Confrontation In The Backyard
Case File: 11 Oakwood Drive
The door opened just enough for a slim figure to slip through. It was Lourdes.
She stepped out of the shed and pulled the door closed behind her, sliding the bolt into place. She stood in front of the shed looking at the three of us.
“Hey, guys,” she said, eyeing us suspiciously.
“You found it!” Paul exclaimed, angling his flashlight toward her hands.
She tightened her grip around the object and brought it closer to her chest.
“I did,” she said. “But it’s fine. I know what it is. I’ll take care of it.”
Claire took a slow step forward. “How exactly do you plan to do that?” she asked. “I don’t think you fully understand what you’re holding.”
Lourdes turned to her, her friendly expression gone.
“I told you,” she said. “I’ve got it under control.”
A dull thud came from inside the shed. Paul flicked his light toward the door, then back to Lourdes.
“Is someone in there?” he asked. “Frank and Margaret?”
Lourdes didn’t answer.
“Careful,” Paul added quietly, watching Claire slowly approach Lourdes.
“That’s far enough, Claire,” Lourdes warned.
Claire stopped within a few feet from her. “I’m not here to take it from you,” she said evenly. “I just want to help.”
She reached into her bag and produced a small vial. With a quick motion, she scattered a fine spray of granules toward Lourdes. Lourdes recoiled, stepping backward toward the shed, dropping the object in order to catch her fall.
My attention locked onto it immediately.
Paul’s flashlight beam swept the area frantically but I knew exactly where the object had fallen, just beyond the reach of his flashlight beam.
It was a small carving made from a green stone, with dark veins running through it. I became aware that I was moving toward it. I reached up instinctively, feeling for the Claire's amulet that I was supposed to be wearing around my neck. It wasn’t there! I was sure I had put it on.
I tried to focus on that — on the fact that something didn’t make sense — but the thought slipped away almost as quickly as it came.
The object was right in front of me now. I bent down to pick it up. Somewhere behind me, I heard Claire shout my name.
“Allan...no!”
Her voice sounded distant. I reached for the object lying in the dark grass. Just before I touched it, something hit me from behind. It was hard enough to knock the air out of my lungs. I fell forward, disoriented.
Muffled shouting erupted and I was vaguely aware of movement around me. Then Claire ran past me. Paul yelled something I couldn’t make out. From somewhere near the shed, I heard a sound — like someone shouting or screaming, but I couldn’t tell who.
Then the light, the movement, and the noise all collapsed inward and faded to nothing.