woods. “You wanna take a walk? Check out the woods; see if we can’t find something cool?”
I felt Jenny shrink ever so slightly into me. “I’d rather not. At least not today, if that’s all right.”
“Hey you said I could decide,” I teased.
“I know,” she said. “I went for a walk yesterday, though. I walked pretty far back and,” she paused, her words coming slowly, “there’s nothing out there.”
I sighed, pretending to be crushed, “Fine…I guess I can think of one other thing I’d like to do all day…I guess.”
She perked up. “Oh? What’s that?”
I picked her up and marched us into the bedroom, Jenny playfully resisting and laughing the whole way.
Once again the moonlight filled our bedroom, a peaceful silence cooling the air. It had been a fantastic day. Jenny was already asleep and breathing softly next to me. I looked over at the clock and saw it was midnight.
“Holy shit,” I muttered, “how is it so late already?” I rested my head down on my pillow, feeling my muscles ache. They had certainly gotten a workout today. I smiled, thinking about the hours before. I had complete confidence she would sleep like a baby tonight.
Not quite ready to turn in myself, I crept out of the room and pulled a beer from the fridge. I plopped myself down on the couch in the dark house and pulled out my phone. I scanned the news and my other usual sites, feeling content and worn out.
About halfway through my third beer, I began to feel the day’s activities catching up with me and I began nodding off. Just as I was about to enter the comfort of deep sleep, I heard something.
“Baby?”
I forced my eyes open, trying to adjust my vision in the darkness.
“Baby, where are you?”
Jenny. I prayed she hadn’t had another nightmare.
“I’m right here, hon,” I said loudly, waving my arm behind my head toward the bedroom door. “I fell asleep on the couch I think. I’m sorry. Come over here.”
I heard her stumble through the bedroom and walk out into the living room, her footsteps softly rounding the side of the couch over toward me.
“I’m over here,” I said, squinting, trying to make out her shape.
My blood froze in my veins.
That wasn’t Jenny.
I scrambled for my phone and hastily swiped the screen, shining the light where her voice was coming from.
Nothing. I was alone in the living room.
“What the fuck?” I croaked, voice shaking. I stood up, heart beating like a hammer against my chest, and walked around the couch into the bedroom. The sheets were cast aside and the bed lay empty.
Jenny was gone.
“Jenny!?” I cried, fist slamming into the wall and flicking the light on. “Jenny, where are you!?” I scanned the room, feeling panic rise, and saw the window wide open.
I ran to it, tripping on my shoes at the foot of the bed and going down hard. Cursing and gasping, I hoisted myself up and went to look out the window. Dark night and a claustrophobic tree line were all I saw, the moon rays unable to break through the dense woods.
I ran to the front door, throwing it open and putting my hands to my mouth, screaming for Jenny. I ran out onto the lawn, cool dew splashing on my bare feet. I looked toward the water’s edge, desperately searching for some sign of where she could be. Nothing.
“JENNY!” I screamed, voice cracking. I could feel terror wrapping a cold hand around my mind as I spun three hundred and sixty degrees, eyes poking at every shadow.
I saw her.
She was standing motionless by the tree line on the right side of the house, unmoving, and staring into the black woods.
I sprinted to her, breath coming in sharp bursts of panic. I grabbed her by the shoulders and spun her toward me.
“Jenny, what are you doing out here!?” I gasped.
She shook me off and turned back to the woods, raising a fin
ger to her lips. “Listen.”
Confused, I stood there only hearing the blood pumping in my ears. Then…I heard it.
Screaming.
The noise echoed back to us from deep, deep inside the woods. A man’s voice.
Jenny glanced at me, her voice barely audible. “Do you hear that?”
I swallowed hard, chest rattling. “What the hell is that?”
She said nothing and we both were trapped in horror as the screaming continued, a raw, penetrating howl that buried itself deep in my ears. And then it began to get closer.
“We need to get back inside,” I said, trying to grab her again.
