“I fear not the dark itself, but what may lurk within it.”
– Unknown
A small girl, not older than 7 played with her dolls in the yard. The little girl and each of her dolls had on their best dresses and were seated ever so properly around the blanket. In front of each was a small plastic tea cup, saucer and plate. The little girl poured pretend tea in the cups and nibbled at her imaginary cookies. In her world the dolls were busily chatting amongst themselves, sharing stories, laughing and genuinely enjoying the tea party. “Miss May you always know the right things to say”, the little girl said fondly at the tea party and giggled to herself.
As she giggled she saw her mom look through the kitchen window and she waved an excitedly wave. Her mom smiled and waved back, continuing about the kitchen chores. The little girl returned to chatting amongst her dolls, blissfully unaware of the danger that was lurking just yards away.
In the distance and out of general site was the figure of a man. It was hard to tell what he looked like, what anyone could see looked almost like darkness in the shape of a man. He stared at the little girl enjoying her tea party in her lovely white dress and little black shoes. The man slowly began to walk towards the girl, ever so quietly, he said nothing and made no quick moves. His focus was on her, he watched intensely as he approached her.
Suddenly the little girl looked up at the dark figure and was startled. She stared at him, unsure what to do.
“Hello”, the dark figure said. His face covered by a black brimmed hat and his body appeared to be shrouded by a long black coat. He stood by a tree near where the little girl was sitting. “I’m not going to hurt you, I’m only curious about your party and was hoping I may join you.” The little girl said nothing, just continued to stare, trying to make out his face.
“Is there something wrong”, the dark figure asked.
“I’m not allowed to talk to strangers, my mom says strangers are dangerous.”
“What a smart mommy you have. And she is quite right, you shouldn’t talk to strangers.”, the figure smiled. She could see a small grin by the way his shadowy features moved on his face.
“Aren’t you a stranger?”, she asked.
“I’m not a stranger, I’m a goat.” responded the dark figure.
“You don’t look like any goat I’ve ever seen”, she chuckled.
“That’s because I’m not like the goats you’ve seen my child, let me show you.” He slowly shrunk his body and his knees bent backward. What had appeared to be feet began to shrink and hooves formed. The darkness faded and what stood before the little girl was the body of a goat, but he stood on his hind legs. Even stranger yet was that he had the hands of a man. The goat smiled at the little girl, “what do you think of my magic trick?” The girl was quiet astonished by what she had seen. She began clapping and applauding.
“Now you have to bow”, she said, “that’s what all the magicians do on T.V. when they do a magic trick.”
The goat gave her a sinister smile and bowed. Out of the corner of his eye he kept a close watch on the kitchen window as he continued to talk to the little girl, staying just behind the tree and out of sight. “Now we have one other order of business”, the goat said as he stood straight up, “we must tell each other our names so we won’t be strangers anymore. My name is Piek, and what is your name?”
The little girl was hesitant, she looked at the goat with his sly grin.
“I should ask my mom first.” The little girl said hesitantly. “I think I’m going to go inside.”
“But we’re no longer strangers and besides you’re having such a lovely tea party.” The little girl looked down at her dolls all sitting in a circle with their cups and saucers. She was having a very lovely tea party and he wasn’t a stranger, she did know his name. ‘Perhaps he really isn’t a stranger.’ she thought to herself. “My name is …” but before she could say her name she heard her mom’s voice coming from the back porch.
“Abby , it’s time to come in!”
“I have to go in.”
“You should definitely do what your mother says. Abby, can I come play with you another day? After all we’re no longer strangers, why I would say we’re friends!” The Goat still smiling reached out and shook Abby’s hand. All the hesitation she had fell away and shook his hand back.
“You seem like a very nice goat Mr. Piek. I would very much like to play with you too.” She smiled back.
Abby quickly gathered up all her dolls and started to run for the house. Before reaching the porch she turned around and happily smiled and waved at the goat. She couldn’t see him, but she could feel his presence. Behind the tree Piek waved back and snickered to himself. He had done this so many times and it never seemed to get old.
Abby’s mom watched her wave at the tree in the back yard. It wasn’t completely out of the ordinary for Abby to play with imaginary friends, but something seemed strange in the way she waved. Her mother watched closely at the tree in the yard. Suddenly she could hear Abby closing the porch door. And left the window to help Abby gather the plastic cups and plates from the tea party.
“How was the party?” her mom asked.
“It was lots of fun! Everyone really had a good time and they all loved the tea and cookies.” she exclaimed. “can we get some real cookies and can I have milk for my next party? Imaginary cookies aren’t as good as the real ones.”
Her mom laughed, “maybe if you’re really good and you put your toys away and go wash up for dinner.”
“Ok”, Abby shouted as she quickly gathered up her things and dashed off into her room to put them away.
Abby’s mother looked out at the tree in the yard. She stared expecting something to be there, but all seemed as it should.
Night fell and Piek watched the little girl from the windows. He moved in the cover of darkness, slowly creeping closer and closer to the house. He watched as the family ate their meal together. He could feel a deepening desire to take the little girl. He wanted her for himself. The night swallowed the light and the only visible luminescence came from the windows and the porch light.
“It’s time to put your pjs on!” Abby’s mom hollered into the living room, “it’s time to turn off the tv and get ready for night night land.”
“Uhhh do I have to?! I don’t want to go to bed.”
“Come on, you know it’s bed time.”
Piek salivated eager for the little girl to go to sleep. He stood next to a large shrub near her window. The curtains were closed, but he could make out the shadows as Abby climbed into her bed.
“Will you read me a story?”
“Not tonight it’s getting late.” her mom responded, “why don’t we get ready for bed a bit earlier tomorrow and we can read two stories.”
“Yeah alright.” Abby sighed as she clutched her doll. Her mom kissed her forehead.
“Good night! Sleep tight!”
“And don’t let the bed bugs bite!” Abby chimed in.
As the lights went out in Abby’s room and Piek stood still like a statue. He watched the window and waited till her mother was fast sleep.
It was late into the night and the inky blackness had swallowed everything, not even the light on the porch was enough to push the darkness away. Piek was that darkness.
Abby snuggled into her bed woke to a strange sound in her room. She blinked her eyes as she strained to see what it might have been. She could feel her heart thumping loudly in her chest, she gripped her doll tightly against her. In the corner of the room near her window she could see something standing in there just out of sight. It’s eyes glistening from the moon’s light gave it away. She wanted to scream, but her lips couldn’t even muster a whisper. Piek stepped out and into the light from the window. Abby could see it was the goat from earlier, but he looked more deranged, evil. They stared into each other’s eyes for what seemed like for ever, Abby frozen in fear. Piek rushed over to the bed, pulled out a large burlap sack and swooped up Abby and faster than he came in, they were gone.
Abby’s mom came in to greet her daughter, only to find that the day’s light shown brightly into the bedroom. No life and only silence echoed. “Abby?! Abby! Abby where are you?!” the mother ran from room to room hollering for her daughter. In tears and panic she ran outside screaming her name, “Abby!”
Deep in the forest far from the rows of homes was a large old tree hidden from preying eyes. Smoke billowed from a hole cut into the tree and the smell of something cooking filled the chilled air. Piek anxiously stirred the large pot over the fire, his eyes gleamed as the wooden spoon stirred the broth inside. “What a tasty meal I will have”, he thought to himself. Raising the spoon to his lips he sipped the soup. The lantern lit room hid the evil of the fawn and the blood soaked corners. He grabbed a wooden bowl and filled it with the sweet tasting liquid. Innocence was his favorite flavor and this pot of stew was the sweetest he had tasted in many years.