Another Dawn

Blood is hard to see in the night's landscape. The sounds of screaming finally fade as dawn fast approaches. All that is left of the horrific night are whispers of the 2 lost souls that didn't escape the wrath of the stranger that came calling this evening. He picked his prey well. The children were home alone that fateful night. Tom and Jeannie were giving their 13 year old the "keys to the kingdom" on Saturday night. Dinner and a movie only lasted about 3 1/2 hours and what could happen in this little town they found this summer? 1422 Prescott House was an unexpected find for the Hupfers. Disillusioned by the fast paced life of Chicago, they went looking for a place they could raise Lilly and Peter. At 13, their Lily was fast approaching adult hood and her childhood was becoming a distant memory. Peter was 6 and he and Lilly were inseparable. Strange that a teenager could be so fond of a sibling half her age. But true, nonetheless. Jeannie was tired of working at a legal firm that demanded so much of her and her family. Tom could see that she yearned to slow down the clock and appreciate the family time they had. Making the move was a huge step but one worth the price, they both agreed.

The weekend began like any other but with a future no one could have seen coming. The day was crisp with the hint of autumn in the air. The kids finished their chores and were off exploring the backyard. The nearest neighbor was miles away and the family reveled in the peace and quiet. Well, at the least the two adults did. Lily and Peter missed the hustle and bustle of their old neighborhood. But seeing their mom smile and laugh was worth the move, they thought. Mom and Dad acted like they really liked each other these days. Back in Chicago, Saturdays were so busy. Jeannie spent the entire weekend cleaning and Tom did his best to stay out of her way. Tom realized that Jeannie couldn't help but resent the fact that he made his living writing. His office was a few feet from his bedroom whereas she got up every morning at the crack of dawn to make it to the firm by 7:30am. Her days were filled with meetings, legal briefs and trips to the courthouse. She could never seem to catch up and her family realized just how close she was to having a meltdown. She couldn't be in 10 places at one time and frankly, she was frustrated daily.

When the opportunity came up to take over a small legal firm in Odell, Illinois, Jeannie thought the idea preposterous. Who could imagine giving up a six figure income and moving to a podunk little town off of the famous Interstate 66? Yet, as another day passed without seeing Lily and Peter get ready for school or go to bed later that night, the idea became less prepersterous and more idyllic. Imagine spending a day doing NOTHING. That began to feel like heaven.

The last straw began on a Monday when she missed an important meeting with a client. Peter had come down with a wicked cough and Tom was on a deadline. The last draft of his latest novel was due to his editor by 5pm that Monday and he spent his weekend taking the kids to the zoo instead of finishing. He didn't ask much of her but she knew that the doctor would need to see Peter. Starting kindergarten with a cold was not going to happen to her little boy. Sometimes she wished Tom was more responsible and made better use of his time. If he had finished his last chapter on Sunday instead of playing, she wouldn't have been in this quandary. Yet, who could blame him. The kids start school in a month or so and she couldn't remember the last time they had all been out together. Hell, she couldn't remember the last time she and Tom had dinner at a nice restaurant by themselves. Dinner consisted of whatever leftovers were left from the three of them. She rarely got home before 8pm. Monday morning came and Peter was still hacking away to the tune of Tom's keyboard in the study. Work was just going to have to wait. What's one lost morning?

I guess it was a morning she shouldn't have missed. Rushing back to the office after dropping Peter off with Tom, Jeanne was already planning the rest of her day in her head. The red light was on her phone and she quickly dialed in to get her messages. The morning meeting went off with a hitch and she mentally sighed with relief. Her boss wanted to get her up to speed, so Jeanne walked across the hall to Jack's office.

Walking out 20 minutes later, Jeanne felt like she had been slapped across the face. Ten years with this firm and giving 110% didn't seem to be enough. Jack thought she might need to streamline her assignments to make more time for her family. The entire conversation was felt patronizing. She gave more to this job than she did to Tom and the kids.

The ad in the paper couldn't come at a more opportune time. 3 days later found this city family in Odell beginning a new life. Which leads us to the very weekend that Jeanne and Tom spend a much deserved evening alone. Lily would be alone with Peter for only a couple of hours and would probably start babysitting "professionally" pretty soon. Backing out of the driveway, Jeanne and Tom waved to the kids.

If she had known it was going to be the last time she would see her children, Jeanne would have never looked and felt so carefree. The call came at 9pm. The hostess at Sargento's came over and motioned for them to pick up the phone at the front. Instantly, every bell began ringing in their head rang and the distance to the phone seemed endless. The children had vanished but there was blood in the barn near the house. They were needed at the house immedietely.

The police had received an anonomys tip that something was wrong at the old Prescott house and had gone to investigate. They knew that a young family had moved in to the place and decided to check it out. Realizing that the house was empty, the deputy thought the call was probably a prank. With everything that had happened in that house, no one could blame them for being cautious.

