The Visitor

"As I swayed in my hammock, my thoughts drifted up through the leaves rustling in the breeze. I waited while the clouds came into view. As I began to focus on the shapeless clouds hiding behind the jostling leaves, the rhythmic sound of the bicycle stopped. The bicycle crashed into my garden wall as I heard the hurried footsteps pounding the earth. I could not see my visitor hidden behind the wall. I raised my head and followed the sound with my eyes. I could only hear the footsteps of what sounded like a giant. Surprisingly enough, a young woman came bounding through my gate. Out of breath, dusty and bewildered by the appearance of me gazing curiously at the frailty of her body, she paused awkwardly. "Where is Mr. Coleman?" she asked obviously expecting to find him lying in my hammock instead of me. "He doesn't have the whole story," she screamed. By this time, I was quickly making my way towards her. As I drew closer, I held out my hands to help calm her. The heat from the afternoon sun was partly to blame for her fainting right there in my yard. She landed with the thump of deadweight hitting the brick pathway hard. A cloud of dust from her faded sundress rose around her body and drifted in the marsh breeze. At that moment, I had the strangest sensation that I was being watched. I looked down at this young girl at my feet and then I glanced around seeing no one. Shadows danced behind the tall wooden fence. I stopped and stared. I was sure I had seen the shadow of someone, not just the trees over head. All I really knew was that I needed to get her out of the sun quickly." -exerpt from The Visitor

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