Uninvited

5/25/91

It was a night when only the wicked were brave enough to step outdoors. A food advisory had been issued, warning residents to stay indoors. Not that they'd be missing much. There wasn't a lot to do in a small town like Bayless which could only brag of a grocery mart that doubled as a supply store. The relentless showers of the afternoon had continued their rally across the rural town's already soggy grounds into the late evening hours.

Inside her two-story cabin, Maggie Caldwell pulled back a curtain to see if her husband's approaching car was anywhere in sight. Her hot breath against the rattling cold glass clouded her view. She wiped the condensation with her hand to see the massive rows of oak trees that surrounded her home, their wet leaves flapping around in panic as though they too were scared of the night's storm. Lightning flashed above, illuminating her face for a brief second. The dogs outside barked incessantly from the nearby shed, begging to be let loose.