A Wild Thing in the Darkness Ch. 01

"You will find a cheque for your fine work so far in this envelope, and also something more. Please come this way, Bailey. I have another request for you," he said, looking a little cautious and uncomfortable, though it was obvious that he was doing his best to work through it.

"The yards look wonderful," he said, "and please do not stop the work if you can, but I have a slightly different bit of work for you in the inside garden. I hope it will not be too boring for you and I only hope that you do not mind the time." He led her to the garden door. "I do not even know if you can do this work, since I do not know how much of your time is available."

Swiping his own card through, he led them inside and motioned her to the picnic table there.

Yevgeny went to the little fridge and brought them back cans of cola. "I have refilled the fridge for you," he said sitting down across from her. "I do not know if you can do this extra work for me, but I would appreciate it if you could try. There is actually no physical work to it at all. This is more like baby-sitting, really."

"You see, for about a week now, there has been a temporary resident in the indoor garden here. She has been sent to deliver a personal message to Oksana and I. I imagine that when I return with Oksana in about a week or so, then she will return to her home. I have gotten the short form of the message from her, but there is much more to it and she is not allowed to tell everything unless we are both present."

Bailey was shocked, "But -- I've come in here every day several times and there's never anyone here but me." She didn't even want to think that if this were all true that she'd been observed.

Yevgeny looked a bit more uncomfortable. "Please, I think that you had better hear me out and then decide if you would want this work. I will tell you the background to everything."

He sat back a moment, "You know, the way that this will all sound to you, I may as well begin by saying, 'Once upon a time' because it will seem more than a little outlandish, but I will try."

As wild as the tale was, Bailey found herself enjoying it, though she really didn't believe much of anything. She figured that if he wanted to waste his gardening dollar by telling her fairytales, it was his business. She did wonder who this 'creature' was that he said had come to earth seeking revenge.

"And so," he said, "a young ambassador has been sent to find the traveler and bring him news."

Bailey wondered why he'd stopped. What she didn't know was that he'd caught sight of the ambassador peeking at them from the undergrowth.

"So, where is she now, Yevgeny?"

"Actually, she is here with us now, hiding among the plants."

Bailey looked around for a few seconds, but saw nothing out of the ordinary. She almost grinned at having been taken in by his joke, but when she turned back, she saw him looking at her with the same expression as before.

He continued. "Not having been here before, she had no idea what to try to look like. Anyway, before you think that I have taken complete leave of my senses, allow me to tell you what I would like. If you can manage it, because I do not know anything about your personal schedule beyond when you work for me here, I would like to ask you if it would be possible for you to either come back after you finish your regular work here, or just stay here for a few more hours, say three or four if it is possible each night."

"I will leave the timing up to you. If you find it too much, then cut back on your gardening time to allow you the time later. You do not actually have to do anything other than be here in the garden so that she does not feel too alone. The night lighting comes on when it gets dark, and if you wish, you can remain at this table the whole time and read a novel. She likes to observe you. She has never seen people before."

Bailey thought he'd lost his mind for a minute, but then rationalized that it would be easy money. She just needed to clarify a few things for her own safety and comfort.

"Are you going to be here then, or will there be anybody else?" she asked.

He shook his head. "No. That is why I am asking you to do this for me. Other than the messenger, you will be alone, just as you are in the daytime normally. I will be gone about a week or so with Oksana, and then we will come back here, and this extra work will end, and you go back to gardening."

He leaned a little closer. "Bailey, I know that you think that I have gone insane, but it is really as I have told you. You will be alone with her here. Likely, you will be quite bored, though I do not know; she may try to meet you for all that I know. She desires that very much, but is extremely shy. She looks very different to you and I, something like a small, catlike ape with stripes. She has no ulterior motive; you are perfectly safe with her. She only asked me to do this for her because she is fascinated with you. Likely you will not even see her and you can continue to think that I am crazy."

He smiled at her and shrugged, "And be well-paid for it."

