Sunday’s Serving – The Willow and the Stone

 

 

                As if to underscore his words, a loud buzz shattered the background singing of insects and frogs. Renee and Adam separated in a heartbeat and shot to their feet, heedless of their nudity in the cold air.

                “Where?” she whispered, straining to see in the gloom.

                “Outside, I think. Stay here.” She heard Adam search his sleeping bag. Then came the click of a gun cocked.

                Renee thought of Carli asleep in the recesses of the warehouse. “No way. I'm going with you.” She frantically rummaged about until she felt the cold metal of her own weapon.

                Adam’s silhouette appeared by the door as he slid toward the opening. His whisper barely carried back to her. “All right, but stick close. Got your gun?”

                “Yeah.” She crept to his side. Together they drifted like spirits to the door, and as one they hesitated at the square of moonlight that illuminated the entrance. Renee stopped breathing as her ears searched for the telltale chitter of an alien. Only the chirping of ordinary bugs and the pounding of her own heart sounded in the stillness.

                They remained frozen for an eternity. Then Adam glided to the edge of the doorway. He jerked his head. Renee moved to the opposite side of the opening. Peering out as far as she could without leaving the comparative safety of the warehouse, she scanned the moonlit landscape. Nothing stirred.

                Adam nodded to her and lunged outside. She followed suit, her gun straight-armed and sweeping in an arc, ready to blast the first thing that moved.

                The moonlight illuminated a gravel road that led up to the door of the warehouse. A few splintered wooden pallets littered the sandy ground. Nothing stirred. Renee glanced back toward Adam. Except for the rusted skeletal remains of a forklift, his side of the warehouse remained still.

                “Check around that corner,” he whispered. He moved toward the other end of the building.

                Renee darted to the corner of the warehouse. She scanned her surroundings. A few weeds swayed in the breeze. Her heart hammered in her ears. She peered around the corner. Nothing. The pale light illuminated a few rusting steel drums and another forgotten forklift. She breathed out with a whoosh.

                “See anything?” Adam’s voice came from right behind her. Renee stifled a scream.

 

Available from Amazon, Amazon UK, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords, and in print.