Before they retired to bed, the pair took a tour of the house. It wasn’t very big so it didn’t take long, but they were caught lingering at the window in the attic space. The previous owners had made a small room in the attic among the rafters that also included a small dormer on either side of the room. The area appeared to have been re-framed correctly as there were heavy beams added to the remaining rafters, but some of the drywall, particularly the ceiling hadn’t been done and there were various jagged edges and shapes to the framing behind the walls shown by the one lamp Daniel had placed up there. It was not at all insulated yet and so it had been too hot in the summer to use at all, and he’d imagined that once winter really hit and the snow fell it would be far too cold to enjoy it either. But in a cool, rainy, moody room the opportunity for some reflection and light chat about the mountains and area around them seemed just right.
What had drawn them towards the south facing dormer was a couple of lightning flashes that appeared to have struck higher up on the mountain. The thunder rolled through a few seconds later, and the heavy rain prevented them from actually seeing the hills behind Dan’s house at all. But they took in what view there was and watched the rain. For a moment the environment seemed a cozy little place to watch the storm.
Then a near lightning strike changed the situation. Its light was bright, and close enough to startle both. Rachel bumped into Daniel in her effort to step away from the window. Before either could react or retreat they both saw something coming from the shaded trees in the next yard.
“What is that?” Rachel whispered.
“I don’t know,” Daniel returned in a grumbly, low voice.
A shadow was moving quickly through the neighboring yard and then along the fence that stood at the back of Daniel’s property. It was low, but it did not present itself as a dog or perhaps one of the neighborhood’s notorious goats would. Indeed it seemed to float along the fence line and then stop midway, its mass turning to inspect the house, perhaps even to look into the very window from which Rachel and Dan were watching.
“It’s him,” Daniel snarled.
He grabbed Rachel by her elbow before she could even respond and pulled her with him back down the stairs. While he did not know why they needed to move back down from that window, Dan did feel a terrible urgency to get away from the roofline trapped in that cornered dormer. About midway down the stairs Rachel protested but kept moving with him.
“Are you sure?” she asked, having to catch her breath somewhat between steps. “I mean…I didn’t see its eyes or anything!”
“I know, but I’m getting to where I can sense it.”
Once back to the living room Daniel left Rachel standing for a moment and ran into the bedroom. Hearing ruffling and what was likely a few foul words under his breath, Rachel called out to Dan. She was not sure what she should be doing at that moment. He appeared from the master bedroom door with a shotgun that he quickly popped two shells into as he strode past her, into the kitchen and towards the back door of the house.
“What are you going to do?” Rachel asked, voice pitched higher than she herself was accustomed to.
“I’m going to see if this thing is real enough to hurt!” he replied.
As he opened the back door Rachel placed her hands on his left arm trying to restrain him.
“Stop! You can’t discharge a weapon within the city limits!”
Dan did stop. The door was halfway open and he hadn’t glimpsed any shadow or anything to cause alarm, so his head turned back to Rachel. She was gaping at him, eyes glistening. He shouldered the shotgun and started laughing.
Rachel too first took a nervous laugh and then smiled and giggled at the same time as she wiped her eyes quickly.
“Can’t discharge a weapon in the city, eh?” They were both chuckling loudly and for an instant Rachel leaned her head against his upper arm. “What will you do, Ranger? Arrest me?”
Standing upright again she slapped his arm playful as she was wont and teased him back.
“Well, you’re the one who said he can ‘sense’ when it’s around.”
His laugh subsiding but still in somewhat good humor he pulled the door all the way open and took the first step out the door onto the stairs there. Rachel followed slowly, both of them peering around the yard. There was no sign of shadow or anything else. The rain was still drizzling but not quite so intense and somber as it had been over the last few weeks. Upstairs held no further appeal for the evening, but Rachel went about making some coffee in hopes of allowing their nerves to relax and to get ready for bed after a long trip up and the minor fright they’d just experienced.