"You may leave at any time you wish, but I would like it if you could stay until when the lighting goes off at midnight or just before, if you wouldn't mind. I have never told you, but at three o'clock, the sprinkler system starts the watering cycle for an hour. Do you think that you can do this for me? I will pay you what I pay for gardening, even if you don't do any, because of these hours for a week, as well, you will find a cheque in the envelope for an extra week's pay, just for this."

Bailey laughed a little, "Sure, Yevgeny, I'll do it, though I'm wondering if you really have lost your mind. But I'll call the cops if there's any perverts around or anything fishy like that."

"Agreed," he said, "there is no reason that you should have to sacrifice your own safety and comfort. If there are ... perverts around, I WANT you to call the police. She will have no idea that she may be in danger as well.

One more thing, I am to tell you that if you wish to meet her, and you think that you can prepare yourself for a bit of a shock, I would say, .... Well you see this bowl of peaches on the table here. If you wish her to show herself, then begin to eat one of the peaches after the night-lighting has come on, not before, though I cannot guarantee that she will come to you and show herself then. I am only passing on her request to me. She herself told me that she did not know if she would have the courage to show herself."

"If she does come to you, then you need have no fear of her. She does not know English, other than a very few words, but I am to say that she thinks that you are very beautiful from the time that you have been in here with her, though you did not know it."

He saw her expression and held up his hands, "I am only telling you what I was asked to say to you. Bailey, I did not know that you had been in here then. She has told me of it and I guess that all I can say is that this garden was created for pleasure. I have even done that myself often here, if it makes you feel any better. Oksana and I come here to make love often as well. That is what it is for. I am happy if someone enjoys it this much. It says to me that I have created beauty, no?"

"Are there cameras in here?" Bailey was about to get upset.

He shook his head, "Absolutely not, Bailey. I have been thinking of installing some, but only for the outside of the building. Never for in here. As I have said, Oksana and I come here to make love often. We have no wish for there to be cameras."

"Then you couldn't have known what I did. There have to be cameras."

"No," he shook his head, "but a lovely creature saw you and thought it was wonderful, what you did. She told me this. She did the same as she watched you, and she told me that she even used the same spot after you had gone. Listen very carefully now."

He said something which Bailey couldn't understand. Alter a moment; Bailey heard a short gasp, and a soft, quiet laugh, as though someone was trying to stifle their laughter. Bailey turned to him with wide eyes.

"She is here, Bailey, but she is very shy. I made her laugh just now by saying that you didn't believe me and think that there are cameras. Now, will you do this for me?"

"She won't hurt me, or, can she hurt me?"

"Well, I suppose that she could, but I cannot imagine why she would want to," Yevgeny said, "She thinks that you are wondrous. I do not know how much luck you may have with the peaches to get her to come out of hiding, so I have put frozen dinners in the icebox of the fridge. You may have an easier time if you make yourself something to eat with the microwave oven there. The smell may draw her and then you both have something to wonder over together. It is only an idea, and it is up to you, obviously. If you try this however, she will not come out of hiding until dark in any case. If you see her at all, you will understand why then. No matter if she felt brave enough -- and she doesn't at this point - she comes from a darker place and this light is too bright for her eyes so she stays in the darkness of the plants."

"There are plastic utensils in packets on the bench. Anyway, I must leave. You are welcome to stay, Bailey, as you always are. You can spend the night if you wish as well. She will not leave here, I don't think. So after you have finished for the night, reading or whatever you do, you can use the guest room to sleep if you wish."

He got up to go, "I hope that you have an enjoyable time, whether you meet each other or not."

"Wait, Yevgeny," Bailey said, not really sure about this now that she knew that she wouldn't be alone, "she really won't hurt me? What's her name?"

"Not at all," he said, "If you were to find a beautiful butterfly or little raccoon, would your first wish be to harm it in any way? Her name is Suhn, the shortest form, anyway. The full thing would be impossible for you to say, I think."

He leaned in and spoke a little softer, "If you find that you need it, you can try to call her Suhn-Raett. 'Raet' is a diminutive suffix most often used for young ones or often between lovers or it can be used to express hopeful friendship. It is sure to catch her attention if nothing else does. Here," he pulled a pen from his shirt pocket and wrote the names out on her envelope.

