Sunshine Valley

Instead of answering the daily prompt with personal stuff; I’m gonna work the prompt into my story. Hope you enjoy.

Shadow

      Simon opened his eyes. He was still in bed. The darkness of night was broken by the yellow glow of their pole light. Rebecca got it installed when she lived here by herself. He hated it. Preferring pitch black. But he never told her. 

      “What’s wrong, my pet?” Rebecca moaned softly. 

     “My pet?” Simon smiled, for a moment, seeing the woman he married. “Not sure.” Maybe the cold night air would freeze him back to sleep. -5 was over but it was still cold. On the front porch, he stretched, yawned, and scratched his body. Aw, country life. He sighed to himself. Try doin’ this in the city. The full moon was casting shadows everywhere. He wished he was good at photography. This was perfect. Moon light glistening off the remnants of the snow and ice. Ice crystal silently falling.

     Movement in the tall grass on the opposite side of Evelyn’s driveway caught his attention. A breeze was not doing that. Something came out of the grass. At first he thought the moon was playing tricks on him. Yes, distance and the moon. At the edge of the carport a motion light came on. The shadow was still. After a minute or two, when no danger was detected, the shadow moved. Simon thought he saw the shape of a gun. The second motion light was activated. At that moment, he knew this wasn’t right. 

     He ran into the house. 

     “What’s wrong?” Rebecca yawned, rubbing her eyes. 

     Simon retrieved his rifle from the closet. “Call 911,” he panted. “Someone is next door.”

     “Why?” She shouted after him. Following him to the porch. Where she saw the shadow moving into the house. 

     Simon was racing down their driveway, rifle in hand, in just his underwear on and boots.

     Rebecca screamed at the dispatcher that her husband was racing to his death in is underwear. She couldn’t get out what was going on because of her concern for her husband. 

    From the direction of town, she saw lights but heard no sirens. Then the crunch of gravel pulled her attention to the truck that slammed from a high rate of speed to a stop in her driveway. It looked like Sheriff Pace but she wasn’t sure in the dark. 

   The dispatcher kept asking her questions but she couldn’t put 2 words together. Sheriff and distant lights may have crossed her lips. 

     She fell to her knees screaming as shots rang through the night. The shadow ran limping from the house. Neither Simon nor the sheriff followed. Patrol cars crunched to a stop. Officers and a dog went toward the tall grass. More officers circled the house. 

     Rebecca ran toward the house stopping in the road, screaming for Simon. Screaming, “where’s my husband?” An officer walked over to reassure her that he was fine. They were taking his statement and that he would be out shortly. 

     Simon emerged with a quilt wrapped around his shoulders. He hugged her up. “I’m fine,” flowed from his lips but his body told a different story. He was shaking and smelt funny. 

     She watched him take a shower, dried blood was on him and the quilt. She screamed. “It’s not mine. Look honey,” he slowly turned around showing her every inch of his body, “it’s not mine.”

     “Don’t you ever play the hero again.” She stormed from the bathroom. 

    After the shower, he found her sitting on the porch. Patrol cars were still over at Evelyn’s. 

     He wrapped his arms around Rebecca’s shoulders, “if that had been you, I would want the whole town helping you.”

     “What kind of shit has she drug into this town? I was wrong about her. Christian glow,” she scoffed. 

     Sheriff Pace stepped onto their porch, the right arm of his shirt was covered in blood, cut from the wrist up to the shoulder and gauze could be seen peeking out. Pace glared at Rebecca before extending his hand to Simon. “I wanted to personally thank you for all you did.” He handed Simon his rifle back. 

    With one arm around his wife, he extended his hand, “I did what I could.”

     Sheriff Pace left. Moving his truck from their drive way. 

     “Pedophile,” she hissed before slamming their front door.  Leaving a stunned Simon on the porch with more than just his skin feeling cold. 

Sunshine Valley