The town has barely recovered from the loss of the Prescott family. They had been a big part of their community for 15 years and their loss was mourned by the entire town. They never caught their murderer and it left them with a feeling of helplessness. Doors began locking in the evening and parents got their kids home before dark. Whispers filled the air with speculation on who could have possibly done this to such a wonderful family. Many believed it was just a drifter. Route 66 brought many a stranger to their little town. The unease permeated the air. A couple of years passed and the Prescott house remained unsold. It was hard to sell a house with such a grimly past. When the Hupfers came and immediately bought the house without any probing questions about the former owners, the town gave a sigh of relief. Maybe this new family could breathe life back into that house that seemed a silent sentinel of fear.

After hanging up the phone, Deputy Cagil decided to just do a drive by and maybe introduce himself to the Hupfers. The call reeked of a childish prank but better to ere on the side of caution. What would be the odds that the gravely voice on the other end proclaiming to be the Prescott killer would actually call the police to warn them of his intentions. As Cagil drove the long stretch that was the road to the house, he remembered a similar drive he made 5 years ago. Little did he realize how that night would change him and the town forever. The sight of the four bodies hung from the barn ceiling would be a picture forever imprinted in his memory.

Shaking the morbid thought, he came up to the beginning of the driveway and inched his squad car the last few feet. Seeing the house dark and noticing that the 2008 Ford FJ Cruiser was missing, he realized the call must have been a prank. Backing up, Cagil caught something in his rearview mirror. It looked like someone had run past the back of his car. Braking suddenly, he jumped out of the car and called out into the night. Silence was his answer. The hair on his arm stood straight up. Something was not right here. The creak of the barn door echoed in the still night. Turning around, Cagil began walking toward the spot where his nightmares lived.

Back in town,Tom broke every speeding record there was getting back home. The policeman sounded shaken. Where could the kids have gone? Why was there blood near the barn? The kids knew better than to go near that old building. It was agreed upon that Tom would spend the rest of the winter renovating it into his "writers study." Many of the ceiling beams were unsteady and the whole thing could collapse. Besides, Lily and Peter said it gave them the creeps. Why would they be anywhere near the barn after dark? The thoughts kept rushing through his mind as he listened to Jeanne dialing the kid's cell phone and cussing when there was no answer.

The car raced in the night. The Prescott house lights shone brightly in the horizon. Tom veered right and almost took out the fountain in the front yard in his haste to get to his kids. Nothing looked out of the ordinary. Racing up the steps to the house, Jeanne and Tom began shouting out for Peter and Lily. The familiar "over here, dad" never came. The house was empty. The TV and lights were ablaze but the giggles of his two children was absent. Jeanne ran over to the phone to call the police. Since the kids weren't there, maybe they had picked up the kids and taken them to the local station in Odell. Waiting for Jeanne to get off the phone with the police, Tom paced near the large picture window. From this view, the barn in the distance resembled a giant shadow that loomed ominously. He could tell the door was open but he was rooted to the spot. He just couldn't look away and Jeanne's voice seemed very distant.

Yelling into the phone, Jeanne couldn't understand what she was hearing. "What do you mean, nobody from the department called me? My husband and I just raced home based on a call from a Deputy Cagil. He said he found blood here at our house and that our kids were missing! Wait, wait, I don't want to talk to the Sheriff, I want to talk to this Deputy Cagil RIGHT NOW!"

Jeanne held the mouthpiece with her hand and gestured to Tom to come to her. Tom could finally feel his limbs moving and walked swiftly to his wife.
"What's the matter, babe?" Tom whispered to Jeanne. She replied, "These dumb hick cops said they never called us and that this Deputy hasn't been there for 5 years. She is getting her boss on the phone."

Peter could hear the onesided conversation Jeanne was having with the police officer.

"Yes, yes, I'm still here. That's right. We got a call at Sargento's tonight from this Deputy of yours. Frankly, he scared us to death. No, our children are not here. I don't understand. Prescott murders? What has that to do with our children? WHAT??? Are you telling me that an entire family was killed at our place five years ago and the killer was never apprehended? Why weren't we told about this when we moved in? Look, look, this is just a bit too much to take in right now. My main concern is my children. Can't you just give me the phone number of this former deputy and I can get to the bottom of this myself?" Jeanne continued to rant.

Peter looked back out the window and the blood started rushing. He took a step to the door and began running. Jeanne quickly got distracted and called out for Peter. He didn't look back. Jeanne almost hung up the phone and followed her husband but the voice on the other end began to sound desperate. Momentarily distracted, she continued to listen to the Sheriff.

Minutes later, Jeanne began running as well. She raced across the yard and yelled to Peter. "Peter!!! The sheriff is on his way. Don't go into the barn! He said this Cagil is wanted for the murders of the entire Prescott family! Wait!" Her screams fell on deaf ears. Peter had already run to the barn. Jeanne started crying and followed, knowing in her heart what she might find.

Blood is hard to see in the night's landscape. The sounds of screaming finally fade as dawn fast approaches. All that is left of the horrific night are whispers of the 2 lost souls that didn't escape the wrath of the stranger that came calling this evening.