"She is like you, female and very near to your size, though her features are different and she hopes that you will not find her too ugly, being as lovely as she sees you to be.

In fact," he looked at her warmly, "please forgive me for saying this, and I would never say it if you didn't know that she really is here - otherwise you would think that I am a pervert, but -- I can tell you that other than the thrill and honor of meeting you if it happens, she desires to be able to touch your skin. She has short soft fur, you see.

He winked and then he was gone before Bailey had gotten over the shock of hearing him say it.

Bailey looked at the heavy vegetation and wondered for a minute. She had a thought to ask Yevgeny how he knew so much of the strange story that he'd told her. She ran out after him, but his car had already backed out onto the street, and he dropped it into forward and drove off without looking back at the house, so he missed her wave.

Bailey didn't really know what to do now.

Suhn-Raet had been nervous but hopeful until Yevgeny left and the female ran after him. She was thinking that she had refused to stay with her. It made her a little sad, but she knew that something such as she'd asked would likely not be possible anyway. What made her sadder was that if she'd been told that she'd been observed as she pleasured herself, then it was fairly certain that she'd never have the privilege of ever watching it again. She turned to slink into the undergrowth and head for the coolness of the pond.

Baiely looked through the two bookshelves of novels, selecting a few to read. She hoped that it was all that would happen. With three in hand, she walked back to the garden door and swiped her card through the reader.

Suhn-Raett heard the door open and began to cautiously move in that direction. As she got closer, she knew that Bailey had come back and felt much better. She crawled the last little bit so that she could see. The female was sitting at the table. She knew that she was reading, her kind had texts as well at one time.

She watched her take a sip from one of the metal containers. She'd looked at them before, but couldn't open one and had put it back since she thought that the only other way to get it open would have been to destroy it. She'd smelled the liquid before from an empty container and had wondered about it. She lay on the earth and observed with her chin on the back of one hand. She took in details like Bailey's legs and arms. It wasn't what she'd have liked to do, but she guessed that it was all that she'd see now so she tried to content herself with it. She was careful to look away if Bailey showed the slightest sign that she might feel that she was being watched. It went on for an hour.

Bailey's eyes were moving, but she wasn't really reading at all. She would have liked to be reading, but the thought that she wasn't alone here kept intruding on her concentration. After spending twenty minutes reading the same long paragraph over and over and still not getting it, she put the book down.

She looked around. "Hello?" she called out softly.

This felt so weird, she thought.

"I know that you're shy. I'm not all that brave myself, I guess." She didn't know what else to say and wiped the sweat from her brow with her hand. Bailey was nervous and had to admit to being just a little excited as well, but she had no idea what this creature looked like, unless this was some strange joke or something that Yevgeny had come up with.

Then again, she didn't know him to be anything other than straightforward and above-board in any dealing that she'd had with him. He'd also been great to her as an employer so far, along with Oksana. She couldn't imagine him doing something to cause her harm or embarrassment. The truth be told, she admitted to herself, if she was here alone for a whole week, she'd much prefer to be naked here. The thought kept crossing her mind, but after finding out that someone or something had been watching her every time, there was no way she was going to do that again.

"Well, I'm really curious now, though I don't really believe all that stuff I've been told. I wish that I could see you for a minute, but he says that if I see you at all, it'll only be after dark." She looked at the sky outside. It would be hours yet before sundown.

She sighed. Hours to read something which didn't interest her. Hours to sweat here in the heat. Bailey decided that she was thirsty and swallowed a bit more of her soda, but suddenly had a thought. Maybe this 'mysterious creature' might be thirsty as well.

She went to the fridge and got out another can. Then she walked to the front edge of the vegetation carrying it. As she got really close, she thought that she heard a very quiet rustling there which stopped almost instantly. She thought about it and smiled, "So you really are here. It's ok, I don't want to hurt you or anything and I'm a little nervous about you too. But I thought that you might like something cold to drink, so I'm going to leave this just at the edge of the plants, and then I'll take a little walk to let you decide."

