“Dark Love”
Chapter 1


Our story starts in a small town nestled in the heart of Missouri. Beautiful country is all that could be said for it with its rolling hills and flower strewn fields, the tall grass that waves in the soft summer breeze the crystal clear creeks and rivers that run through the forest to make it its many shades of green and the tree’s that stretch out toward the heaven. They say the night sky is so clear out here that you do not need a flashlight to see where you are going for the stars give you enough light to lead you home. They say some of the friendliest people live in this little town.

I guess I should know since I grew up here since I was knee high to a grasshopper. 'Oh by the way my name is Shelly, Shelly Richardson.' This little town of ours is over a hundred years old and has always been the quietest town around. Never any problems from the outsiders when they come in to visit or even the people that live here with their kids as we all know some kids can really get out of hand. Living in a small town and with nothing to do you get the occasional wild teen party or kids and their want to be racecars, racing up and down the dirt roads.

Over all I could not think of a better place to live, but my life was far from what someone could call normal. I live in a house that has been in our family for over 6 generation. Grandmother raised me in this house when my Mother and Father died in a car accident when I was 8 years old. At the age of 18 my Grandmother past away leaving me the home and the 40 acres that surrounded it. I made a good life for myself getting a job in the town about 20 miles from us working my way through collage and getting my degrees in business and animal science. I ended up reopening my Grandfathers business of breeding horses that he had when he was still alive. I do well for myself and my six friends that I have found along the way in the last few years. I call them friends now, but when I first meet them they were freeloaders and far from normal.


It all started 5 years ago, when I decided to come back home from the rat race of a lager town and see if I could do something with my Grandparents home and land. I worked for a larger company that was breeding horses, I was so sick of them not listening to me and losing one horse after the other from their stupid pity. I need out before I lost my composure with them.

My Aunts had told me of my Grandfathers business of breading horses that he had back when and did well with it. They thought since I worked with horses from the time I was eight until the present day. That this might be something I could get going again, out where I was going to be living. I gave it good thought and after a year of working up my courage, I went and talk to a bank for a small business loan. They told me with the house and land I have as collateral and my credit being flawless, they would have no problems with giving me the loan. Therefore, I came back to a home that I had not seen for over 5 years.

I pulled up the long drive going to the house about noon. As I get to the house. I see I have my work cut out for me as the grass has over grown in the pastures the fence needs mending and the roof looks as if the wind was to blow too hard it would take it with it. The house for sure needs a good coat of paint on it. I was scared to go look at the barns. I park the car in front of the house stepping out of the car. I stand there with my hands on my hips looking around.


“Dear Jesus what have I gotten myself into here.” Shelly says.

She looks around the yard and back at the house. Shelly sees the curtain move inside the house and a figure standing on the other side of it as it quickly moves from her sight.

“Oh no, this is not happening. I have someone in my house that is just not cool.” Shelly says. She reaches into the car and pops the trunk on it she walks around and reaches in pulling out a tire iron. She walks back to the driver’s door and gets her phone opening it up and calling the local police.

“Police Department is this an emergency?” The operator says.

“Hello Doris this is Shelly Richardson.” She says in reply.

“Shelly my Lord it has been a dog’s age since I have heard from you, I heard that you were coming back home. How are you doing dear?” Doris says.

“Well I would be doing better if someone was not in my house.” Shelly tells her.

“You have squatters in your home?” Doris asks.

Shelly laughs by her country slang thinking, “I have been gone too long I cannot believe I use to talk like that.” “Yes I guess you could call them that.” Shelly says.

“There’s more then one?!” Doris exclaims.

“I am not sure how many are in there. I only saw one so far.” Shelly tells her walking slowly to the front door.

“Well you stay out of there I got Jerry headed out that way now he should be there soon.” Doris tells her.

“Thank you Doris, I will wait for him as you say, Bye.” Shelly hangs up her phone sliding it into her pocket; she looked down at the door handle on the front door. “They broke the lock to get in.” Shelly says. She holds the tire iron high above her head opening the door she walks inside the house. She walks slowly into the foyer area looking around and up the stairs for any movement; she takes a few more steps and peeks around the wall into the living room where she saw the curtain move.

Out of the corner of her eye, she sees something dart across the doorway in the room across from her.

“Who’s there show you’re self… I called the police they will be here any minute now. If you come out now I will not get you for trespassing, make it easy on yourself, and come out now.” Shelly tells them.

She slowly moves in the doorway of the dinning area where she saw the movement. She looks to the left where she saw them run to and then back to the right and then left again. She walks into the room looking at the door that leads to the kitchen.

“Too many weapons in there to go in alone, I think I will wait for Jerry to get here before I do that.” Shelly says to herself.

