The Snake and the Heart

Chapter 11. Midnight Skies

Chapter 11

For those of you people out there who don't like the dark, I do not suggest camping out in an abandoned barn full of sharp rusty farming tools. It's a little creepy, like in a scary movie where they hide in some dark place then they get attacked and killed by people using the sharp objects all around them.

So anyway, the barn was fairly spacious with several large stalls. Thank God there was no crap in any of them, and thankfully there was no smell either. Lee and I searched the bottom floor and found nothing that could prove a probable threat, and neither of us really wanted to go into the hay loft. We figured it would be easier to escape if we slept down here.

Along the back wall were four large stalls, and to the left of the door was a bunch of farming equipment. There was a plow, some hoes, shovels, hammers, axes, and even a tractor. But the tractor was missing its front wheel and steering wheel. The two back tires were flat, and to top it all off, it was missing the engine.

"Well we can rest here for the night, and judging from the position of the sun I'd say it's about eight-thirty or 9 o'clock." I said. "I'll take watch and let you get some sleep. I'll wake you up at around three a.m. so you can take second watch."

"Three a.m.?" said Lee "That's a lit-..."

"Three a.m. no later. See you then." I said sternly. Lee decided it would be better not to argue with me and went to the stall farthest from the door where I sat looking out over the landscape. There was nothing out there, so I decided to shut the door three quarters of the way. It would help shelter us from the wind. I decided to gather some sticks and some hay and start a fire. I found some rocks bye the door that would prove good for fire making. Now all I needed was the hay, which was in the hayloft. Joy.

I reached my hand into the bag (which since it was enchanted I could fit my entire body in it) and grabbed a flashlight.

It took me forever to find the ladder that goes up to the hayloft. It was a simple wooden ladder that was nailed to the wall going up. Since the whole barn was rotting wood, the ladder blended in perfectly. I began climbing the ladder into the hole above me.

It is really stuffy up here. Hay was everywhere, so I quickly grabbed a few handfuls and jumped back down to the bottom. I land on my feet and the floor cracked a little. I swear I heard a whimper like something got scared when I landed. Peculiar, Lee and I searched this whole bottom floor. I guess I'm hearing things. I'm losing it.

I got back to the center of our campsite and start the fire. It would be a cold night, chilly breezes and the lack of a heater, but I have the fire so now I'm warm. Honestly I don't mind either way.

It is a clear, cloudless night and I can actually see the stars. I've never seen them and have always wondered what they looked like. I'd seen pictures, and paintings but they didn't compare to the real thing. Thousands upon thousands of shining lights just floating through the sky, brighter than anything I've seen before. I can see all the constellations, every single one. There was Cassiopeia, Draco, The Three Kings (you may know them as Orion's belt), and Pegasus. Pegasus is my favorite, the winged horse. Not the manliest thing in the world, but I like it and all the rest of the stars. Beautiful. I checked their position and estimated it was around three a.m. What the heck, I'll take full watch he can sleep. I'm lost in my own world right now anyway. Lost in the stars.