By late afternoon, gray clouds rolled in and a cold drizzle began to fall. The sound came again, louder this time, desperate and pleading. Emma called the non-emergency number, then her neighbor Jack, and finally Leo, a carpenter known for his fearlessness when it came to abandoned buildings. He arrived with a flashlight and a crowbar, muttering about barns that like to keep their secrets. Today, curiosity had nothing to do with it.
They circled the barn, peering through every crack and loose panel. Deep scratches marked one wall, ending just below a small window. Had something tried to claw its way out? Or in? The padlock on the front door gleamed strangely bright against the weathered wood, far too new for such an old building.
Leo wedged the crowbar under the lock. A shadow flickered near the rafters, making Emma’s heart jump. Her dog pressed against her leg, trembling. The rain fell harder, drumming on the tin roof as if urging them to hurry. With one strong pull, the lock gave way and clattered to the ground.