Why?

WHY?

   
    Paul went to the window and carefully peeked out. There seemed to be more of them.

    "We're surrounded," he said to his wife.

    Ellen looked at the skull on the desk with its black empty eyes staring hatefully back. She was as much scared as she was confused. "You shouldn't have taken it, Paul. I told you not to take it."

    "Well, it's a little late now, isn't it?" he said. "What I want to know is where they came from. This is insane!"

    Outside, the half-naked men were standing around, some yelling, some pointing at the house. They were obviously angry, and Paul felt a drop of sweat fall from his brow.

    A loud 'thud' hit the side of the house, and when he chanced another peek, Paul saw a spear sticking out of the wall. It had just missed the window.

    "Give it back," Ellen sobbed. "That was a gravesite, and they want it back!"

    "No," he said flatly. "They're not here! They can't be here! It's not possible!" He looked at the skull, which now seemed to be smiling. A strange color was coming from the eyes. Not just one color, but all the colors of the rainbow, and as they focused on Paul, they blended together into one dark oily blackness.

    "Get rid of it!" Ellen cried. "Get rid of it now!"

    Paul grabbed the skull and threw it through the window. "Here!" he yelled. "Take your damn skull!"

    But he was too late, and the attack was too quick.

    Later that night, as Ellen sat in front of the fire while the men danced around, she looked up into her husband's eyes and asked, "Why, Paul? Why did you take it?"

    But the head on top of the stake didn't have any answers.

    (299 words)