The Simple Black Dress
by cathy nort
chapter 12
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It was after midnight when Buffy, flashlight in hand but unlit, crossed the lawn toward the barn. The moon was in it's full stage although it was obscured by a row of passing clouds. It was so dark that Buffy had to walk with caution over the unfamiliar ground.
She went around to the rear of the barn before she flipped on the flashlight. Walking along the back between shrubs and bushes she passed the pad locked door. From there she proceeded slowly. She had heard the flapping of wood against wood earlier in the day and she was hoping that what caused it would be her entry into the barn.
and it was. The wind had loosened one of the boards shuttering a window. It hung limply by one nail barely covering the broken window behind it. Buffy placed the flashlight on the ground below it, grabbed the board by two and and gave a quick, surgical tug. The board broke free with only a slight groan and Buffy leaned it quietly against the side of the barn.
Buffy picked up the flashlight and placed it on the windowless ledge and then hoisted herself up and dropped inside. She felt the softness of a dirt floor beneath her feet. She had half expected to land on some clutter but her landing had proved uneventful. She picked up the flashlight and shown it around.
The barn was basically empty except for some rotted boards against one wall. There was a wheeless wagon, a rusting tractor, a saddle that had seen better days and an old lawn mower. There was not much else. A ladder just across from where she stood led up to the loft above presumably where hay had once been stored.
Buffy swung the light around. At the far side of the barn was what appeared to be a small wooden stage with a few dilapidated plastic bags on it. Buffy cautiously moved toward the stage. As she walked she felt the ground harden until she realized she was now on a wooden floor instead of dirt.
How strange.
Searching with the flashlight she could see slats, dirt and leave covered by the years. Her footsteps sounded hollow as she walked. There must be a room beneath she decided or why else a wooden floor?
There was nothing of interest in the barn which kind of disappointed her. It seemed strange that it was kept so inaccessible. Maybe Morgan had been telling the truth it was just for safety sake that it was kept locked and boarded.
Still..... Buffy hopped up onto the stage and crossed it o the far wall. It was so dark, despite the illumination from the flashlight, that she had to move carefully.
It was a good thing she did. At the far end of the stage it dropped off and she found herself peering down at a staircase. Turning the light to the left she found the head of the narrow stairs just off the stage. She went over to the edge of the stage and jumped down to the ground. There was barely room for her to squeeze between the wall of the barn and the stage but she managed to reach the top of the stairs.
She shown the light on the stairs. They weren't in the best of shape. Some were warped, others appeared damaged by age but for the most part they looked strong enough to venture down. And that's what Buffy did.
Half way down there was a brief landing, then the stairs started to the right again to descend under the stage.
Other than the sound of her own steps it was deadly quiet. Reaching the bottom of the steps Buffy paused. The air smelled musk, old and a mist floated all around dimming the brilliance of the light as she panned the room with the flashlight. It was a large room, half the size of the barn above and through the wall of mist Buffy could make out what seemed to be a tack of boxes on a platform.
Buffy moved toward it holding the light on the ground so she wouldn't misstep. As she neared the box she saw it was more of a rectangle crate than a box. It was set up about three foot above the ground on a steel stand. There was a latch at the top of the crate.
Holding the light steady Buffy reached out and slid the latch to one side. With a heavy creak the side of the crate flipped down so quickly that Buffy barely had time to jump back. As it was the flashlight was struck by the falling side and it bounced to the ground.
Luckily the light wasn't exterminated so Buffy stooped and picked it up again. She pointed the beam toward the crate again.
The wooden side had been a cover. Beneath it was a clear glass panel. Buffy could see a heavier mist, a fog, floating lazily inside. It seemed to be alive, crawling.
Buffy rubbed the glass with the palm of her hand trying to get a clearer view a to what was inside. Then the mist cleared for a moment as if Buffy's gesture had disturbed it and swirled it away.
"Oh my God," Buffy gasped stepping back in horror.
Inside the crate, lying so very still, was a body. And Buffy could see the scarred face of Amy Daley.