She dropped down into a crouch and placed the can carefully. Stepping back, she began to walk slowly away, headed for one of the paths.

Suhn-Raett had seen the motion that Bailey had used to open the can earlier, but from her low vantage point, she still didn't get it. She reached out to take the can since she wanted to encourage Bailey to some degree. She struggled with it, and her long nail slipped off the tab and caused it to make a loud click. She froze.

Bailey heard the springy sound clearly and was encouraged, but she also realized at that moment that perhaps there was some trouble and didn't know what to do. She didn't want to run right over there. It would only alarm someone who was supposed to be very shy. So she walked back to the front of the room and didn't look back until she was at the table again.

When she did turn her head in that direction, she heard another rustle in the plants and the can rolled to stop against the bordering with a clunk. Bailey grabbed another can and two of the disposable plastic glasses and after glancing at the envelope to remind herself, she walked to the plants again.

"I didn't think about it," she said, "I'm sorry. If you've never had one of these before, then I guess that you wouldn't know how to open it." She took a deep breath and knelt very close to the darkness. Setting down the glasses, she pointed to the tab and explained what to do as she did it. When the can hissed, she heard a small gasp, and tried to look in that direction. She didn't really see anything.

She picked up one of the glasses and began to pour very carefully. "I'll split one with you if you like, "she smiled. Setting the plastic glass aside, she poured the rest of the can into the other glass and took a sip. Then, deciding to go for broke here; she picked up the first glass and held it out, just inside the edge of the vegetation.

"Here. This one's for you."

There was no response. Bailey tried again and reached just a little further.

"Suhn-Raett? Here. See if you like this."

Suhn-Raett was surprised, but she knew this for what it was. The female was trying to offer her a chance. She drew up her own courage and hoped for the best as she reached out very slowly to take the glass, and prayed that her ugliness didn't frighten this creature.

Bailey was about to give up and take back her hand, but then she saw a little movement.

"Suhn-Raett? Don't be afraid."

She stared as some very long and wicked-looking claws began to reach out.

Suhn-Raett saw the eyes widen and realized that her claws were extended. She hadn't seen anything like that on this female, and looking at her hand there, she was sure that she had nothing like that, and so she must be on the edge of fear of her. Suhn-Raett retracted her claws, but not too quickly. She thought that her best chance was to be calm and slow here. When her claws were fully in, there were no sharp points on her fingertips, but they were just visible and then she reached out a little more.

Bailey watched the claws move back, but was nervous, and it was obvious to Suhn-Raett, so before this failed completely, she opened her mouth.

"Bail-lee?" she said softly.

Bailey tore her gaze from the claws and looked for the source of the sound. The voice sounded a little childlike and very sweet. Bailey nodded and tried to smile, though she still couldn't make anything out. Suhn-Raett tried to avoid touching the hand there, and she almost managed it too. Bailey felt the cup being grasped slowly and prepared to release her hold when their fingers touched and to the surprise of them both, they just froze as they both gasped.

Bailey looked at the hand. It didn't look that vicious now, though compared to her own hand, it was rather elongated. She looked ahead again and smiled at the face she still couldn't see.

"Suhn-Raett, I'm going to let go now, ok?"

Suhn-Raett knew what the 'ok' meant, but didn't know what was meant in this context, but once Bailey's hand began to let go, she felt the weight of the glass and took it. Bailey moved her hand away, and picked up her own glass to take a sip while keeping her eyes on the darkness. She lowered her glass and smiled.

Suhn-Raett saw it and began to draw back her hand. As she brought the glass nearer, she could hear the fizz of the beverage, and cautiously raised it to her lips. There was a bit of an unfamiliar little sting to the bubbles there, but she dipped her tongue into is and then tasted. After a moment, she sipped a little. The bubbles felt odd in her mouth but she swallowed and then liked the strange taste enough for another try. When she looked up, she saw Bailey staring at her with her mouth open.