“Wait!” she hissed, head cocked. “Listen. He’s saying something.”
I wrapped my arms around myself, biting back the fear.
The voice was screaming for help.
And then my eyes grew wide as I realized something.
That was my voice.
“Jenny! NOW!” I said, practically dragging her back inside the house. I slammed the front door and turned on every light I could find, my terrified, confused mind soaring in crippled chaos. I went to get my phone and call someone, anyone, when I heard Jenny speak.
She was standing by the front window, nose practically touching the glass. “Shimmer, shimmer, shine, we all shine….look at them all…” she repeated over and over again. I ran to her and spun her to face me. Her eyes were clouded and I realized she was asleep.
I slapped her hard. “Stop it! Stop saying that! Wake UP!”
She stumbled back, hitting the wall and almost falling. She blinked and tears began to form. Her cheek glowed from where I had stuck her and her eyes met mine. Confused and clear, she began to cry.
“What are you DOING!?” she sobbed, sitting down against the wall. “What is happening? Why am I in the living room?”
Oh shit, I thought, too hard. I quickly crouched down, trying to comfort her, but she battered me away. “You asshole, you hit me!” Big tears rolled down her cheeks and I went from being scared out of my mind to feeling horrible.
“Jen, baby, I’m sorry! You were sleepwalking and I had to wake you up! You were walking around outside, I think you were going to go into the woods! I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to hit you that hard!”
“You’re such a meanie,” she said, crying harder and wiping her eyes. She stood up and stormed into the bedroom, slamming the door hard enough to splinter the wood. And my heart.
I stood there, feeling awful, heart racing. I shook my head. “Fuck me.”
I didn’t know what to do. I was still paralyzed with confusion as to what was happening. Feeling like I was wading through a dream, I sat down on the couch and stared into the dead fireplace. Thoughts came and went like a passing summer storm. My eyes felt heavy and tired, but my mind kept them open, afraid that if they shut I would see monsters behind my eyelids. What had happened here tonight? I couldn’t make sense of it and my stomach slowly soured as I replayed everything in my mind. I didn’t feel safe here anymore. We needed to go into town and talk to someone. To talk to the police, animal control, anyone. I had too many questions that held no logical answers.
I lost track of time, everything floating around me in a haze. Before I knew it, the sky was beginning to color, a splash of purple and orange spilling across the horizon. I looked toward the windows expecting to see twisted faces staring back at me. Nothing. Of course there wasn’t anything. Exhausted, I wondered if I was losing my mind.
I went to the bedroom door and quietly opened it. Jenny was asleep, her back to me. I crept toward her and slid between the sheets. Sleep came softly and I welcomed it.
I woke to pressure on my face. I opened my eyes and Jenny was leaning over me, her finger pressing against the tip of my nose. She looked tired, her hair spilling over my face and tickling my cheeks. I gave her a small smile.
“Morning. I’m sorry,” I said, shifting so she could scoot closer.
She lay her head down on my chest. “I might have overreacted. I know you wouldn’t do that normally.”
“Everything was just…out of control last night,” I said brushing her hair with my hand. “I was so scared. You ran outside, I couldn’t find you, we heard noises in the woods…” I trailed off.
Jenny was silent for a while, then, “I really ran outside?” she giggled. “Wow, that’ll be a story for the kids.”
I looked down at her. “Jenny, this is serious. There’s something weird going on. Ever since that first night I’ve felt like something is wrong. You’ve been acting strange, I’m hearing voices, I keep thinking something is watching me…I’m getting freaked out.”
She rolled on top of me. “Can’t take much more of your crazy girlfriend?”
“No, no,” I said. “It’s more than just your nightmares and sleepwalking…something is wrong out here.”
“Don’t tell me you want to go back already,” she said, sitting up.
I propped myself up on my elbows. “Well…no…but I’d feel better if we went into town and talked to someone. Like the police. Just to be sure there’s no crazy hillbillies running around killing people or whatever.”
