An Adventurous Sunday

Sunday brings us closer to hurricane Jose and I can feel it in my lower back and legs already. It's awfully painful today. 
It looks like more adventure is due as I just got a tropical storm watch on my phone telling me there is elevated chances of flooding and high winds tonight. "Elevated threat to life and property" ,


 I am joining with Toni for her Creative Adventures.

The Dead End Street
1.   While walking in my neighborhood I notice a dead end street that I haven't seen before. My curiosity getting the best of me I decide to walk down to the end. While almost at the end I notice that the street is longer than I thought. As I approach the end it turns slightly and opens out again into a cul de sac.  In front of me is an imposing Victorian house complete with witches hat.
It appears that no one has been there for a long time.
It takes a lot of work to push through the overgrowth. Weeds switch at my legs as I pass by. I am sure they are covered with welts when I finally get through.
Being too curious can be painful at times.
The house looks far too delapidated to even attempt to explore. The porch roof is collapsing! But I am ever so eager to see what the inside of that front turret looks like. Could I see the inside of the 'witch's hat' from inside the second floor of the turret? Well, too dangerous and I will let it alone for today.
I wonder what the backyard looks like so I continue around the house following a red brick path. There was a path like this around my childhood home. I love them and am always attracted to them.
To my amazement, the back is well kept with a manicured lawn and paths lined with trees and bushes that, in summer, would be beautiful. But it is the end of October and the branches stretch out over the paths leaving shadows on the walk that look like bony fingers pointing me forward.  'You have to wonder who takes care of this garden. It would require a lot of work. And why do they tend it when the house is in such a bad state? Who are they and where are they?  Is someone here?  It feels spooky and a shiver goes down my spine.

2.   In the garden there is a maze. Thinking it would be fun I decide to walk a ways into it and see what might be inside." I needn't go far" I think to myself. "But I would hate to miss the opportunity to see a real maze!"I reason.
It seems easy enough and I am sure I can find my way back. After all, there is an imposing weeping willow at the entrance. It is huge, very tall and though now barren of leaves, its myriad branches reach to the ground and even trail a bit. It is distinctive. I will know it again when I see it.
It occurs to me that I have been walking for a while now. I keep thinking I will find something. I don't know what I think I might find, but ..something. Wishful thinking?
The bushes that line the maze are English boxwood, evergreen. Here and there I see old nests of spring visitors deep inside the hedging. Occasionally there are old metal signs with lovely quotes about nature and gardens on them. 
A rabbit runs quickly across my path and I nearly let out a scream. It was so sudden! I saw it out of the corner of my eye. It was a rabbit, wasn't it?  I am not sure. The light is dim now. Branches cast ominous shadows around me and nothing looks distinct anymore.
In one twisting path there is a water nymph resting on the edge of a concrete pond. Rain water fills it partially and autumn leaves are strewn around in pretty confusion.
I would love to see it's graceful fountain sparkling in the sun one day.
As I pass it by I hear splashing in the pond but when I turn there is nothing. 
My mind is working overtime now. I guess....
The hedges make me think of the old hedgerow schools where the Irish would hide to teach children when the English forbid them to get an education!  They sat down hidden in the hedgerows at great peril of life and limb just to learn to read and write! 
My imagination goes into overdrive and I hear whispering voices behind the hedges.
My breath is coming quickly now and I feel uneasy to say the least.
It is growing dark and quickly now. That happens at the end of October when days are very short.  The sunlight is thinner now and the air is cooling rapidly.
I shiver but I don't turn around. I can't tell you why either.It's almost as though I don't want to see what is behind me.
Where is that willow? It was tall enough that I was sure I'd see it even deep in the maze, but I see nothing but the maze ahead. More and more hedge.


3. Now a little worried that I might be lost in the maze I turn the next row and see a gazebo on a tower.  I can get my bearings from there. It is certainly high enough. From the gazebo top, I can see other bridges in the maze that will afford a good view. But, though I can see the entrance from this vantage point, it will take some luck to get there. It makes sense to follow along to all the bridges in order to have a constant view of where I am going and that is what I will do.
But darkness is closing in. I do not want to spend the night in that gazebo. I rummage through my backpack to find my tiny flash light. I don't want to use the light on my Android phone and lose power.
The tiny torch is powerful and blazes through the night so that I can go from bridge to bridge without too much trouble.
There! The house is just ahead!   It's good to see the house again but, there is someone moving upstairs past a window in the "witches hat " turret. They are carrying a lantern and the light goes from window to window as they move along.
I pause for a second to catch my breath and I see a face in the window looking down straining to see if anyone is there. They are holding the lantern in front of them so it obscures their features a lot.
I try to make myself as small as possible."Oh, please don't let me be seen," I whisper to myself.
 What is that in the window?  I am not sure I want to know. 
I am so very tired from walking around that maze. My legs have had it.
But seeing that lantern begin to move downward toward the front door on it's journey revives my energy. I begin to jog to the front. I want to beat whatever it is. 
 Even the constant switching of my legs by the tangled branches can't deter me. It is as though an unseen hand is driving me to greater speed each time a branch strikes my legs.  "Hurry up ,hurry up," is all I can think.
I want out of there, and I want out now!
My legs are stinging from those briars and tangled branches but I am on the street and heading away from that adventure.
I can't seem to walk fast enough.


4.   Relieved and walking back home I think to myself  the maze is a group effort and not a great idea when you are alone.  I wonder how or what was in that window.Someone was there. Someone not afraid of the damaged condition of the house. 
No one in their right mind would not think twice about entering that house in its terrible condition!
No one in their right mind. The phrase haunts me now.
I take my phone out of the backpack to check the time.
Midnight!  I can't believe I was wandering around the maze looking for a way out for so very long. It took me hours! No wonder I am tired.
I was so stupid to enter it just as the sun was going down! Ridiculous decision. More ridiculous when I consider that the comparison of the house's condition with the meticulous maze should have been a warning to me that someone might be around.
The light from the phone illuminates my face as I look again at the time.
And it is then that I notice the date. I increase my speed to a dead run home...
It is October 31st, Halloween.