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In the home stretch now…you’d think I’d be on it, but…er…no.
One good thing about this challenge is that I’m remembering to come back here and write, so that’s a good thing.
I envision the sad reality that I may need to carve out some time this weekend if I’m ever going to get more work done on the story I shared yesterday.
Anyway, it’s late, I’ve got a busy day ahead (and weekend too, probably), so here’s more of Pig’s Eye:
*************************PIG’S EYE*************
Billy started to reach for the screen door to open it when his mother came up behind him.
“Billy…you go ahead now, I’ll take care of this.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Carol waited until Billy closed the bathroom door.
“Yes, can I help you?”
“Carol, don’t you recognize me?”
Carol’s face grew white. She knew that voice, but the face was wrong…it didn’t fit the voice.
“No, I’m sorry, I don’t? What…is there something you need?”
The tall, gaunt man looked back at Pig’s Eye. “Did you hear that Pete? She asked if there was something that I needed? What do you make of that?”
Pete squinted at Carol with his one good eye.
“Now why don’t you go on ahead and open the door now. We won’t be long…just have some business to take care of, that’s all.”
Carol didn’t like the way the words oozed out of Pete’s mouth. It sent shivers down her spine.
A sudden urge made her slam the storm door shut and lock it, without saying another word to the visitors.
She quickly ran to all of the windows, making sure they were shut tight, then finally to the back door.
Grabbing her husband’s 12 gauge and box of shells she walked back towards the door.
It was dusk, now, with long shadows starting to form where the sunlight couldn’t reach.
She peeked out but didn’t see anyone.
“Maybe they took the hint,” she thought.
“Or not…God, I hope James gets home soon.”
“Mom…I need you.”
Carol helped her daughter finish some graphs and science homework before checking on Billy.
“Mom…what’d they want?”
“Better to say nothing,” thought Carol.
“Nothing, son…look, your father will be home soon…you can play Minecraft for one hour if you promise to clean up your room first.”
Billy’s face split in two and he let out a few fist pumps.
“Yes! I promise!”
James finally arrived and was met at the door by his thoroughly frightened looking wife.
“Carol? What’s wrong? Are you okay? Where are the kids?”
“They’re fine, James. They’re doing their homework. I’m sorry to greet you like this, its just…something happened this afternoon that scared the hell out of me.”
“It was him, James.”
“Him, who, Carol?”
She’d hoped he’d figure it out without her dragging up all of that…ancient history again.
No such luck, thought Carol.
“I…it didn’t look like him, but that voice…”
Her husband’s face turned white. Thank God she wouldn’t have to speak the man’s name.
“You mean…but Carol…he, I mean, there’s no way…I’m sure that…”
“I know we did, but…I told you no good would come of it. If we’d just told them, they would have…”
Her husband’s face grew red.“Would have what, Carol? Would have said, oh sure, it was just an accident…the man was a lunatic, Carol. You know that, right?”
Carol felt sick. “You’re right…we did the right thing.”
“Tell me everything that happened.”