She collapsed onto her back with a groan. “Oh, please don’t make me sit in the car again!”
I could feel myself getting frustrated. “Look, I’m just worried about keeping us safe and last night I did not feel safe, OK?”
She rolled over and looked at me, her big blue eyes widening. “Can we pleeeeease just stay here today and have a good day together? Please? Can’t you just call or something?”
I closed my mouth and turned everything over in my mind. I would much rather talk to someone face to face, if only to get away from the house for a few hours, but calling did make more sense. Jenny stared at me as I made up my mind, fluttering her eyelashes at me and pouting. I groaned internally.
“Fine, I’ll call. But you’re making breakfast this morning,” I said, caving.
She laughed and hit me with a pillow. “Fine, just don’t start beating me again if I burn your toast.”
“Har har.”
Jenny bounded off the bed and went to prepare for the day. I didn’t move for another couple minutes, feeling like a bitch. Finally, I got up and took a shower, the hot water and steam purging my bad feelings and filling me with optimism.
After breakfast, I went outside with my phone, watching as Jenny sprinted past me toward the water in her swimsuit. I told her I’d join her in a moment and looked up the local sheriff’s department, dialing the number.
The phone rang a couple times, then was answered by a man with a high, young-sounding voice. I told him I needed to talk to the sheriff and he told me I was speaking to him.
I told him my name and where we were staying and described what happened last night, going over the weird feeling of being watched, the screaming, the voices, everything.
“I know this all sounds crazy,” I said for the hundredth time, “but I’m telling you exactly as it happened, OK?”
Silence grew on the other line, then finally, “You said you were up by the lake?”
“Yeah.”
“You’re quite a ways from us. Quite a ways from everything, matter of fact.” The sheriff paused and I could hear him sucking his teeth. “Listen, there’s a lot of weird noises up here. Especially if you aren’t used to the woods. Animals can make all kinds of sounds that sound human. You know a fox can sound like a crying baby? Creepiest thing you’ll ever hear.”
I shifted the phone to my other ear, watching Jen dive into the water from the pier. “Listen, I know I didn’t grow up around here, but I know what a human voice sounds like. And a fox can’t scream, ‘Help me,’ can it? Unless you’re going to tell me that was a fucking owl.” I could feel my temper rising, the frustration of being talked down to heating me.
The sheriff’s tone shifted. “Don’t get smart with me; you’re the one calling me for help, right?”
“You’re not helping!” I yelled, throwing my hand up in the air.
“Please!”
His voice filled my ear, his mouth pressing against the receiver. “I think you should stay the fuck out of those woods.” And then he hung up.
I blinked and stared at my screen. What did he say? Stay out of the woods? Why? Gritting my teeth, I shoved my phone in my pocket and walked down to the pier. I was pissed. I had no answers and I was torn as to what to do.
Jenny swam over and asked me about the call. I waved a hand at her, dismissively telling her they didn’t know what I was talking about.
She gave me a big grin and said, “See? Everything is fine. Now can you please stop moping and come in here with me?”
Reluctantly, I pulled my shirt off and wrapped my phone in it. I slipped into the cold water and told myself that if things went weird again tonight, we would leave. Screw the trip, screw the plans, we could go anywhere, the summer was just starting.
Having made that decision, I found it easier to relax and have fun. I felt the tension bleed out of me and the knots in my neck began to loosen. Soon I found myself laughing and splashing around, chasing Jenny through the water and dunking her, then letting her dunk me.
The sun crawled across the sky like a dying man in a desert. As evening dawned, clouds began to bump into each other and form a thick overcast blanket above us. The sunset was lost in its thick weave and darkness began to move in early.
As the light dimmed, we went back up into the house and began preparing a huge dinner. We joked about how much food we were making, but we were both starving. I played music loudly over my phone and we danced in the kitchen, a delicious aroma swirling with us.
The Worst Kind of Monsters Page 22