Just then, Shelly hears the sirens from the police car. As she lets out a sigh of relief, she starts to back out of the house until she reaches the porch; she waits for Jerry’s arrival.


Jerry pulls up in front of the house and gets out of the car, “Sweet Jesus you have grown since I saw you last time.” Shelly smiles at him and shakes her head.

“Hello Jerry long time no see, and it has only been 5 years since I left home.” Shelly says.

“Yeah a home that I hear has unwanted guest in it from what Doris told me.” Jerry says, walking up on the porch. “I see you went in alone? You are still as reckless now as you were backing High School I see.” He tells her.

“Just go in and get rid of him please.” Shelly tells him.

“All right… All right you stay out here on the porch and if he comes running out you bonk him with that there tire iron of yours.” Jerry says laughing.

“Very funny Jerry just go.” Shelly pushes Jerry into the house and follows in behind him.

“Where did you see them at when you got here?” Jerry asks her.

“In the living room,” Shelly tells him, “But when I was in here looking I saw something dart across the doorway in the dinning area.” She adds.

Jerry looks in the living room walking in and walking around the room. He walks out of there and into the dinning room. He starts to walk toward the door that leads to the kitchen.

“Jerry…” Shelly calls to him. Jerry turns looking at her.

“What? Shelly!” He replies.

“You’re going into a room where there are knives and very heavy skillets. I think you should be a little more on guard there, you have no idea what is on the other side of that door.” Shelly tells him.

Jerry stops from pushing the door open and says, “There is another way into this room right?”

“Yes down the hall there is another door to the kitchen there.” Shelly tells him.

Jerry walks away from the door and starts down the hall to the kitchen entrance there. Once in the kitchen Jerry checks every place, someone could hide. After they check out the kitchen, they move into the dean and then the office. Jerry checks every little nuke and cranny of the house, up stairs and down even in the cellar. Jerry walks back into the house after checking the barns, finding Shelly setting on the stairs with her elbows rested on her knees and her chin resting on her hands that she has laced together. Jerry goes over sitting next to her.

“Well I have checked everywhere someone could hide in this place including the barns, and I have not found hide nor hair of anyone. I think you may have scared them off.” Jerry tells her patting her leg.

“I guess I must have.” Shelly says.

“I do not think they will be coming back here since your home. If they do come back around they will see you here and leave again I am sure of it.” Jerry tells her.

“I hope your right Jerry.” Shelly tells him.

“Well I will let the others know to drive by for the next few days. Round the clock, to keep an eye on you and the place until we know everything is clear, and you know I live just down the road. Here if you need me.” Jerry pulls out his note pad and jots down his home number for her handing to her.

“Thanks Jerry.” Shelly tells him taking the piece of paper and sticking it in her pocket.

“You staying out here tonight?” Jerry asks her getting up and walking to the front door.

“Yeah I am supposed to be meeting the gas, water, and electric guys out here today. The phone might already be on as far as I know.” Shelly tells him. “The van should be here with my things shortly.” She adds as she gets up walking into the living room she picks up the receiver of the phone to see if it is turned on. “Well the phone is working out here.” Shelly says, hanging the receiver back up.

“Good so you can call me if need be.” Jerry tells her. Shelly walks Jerry out to his patrol car.

“Thanks again Jerry.” Shelly tells him closing his car door when he gets in. He starts the car looking up at her.

“That’s my job is to make sure everyone is safe.” Jerry tells her tipping his hat slightly at her he smiles as he backs out to leave.


Shelly goes back into the house and closes the door. She goes into the living room and starts to pull the covers from the furniture.

“Man what a mess I have here it is going to take me weeks to just clean up the dust around here.” She says. She goes to the dinning room and pulls open the drapes to let in the sun she turns looking at the old classic table that sat in the center of the room and the eight chairs that surrounds it she turns seeing the matching china hutch setting against the wall still full of her Grandmothers china. She runs her hand over the tabletop pulling it back to see her reflection in the table and dust covering her hand. She slaps her hands together to remove the dust as she hears a knock on the front door making her jump.

Shelly goes to the door pulling back the curtain to look out. She sees the two of the utility guys standing on the porch.

“Is this the residents of Shelly Richardson?” The electric guy asks her.

“It sure is? I am glad to see you guys. This place is a mess and I need the utilities to start getting her clean.” Shelly tells them.

“Well I will have it up and running for you A.S.A.P Ma’am.” He tells her.

“Great now all I need is for my things to get here so I can get started.” Shelly tells him.

“You waiting for a moving van?” The water guy asks her.

“Yes I am why do you ask.” Shelly says to him.

“Well I passed one in town. So it should be here soon.” He says as he walks down from the porch.

Shelly walks out onto the porch and looks out around the house thinking. “This is going to work I know it is I can feel it in my heart. Plus it feels good to finally be home.”



Dark Love Chapter 2