Creative Writing: The Barn On Black Canyon Road

The Barn On Black Canyon Road

The snow is falling heavily now, large opaque flakes drifting to and fro, trying to find their place in a dangerous world. It’s not safe for snowflakes out here. I walk briskly to the barn. The yellow lamp above the door puts out a faint drone, the only noise save for the crunching of snow and ice beneath my feet. I grip the horseshoe handle and pull, breaking ice along the hinges, causing them to squeak in protest. Too cold, too tired, too demanding of me. I gently pull the door shut, and lean against the wall. The soft chatter of owls in the rafters catches my attention and I look up. They stare back inquisitively for a moment while I watch them shift and settle again by way of moonlight seeping through the worn roof and then all is quiet.
Through the holes in the walls I expect to hear the gentle bleating of sheep. Instead I'm met with silence. I shiver, contemplating whether or not I should take my leave, anticipating icy claws round my neck should I open the door. Outside there's no way of telling where the ground ends and the sky begins due to thick fog in place of pasture. The wind begins to moan and the owls flutter. Suddenly wary and uncertain, the sheep begin to bleat and shuffle. The droning of the lamp quickly changes to crackling and it sparks several times before going out.
I shudder and pull my scarf tighter as I notice how cold it really is. As if on cue the fog moves in closer and hides the moon, the barn is now covered in suffocating darkness, slowly closing in on me. A sharp rapping on the door makes me jump, as there should be nobody outside. Do I dare open the door? Perhaps it’s only a dog wanting to find refuge from the storm. Yes, that must be it. I creep toward the door and place my numb fingertips on the handle. The noise stops unexpectedly. I sigh and pull my hand away from the door, leaning against the wall again. Without warning the wind picks up and the door swings open. A dark figure steps in and I scramble behind a straw bale. It growls, inching forward on beastly paws. I can hear each claw gouge the floorboards as it comes toward me like a heat seeking missile. My heart rate increases and my breath catches, my ribs expand and contract but my lungs are screaming. I try to breathe but instead I let out a ragged gasp. The creature twitches and stands still a moment, then it lets out a low snarl and rushes toward the straw bale. My body flutters to life and without thinking I run out the door. The creature races
after me letting out horrid noises. I run blindly through the fog, past the pastures and the creek, searching for a way out. My body is giving up, slowing down though my heart wills it to fly. The creature is getting closer. I can feel it’s eyes on me. I can smell its foul breath. As I round the corner I am met with two choices, thick menacing forest or beckoning open road. I choose the latter hoping my memory serves me well as I can’t see far. The creature is nipping at my heels, one wrong step and I’ll have jaws of steel wrapped around my torso. I scream, praying for strength, energy, anything to make it stop. The moon becomes visible again and shows me a path to the road, now a shining black river. I’m closing in, five more feet, but the creature is right behind me. I take a final leap, my muscles fighting to stay alive, my brain telling me not to turn around and take a look. “Run, run, run as fast as you can.” I think, “Run to the tree, run down the road, run for your life.” But my thoughts are not fulfilled. My legs wish to give way and though my brain tells me to run I cannot. I collapse and the creature leaps on me, placing one grisly paw upon my pounding chest. I look into its dark eyes and see myself, its lips curl back to reveal an ivory smile and it pins its ears. As its claws grip my rib cage I hear the roar of an engine. The creature is illuminated in yellow light and it snarls a final time before dashing back into darkness. I hold up a shaking hand but the lights don’t slow or falter and as they engulf me I cry out. Then, I wake up.