by Jeff Gunzel
* * *
Jade sat on the hill with her back against a tall oak tree. Her eyes were red and puffy, but not a single drop of moisture was left to fall. She felt empty inside, numb and emotionless. Closing her eyes, she tried to recall the events that had left her alone once again. Strange as it was, her mind seemed empty...blank. She was aware of what had happened but could not form any images in her mind.
Opening her eyes, she glanced down at the barn. For a moment she considered training to try to get her mind off of everything, but the fleeting thought was not even realistic. She knew she couldn’t focus on anything like that right now. Jade knew she would have to put this all behind her soon, as she still had a job to do, a purpose in life that would call out to her one day. A life that is trying to teach me a lesson, she thought to herself. How dare she get close to anyone? How dare she believe for even an instant that she was entitled to any form of joy or love or companionship? Her life had been forfeit many years ago, and trying to find any other meaning within it was just plain greedy. Now she was being punished for her greed, for her belief that her life might be worth more than this.
Her eyes caught a glimpse of someone near the barn. A white-haired man ducked inside so quickly, she thought she might have imagined it. Leaping to her feet, Jade tried to run down the hill. However, she couldn’t make herself run for some reason. Perhaps she didn’t want to. Maybe she was afraid of what she’d discover. It was an effort made more difficult by her feet sinking deeply into the soft ground as she tried to move, sinking into ground that seemed more like quicksand than soil. It felt as if each individual blade of grass was grabbing at her feet and trying to pull her into the ground. Every step sunk deeper into the grass, and it seemed to be getting harder and harder to place one foot in front of the other.
The barn was not getting any closer. In fact, it seemed to be moving farther away. Then, in a flash, she found herself in front of the barn. The suddenly black sky threatened heavy rain. It seemed to happen in an instant. The sky began to crackle with jagged lightning bolts splitting the air in all directions. She frantically twisted the knob, but it just spun in her hand. She yanked and pushed as the rain poured down on her like a waterfall, soaking her to the bone instantly while powerful lightning bolts struck on her left, than right, then...she appeared inside the barn.
Flies buzzed all around as she tried to walk down the path amongst the hay. She tried to cover her eyes and mouth to keep out the swarming insects and tried to push through the living black cloud that seemed to be pushing back, much like walking against a windstorm. She turned her head sideways to relieve some of the onslaught while placing a hand over the side of her face in horror, for she could feel the insects burrowing into her ear.
As she pushed her way down the path with her head tilted sideways, she could see her man-shaped straw targets lined up on the wall. But now they were men, or at least appeared animated. Distorted faces stared back at her. One was laughing uncontrollably, staring at her with bloodshot eyes, while the other kept clicking a large set of pearl-white teeth at her, shaking its animated head back and forth violently. Then, it all stopped. The insects vanished as the straw dummies returned to their normal state.
Ben stood right in front of her. He looked down at her with his usual smile, but he didn’t look well. His skin appeared gray and pale. Jade could not utter a single word, and just stood there, frozen. “Jade,” he said in an unfamiliar yet calm voice. “If you had not come into my life, I’d still be alive.”
Her face twisted into an anguished expression as tears flowed down her cheeks, but she couldn’t make a single sound. Not a whimper nor a scream, just nothing.
Ben’s head leaned back sharply and his eyes tripled in size, turning completely black, like an insect’s. “I never wanted you in my life!” came the harrowing scream echoing off the walls.
