What Is It?

What Is It?

There that noise again.


Saul heard that same sound last night before going to bed. He didn't think anything of it then, but now it woke him from a restful sleep. He quickly clothed himself so he could check the alley running along his backyard.


With camera in hand, and the flashlight turned on, he eased his way toward the wire fence at the rear of his backyard, trying his best not to crunch the dried leaves that littered the ground this blustery night. Both his trash and recycle cans sat by the gate in the fence.


As he moved closer to the cans, there was a noise.


He stopped, then listened.


It was faint, barely perceptible, but definitely there. The sound of crunching leaves became evident. He was not alone, but what was it? Saul assumed maybe a stray cat, or something innocuous, but the crunching became rhythmic instead of sounding like something scampering away. He ducked behind his cans, switched off his light, and listened while the breeze sent the sour smell of his garbage deep inside his nostrils.


The sound grew closer and a chill came over him. Now, he was sure it was a human. In the darkness behind the cans, he cast previous assumption aside. Maybe this wasn't as innocuous as he first thought.


A flashlight beam stabbed the darkness, and Saul held his breath as he eased forward to get a glimpse of the noise's source. In the narrow space between the cans, he peeked. He recognized the robe, so Saul popped up.


"What are you doing here?" Saul asked.


Callahan, who lived next door, flinched then replied. "I'm finally going to find out what's making that noise. Want to join me?"


Why not, Saul thought. Having some backup was a relief.