A SPRING TRAGEDY

By Kathleen Dupree

Late one Spring evening, a woman was locking up her house before going to bed.  She happened to look out at the neighbor’s house just in time to see a dark figure entering through the front door.  All of her instincts told her he was up to no good, but fearing for herself, she did nothing and went to bed.

            That night, the woman had trouble sleeping.  She worried about what she had seen and felt guilty that her fears had kept her from wanting to get involved.  She awoke early the next morning and decided that she must investigate.  Perhaps, by some happy miracle, everyone next door would be safe and well.  She ventured over to the neighbor’s house and tapped on the door.  There was no answer, so she took the liberty of peeking inside.  The house appeared to be deserted.  The woman felt a glimmer of hope that the family had moved or gone out for the night and therefore the dark figure had not been able to harm anyone. 

            Later that morning, the woman saw her neighbors returning home. Their four children were not with them.  To her horror, she witnessed the parents frantically entering and leaving the house, and then wandering around the yard looking for their children.  The parents had left their children alone in the house the night before, and now they were missing. Shocked, the woman wondered how they could have left their children alone all night, and she wished that she had done something to help them.  

            That afternoon, the woman again noticed something over at the neighbor’s house.  The dark figure was back, but out in the daylight for all to see!  He was hanging around just outside the house, like he owned the place. Then the woman realized the horrible truth of what happened the night before.  He was a murderer.  He had killed the children.  The evidence was right in front of her and undeniable.  The woman had to do something. She ran inside and picked up a weapon, went outside and aimed it at the murderer.  Although she was certain she hit her mark, the murderer escaped into the surrounding brush and disappeared.  

            She had taken action, but obviously she hadn’t really harmed or stopped the intruder and it was too late to save the little ones.  Once again, the woman retreated to her home in fear and regret. Throughout the rest of the day and evening, the woman watched her neighbor’s house.  She saw the parents going back and forth to the house throughout the day.  And once again, that night, the woman did not sleep.

            Early the next morning, upon rising, the woman went to the window and peered out at the house next door.  The front door was slightly ajar, which seemed unlikely for her neighbors to do so she decided to investigate.  Timidly, she walked over to the house and tried to see inside.  There was obviously someone within but she couldn’t see who it was.  She picked up a long stick and slowly pried open the door with it.  Inside, just lying there was the murderer waiting for the parents to return, most likely to kill them too!  

            The woman had to act quickly, or more would be killed so she called upon someone she knew would not be afraid of the dark figure. Her husband quickly captured the slithering culprit and removed him from the house. The murderer still showed evidence of his dark deeds by the four fat lumps along his squirming body as he struggled to get free.  Her husband then took him across the street and simply let him go.  He was only a black snake after all and just trying to make a living like the rest of us. There was nothing left to do but clean out the birdhouse and hope the chickadees would try to nest again soon. 

The End