The Eye of Madness by John D; Mimms Read Free Book Online Page B

the nearest patches of woods were no closer than twenty meters from the road. In contrast, the town was a sadistic minefield. Shadows cast from buildings and trees threatened to block his path at every turn. The shady patches on every street and sidewalk writhed and undulated in a hungry, shapeless mass. After a half hour of careful maneuvering, he managed to traverse the five blocks to his flat.
    The blinds were pulled shut as usual because Jack enjoyed his privacy. He picked up a fallen branch from the yard and then carefully unlocked the door. He stuck the branch in through the opening and fumbled about until he found the light switch. He flicked it upward with one quick motion. Tossing the branch aside, he slipped inside.
    Jack’s flat was of greater than average size. He could have stayed in base housing for much less money, but there was little solitude. The private’s apartment could have accommodated two grown men with plenty of room left over. Three bedroom flats were almost unheard of in this small town. It may not have been a necessity to live in a place with this much space, but for Jack, it was almost as important as the very air he breathed. He had just started to gather a few personal items into his duffel when he heard a noise.
    A whimpering sound came from outside his kitchen window. It was faint at first, but as he stopped to listen, it grew louder. Jack walked to his kitchen window and peered out. Dark shadows crisscrossed the yard from several elm trees. They made the yard seem as if it contained dark and surging tentacles. As he screwed up his eyes, he saw something that resembled a pile of laundry, until it started to move. An elderly woman was lying face down in a sunlit area, inches from a dark patch.
    Jack stared, mesmerized. This had to be a sign. Everyone left town, or so he thought. It was his destiny to come back, to find this old lady crawling about in his backyard. Excitement leapt inside him when he realized what he must do. He grabbed a couple of high beam flashlights from a desk drawer and eased out the backdoor. He aimed the beams straight ahead and crept towards the old woman. The powerful light parted the shadows a little easier than he thought they would and he soon reached the old woman.
    She stared straight ahead, whimpering and crying, taking no notice of his presence. Not until he knelt down and spoke to her.
    â€œAre you okay, dear?” he asked.
    She shrieked so loud he thought his eardrum might rupture. The poor woman began to scoot along on her belly as if the devil himself was after her. Jack managed to grab her by the hem of her cotton gown as she tried to scurry into one of the shadows. She screamed and writhed, but she was not strong enough to pull away. The woman was fortunate that the fabric in her gown was strong enough to resist their tug of war.
    â€œCalm down … its okay!” Jack assured her.
    She did calm down, but Jack wasn’t sure if it was because of his reassurance or because she was tired. She was injured, as evidenced by the blood on her gown and deep gash in her right forearm. However, it wasn’t until she tried to look at him before Jack discovered why she did not acknowledge him before he spoke. The old lady was blind.
    â€œWhat’s your name?” Jack asked.
    She tried to focus on where she believed his face was, but she ended up peering over his shoulder. “Agnes,” she croaked.
    â€œWell, Agnes, how did you wind up in my backyard?”
    She shook her head, her eyes vacant and distant. “Crawled,” she whispered.
    Jack noticed a gash in her arm as she shifted her weight onto her side. This was not the worst injury the woman suffered, not by a long shot. The skin on her lower legs from her knees to her ankles was one bloody mess. Exposed bone protruded from below her left knee.
    â€œCan you walk, Agnes?” he asked. The answer should have been obvious.
    She started to emit a high-pitched whine.
    Jack