Nights at the Pump - Chapter 2 Beyond the Door

Chapter 2

The only time there was any activity around the Church of Spiritual Holiness and Mystic Mission was on Sunday nights. We had never seen a church that restricted its activities to one day. But it did allow for something we really wanted to do.

One night at the pump we determined that we needed to see inside the church. We talked about dressing up and going to a service but Margaret said she couldn't. Margaret was a Catholic, she was not allowed to go to other churches. So we agreed if we couldn't all go none of us would.

They had no social activities that were open to the public, so that was out. We never saw a wedding or a funeral there either. Maybe they never died, Harold offered. Aliens, they must be aliens. We decided we needed to be very careful or they might just find a way to stop our prying.

Then the perfect opportunity presented itself. One Saturday night we were playing kickball in the street and the ball rolled over by the door with the broken window. Harold went to retrieve it. He picked up the ball but then, he went to the door and peered inside. Then, he tested the door.

It was dark by now and the streetlight had come on. We all stood perfectly still waiting for Harold. He looked back at us. We urged him on.

The door opened.

At that very moment Harold's mother called him to come home. We all jumped a foot off the ground. Harold jumped the highest.

That put an end to that attempt at breaching the fort. We all knew it would only be moments before we all got the call from our parents. So we went back to the pump and waited. We knew there was a way to enter the house and we knew we would try again. But for now. We could only think of what was behind the door with a broken pane.

Then, we all thought we saw a black cat looking at us from the corner of the blue house.

To be continued....

©Herb Ratliff, October 24, 2012, All Rights Reserved