The town would be having a festival later that night and Sasha felt torn. It would be a good idea to meet the townspeople and mingle a bit but she really didn't want to. Most people she knew never understood her reluctance to socialize. Some thought she was being dramatic. Others thought she was looking for attention. The truth was, a lot of social events gave her uncontrollable anxiety. Merely thinking about being in a room full of strangers made her chest hurt. It was a feeling she had lived with for quite some time and yet was still not used to.
The house was beginning to feel cold and dark. Sasha snatched up the candle and looked for a box of matches. She lit the candle and placed it in the center of the kitchen table. Staring at the flame as it danced in the subtle air flow seemed to ease her mind. Something about fire had always calmed her down. The mesmerizing flicker always sent her into a sort of hypnotic state.
She realized she could no longer hear Tara playing outside. She probably had tired herself out but Sasha decided to check on her anyway. There was nothing but an empty field and the forest behind the house. Sasha's heart thudded against her sternum.
She slipped on her shoes and dashed out the back door, calling her daughter’s name. Her voice echoed back at her through the trees. When Tara didn’t respond, she began to panic. She stared at the dense woods and wondered if Tara had wandered inside.
Without a second thought, she bolted across the yard and into the trees. She called out her daughter's name and tried to calm her shaking hands. This couldn’t be happening. She couldn’t lose her daughter. It would be too much for her to handle. There had to be a simple solution to the matter. Tara had merely wandered off to explore the woods. Nothing sinister. She hoped to God it was true.
“Mommy?” A small voice echoed.
“Yes, sweetheart. Where are you?”
“Over here.”
Tara did not sound distressed but it did nothing to calm Sasha's nerves. There would be no calm for her until her daughter was securely in her arms. She ran in the direction of the echoing voice and finally found her daughter. Tara stood in the center of a small clearing with an object in her hand. Barely noticing the object, Sasha ran to her daughter's side and wrapped her arms around her.
“Mommy,” she said, pulling away. “Look what I found. Isn’t it cool?”
Sasha looked at her hand and spotted a peculiar knife. It looked like it was made of bone.
“Don’t touch that” Sasha said, snatching the knife from her daughter’s hand and tossing it back on the ground. “Come on, we’re going back home. Don’t ever run off into the woods like that again. I thought something terrible happened to you.”
“But mom-“
“Don’t talk back to me. Do as I say, understand?”
Tara nodded and they made the trek back to the house. Slowly, Sasha’s heart began to return to a normal pace. Her daughter had scared the living daylights out of her. She did her best not to seem mad at her. The last thing she wanted to do was push her daughter away but she had to understand the rules. She couldn't just wander off like that, especially in an unfamiliar town.
When they got home, Tara ran off into her bedroom and closed the door. Clearly, she was mad at her mother for ruining her day of fun. Sasha felt terrible but stood firm. Tara couldn’t run off like that until they knew this town better. Who knew what kind of people lived here? Maybe not now, but one day Tara would understand.
Across town, a small gathering of neighbors met inside a living room furnished with items from eras long past. This group met once a week, always meeting in the same home with the old furniture and dust covered seats. There wasn't much in the town of Carlisle and for these four individuals, gossip was all they had. Mostly they spoke of trivial things like which yards could use a good mowing and who was stealing newspapers off Old Man Brady's porch. It was a kid, no doubt about that. Probably some bored child whose parents were not doing a good job of watching but it was more fun to pretend it was something sinister.
Today, however, was different. Something had actually happened in Carlisle. Something that had not happened in a long time. The group had gathered as quickly as possible to discuss the news. Not the body found earlier this morning. They had yet to hear about it. Instead, they gathered in the old woman's living room to discuss the appearance of a new member to their community. It had set the town ablaze with rumor. Everyone wanted to know her every detail. Where had she lived before? Why did she leave? And just what the hell was she doing out here in the middle of nowhere?
“I hear she’s from a big city. City people don’t end up out here unless they’re running from something.” Josh Gruber said.
“Or someone” Betty Myer finished.
“I heard her husband sexually molested her daughter and they both ran away.” Kyle Ferguson said. The rest of the group groaned. Kyle couldn't help but mention the most disgusting explanations. Half the time, he had simply made them up. Josh always thought he would make for
