Eyes of Fire

True Horror inspired by last nights events.

The lights flickered once. Twice. Then darkness. The hums that affirm your connection to the world suddenly cease, and your ears entertain a subtle buzz to remind you how accustomed you are to the sound of electricity, and how much noise there actually is in the world.

The breaker was halfway across the property in the shed.

I stumbled around the corner for the flashlight. “I need you to come with me to the shed,” I told Chad.

We stood on the deck as I swept the property with the beam, looking for eyes reflecting back at me.

“Where’s the shed?” Chad asked. I pointed the light through the yard to the peeling brown paint of a tired wall. “All the way over there?” His innocent honesty defied his protective manliness and made me smile.

“Yeah,” my voice soft to not disturb the silence. “C’mon, we need to hurry.”

It was too dark for shadows. Not a cricket chirp nor a brush rustle broke the overbearing quiet.

I noted the humor in how you walk slow when outside in the dark.

The light wavered and was gone. I paused in the translucent black nothing. I hit the big black piece of plastic with my free hand and it blinked in shock that I had awakened it at such a late hour.

Two more tentative steps preceded by long sweeps of the area and it went out again.

This time I smacked it twice. How dare it be disobedient at a time like this.

We continued on, slowly but steadily.

The woods held its breath.

I flashed toward the billow that caught my attention, then rolled my internal eyes- the hovering white mass was just Chad’s exhaled vapor, suspended like an apparition in the still night.

I allowed myself more ease with each step nearer the shed.

My breath caught and I froze upon reflecting a pair of orange eyes.

“There’s something there“ I grabbed a handful of Chads sleeve and fixed the light on the eerie eyes.

“Where?”

“Right there, in between the trees.”

Chad adjusted his height and followed my gaze down the glow of the light path. “I don’t see anything.”

I grasped the handle tighter as if that would help him see. I watched hard, poised for any movement. It's orange eyes glowed fiercely.

The creature stared directly at us.

“Right there,” I whisper yelled, “look right in between the v of that tree.” How could he not see it!

The thing did not move. Just the occasional blink to break the stare.

I held the beam steady.

“Oh! I see it!” I felt his tension leave, “It’s probably just a raccoon.”

“It’s way bigger than a raccoon! Look at how far apart it’s eyes are!”

Chad did not respond.

I kept the light trained on the eyes of fire. I took a tentative step toward the shed. I still needed to turn the power on. Thoughts raced furiously- in my mind the creature was an alpha wolf who leapt across the half acre in just a few effortless bounds. My brain considered the math- speed times distance divided by probabilities…

I'm not one that's easily startled. Unless I'm alone. When it's quiet and dark, and no ones around, sometimes my mind can get away from me as my imagination makes everything bigger.

But I wasn't alone. This was justified!

We crept closer to the shed, Chads sleeve grasped tightly in my hand; my breath just as tight in my throat.

I didn't watch where we were going. I watched the creature.

My heart beat in my skull.

My senses straining at full attention.

Suddenly the creature stood tall and moved towards us.

“Fuck that.” I yanked Chad backward as he laughed in response. “Oh hell no, hurry!”

We quickened toward the darkened shape of my house. “Is it coming after us?” He asked.

The light still shone in the creatures direction but the orchard was now in the way. “I don’t know!”

Up the stairs, into the house and secure the door.

We breathed for a moment.

I felt Chad laughing silently. I couldn’t determine if it was at me or the situation.

“That's definitely not a raccoon.” I affirmed, now safely behind inches of wood and plaster. “With it being all the way on the other side and it’s eyes so fa-"

Thwack

The crack of the metal screen slammed against the door.