I Write

Day 4 - Thirteen Days Of Halloween

My car gave up the ghost. I tried again, but the engine gave a rattle and grunt of finality. I was out of luck. Looking up the road, I noticed a farm house and hoped they had a phone.

"Crap." I muttered to myself as I grabbed my purse and heaved myself out into the early evening’s chill. I looked down at my high heals and shook my head. Slamming the door in frustration, I headed off towards the farm lane.

Half way I heard a blood curdling scream that frozen me in place. It ripped through the air around me sending the hairs on my body to surge to attention. My heart stopped, then rode forth at a gallop that threatened to send me catapulting.

I looked back at my car. Dark and useless. Then, looking at the house. Did I dare continue? Did I have much choice? Dragging a breath in raggedly, I moved forward keeping to the shadow line of trees. I picked my steps and looked about me expecting the worst to materialize. My mind skated over thoughts and fears, skittered and slid into the endless possibilities that could befall me, but I moved forward, my legs weak with fear.

When I entered the farm’s yard I looked about seeing nothing. The barn held a glaring light that illuminated the area. I stopped and waited. In the silence another scream ripped out sending tremors through my body at a rate I thought would send me into the vapours.

Behind me a screen door sqeaked open and footsteps clunked out onto the porch to my left. The door slammed.

“Bertha if you don’t stop that screamin’ I’ll give you somethin’ to scream about.” I heard the man’s rough voice bellow as he moved towards the barn. A mumble of curses swirled around him as he strode out over the patchy yard.

The screen door creaked open again, slower this time then hung in wait. I held my breath my ears and eyes straining.

“Now, Jeb,” a woman’s voice called, “you behave. She ain’t doing anything so wrong.”

The woman stepped out onto the porch letting the screen door ease back.

Another scream ripped out and I poised to run. Then I heard the woman give a soft giggle. The surprise had me gasp in a breath which drew her gaze to me.

“Who’s there?” she asked moving forward to the steps.

Caught between wanting to flee and needing assistance I hesitated a moment then moved forward into the light explaining my appearance in words that tumbled over themselves in feverish fright.

When the scream ripped out yet again I gasped and asked, “What is that?”

The woman chuckled, “that’s our Bertha. She really is quite a character.”

A moment later the barn door was shoved open and the man emerged carrying a rather large mat of wool.

“I swear Elaine, this damn sheep is going to be the death of me.”

Word Count = 494


Day 4 - Thirteen Days of Halloween
Prompt: Screaming sheep sounds like a woman screaming.

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