Need a Light?

“Natalie said you knew a place,” Lucy said, pausing for a moment as she pulled out this evening's fifth cigarette, fiddling with the box for a moment before wrestling it back into the side pocket of her too-tight denim shorts. “You know, where I can stay for the night.”

“Why can’t you stay at her place again? It’s not like she has a job.” I gave her a light and leaned against the shabby motel siding behind us. 

“You know how anal her boyfriend is about that stuff. Two nights a week. That’s all the couch time I get.”

We stood in silence for a while, taking in the smoke, taking in each other's company. You don’t get to see your friends much when you’re homeless, you’re too busy trying to figure out where you’ll sleep that night. And when you do see your friends, that’s all you can talk about. Where you’ll sleep that night.

“So?” Lucy’s voice almost startled me out of my sleep deprived trance.

“So what?” 

“Do you know a place?” 

It took me a second to remember what we were even talking about. “Oh,” I muttered softly. I did know a place, but it was supposed to be my spot for the night. I loved Lucy, but I was kind of defensive about the spot, like a dog. Survival turns you against people. “I guess.” I went quiet again, but Lucy just stared through me. 

“Well where is it?” She lightly snapped after a moment.

I sighed. Guess we’re staying together tonight. “Fine. I’ll show you.”

It was a bit of a walk to the spot, but we had nothing else to really do other than walk. The sun had gradually set and by the time we got there, it was dark.

“How the hell did you find this?” Lucy kind of laughed at the little shack. It was actively falling apart as she explored the area, the old wood easily snapping at the slightest touch. It was small, but not small enough to easily justify not letting her stay with me. We could both easily fit. Besides, it would probably be better not being alone. I'd never seen the place at night before. It felt different. I could feel a heaviness of sorts. I didn’t want to inhale just in case I’d bring something along with me. Lucy clearly didn’t feel anything, as she was already trying to get on the rickety roof like a kid at a playground.

“I found it earlier today when I was wandering around. Thought it’d be good for the night. For me, you know?” 

“What were you doing wandering around here? This is, like, the middle of nowhere.” She picked a big fence post up from the ground and swung it around like a baseball bat. 

“Whatever. Just go inside, I’m getting cold.” 

Lucy strutted through the crooked door no problem, but my feet got stuck just before I could reach it. They didn’t want to move. I was frozen.

Lucy toured the place like it was a 5-star Bed and Breakfast. “Not too shabby,” she joked before turning to me. “Are you gonna come inside?”

I stayed put.

“What are you doing, weirdo?” A smile grew on her lipstick smudged mouth. “Are you too scared?” She teased. 

I snapped out of it. “No!” My feet unstuck themself and I pushed myself inside, the whole shack shifting from my movement. I pressed my foot down on a few floorboards, making sure they were stable. They creaked, but they didn’t falter. “Okay. We should be fine here tonight.”

I set my backpack down and laid one of my jackets on the floor as a makeshift bed. Just as I was ready to settle, there was a loud noise. CREEAAKK… and then, black.

The door had slammed.

“Dude,” Lucy groaned. “Open the door! I can’t see a thing in here!”

“That wasn’t me!” I reached my hands out, trying to feel around me for the door. “Must’ve been the wind.” I found the door after bumping into Lucy a few times, and tried to push it open. 

It wouldn’t budge. 

Lucy was getting agitated. “Open it already!” 

“I can’t!” 

“Well push harder!” 

I wrestled with the door. “I’m trying!”

Suddenly, there was a loud BANG. Then another. And another. Pounding. The pitch black shed rattled and woodchips rained down on us.

“What’s going on?!” Lucy swung her arms around the room until they bumped into me, which she gripped tightly. “Dennis, tell me what’s going on!”

I froze again as the pounding, the hammering, persisted. It got louder, and louder, and louder, until it just… stopped. The only sound was Lucy’s heavy breathing near my ear. Her grip on me grew tighter and I moved closer to her in fear of whatever was happening outside of this mistake of a shack I brilliantly decided would be a great place to camp at. 

We didn’t move for a few moments and as we let our heart rates slow, we drifted away from each other. The familiar sound of Lucy tugging at her pocket echoed through the shack as she shakily dug for cigarette number six. 

“Shit,” she whispered under her breath as the box hit the ground. She bent down to pick it up, and the grey outline of an old man's face appeared behind her. I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t move.

She stood back up and I could faintly see her doe-like eyes staring me down. “What?” She spat through the cigarette in her lips.

I raised my quivering arm and pointed behind her, prompting her to slowly turn her head. In a blink, the shack lit up, the glow emanating from a ghostly flame mere inches from Lucy’s hair. She jumped back, and we both stood motionless, staring at the empty fire when a hoarse, haggard voice rumbled from behind the flame, “Need a light?”