John looked his house up and down. Or what was left of it. It was a complete ruin. The door was splintered, the roof was caved, the walls were naught more than rubble on the hilltop. It was almost gone.
What on Earth has happened? he thought. He froze with fear. No…that demon? Could it have done something to Kathleen?! Without further thought, he dropped his lobster pot and ran through what was left of the door, into what was once his living room.
Where there should have been a lit fire was an empty hearth. There were no furnishings, no signs of life whatsoever. Not even a chair. He moved through his house with care, wishing he had something to defend himself with. He entered the bedroom.
Sat, with his back to him, was a man on a simple wooden chair. He appeared to be looking at something in his hands. A nobleman, from the looks of him. He was wearing a nice suit and leather shoes. “Hello?” said John with more than a hint of terror in his voice. The suited man slowly turned his head.
* * * * *
Sarah and David kept driving, onwards to Wexford. The hitcher actually seemed like quite a nice man, or, at least, he didn’t seem crazy. Plus, he knew where he was going. David made small talk with him, and found out that his name was Gareth (although he pronounced it ‘Garrett’) and that he was on his way to visit family. When asked why he was out in the middle of nowhere by himself, he clammed up a little, but explained that the people he’d been hitching with had kicked him out there, just before a fork in the road.
Sarah wasn’t sure whether she believed this, but it didn’t really matter. The fog was beginning to clear and they could all see the Irish coastal town of Wexford just in front. They’d only been driving together a few minutes. “Where do you want us to drop you?” David asked Gareth.
“Ah, wherever. I’ll find me own way once you guys get to yer hotel. I know Wexford pretty well, and sure yev been kind enough already.”
Sarah could sense that David was about to offer some more kindness, so she quickly intercepted: “Oh, well if you’re sure…”
“No trouble. Like I say, yev given me faith in human nature again.” It wasn’t long before the car was pulling up outside the hotel. They all got out, before Gareth shook David and Sarah’s hands and walked on his merry way.
“Nice man,” said David. “See, told you there was nothing to worry about.”
“Oh shut up,” Sarah said, relieved. David could be frustrating sometimes, but his kindness was the reason she’d married him just a fortnight ago, and she loved him all the more for it.
Shane Rynhart 