The baker’s funeral. My father had to have his assistant speak, he had a hard time composing himself after losing such a wonderful, long time friend. There weren’t many people at the service, Bakir’s family was all gone, and other than my father, he had very few friends. Many of the towns people did not like outsiders, and Bakir was from a different place that no one here has ever heard of.

He used to tell me stories of his homeland, he made it sound so beautiful and warm. He said the sun was always shining, and there was always a comfortable warm breeze at night to cradle you to sleep. I’m not sure why he decided to move here, this place was almost always dark and wet. Only a few months of the year were sunny, and even then there were high winds and cold nights.

Bakir never spoke of why he left his home, and I never asked again after he teared up and couldn’t find the words to say. “It’s ok Bakir, you don’t have to say anything.” I told him. I could tell he had wanted to, but just wasn’t able to talk about it.

“He was the most genuine man I have ever met.” said my father. We sat on our front stairs to our house, the funeral just ending. “I know father, I’m so sorry that he’s gone.” I hesitated to ask this question but… “Why didn’t he come back? He was always reminding everyone to stay inside and warning newcomers about the dangers. He always came back well before the sun even started setting, being extra careful that he was home in time.”

”I don’t know son. But….” Father had a sad but disturbed look on his face.

“What father, was something wrong?” I asked concerned, my father was always so sure and confident, but at this moment he was clearly not.

“… The baker- uh, Bakir. He said something the other day, I didn’t think anything of it until now. He told me he had spoken to his wife and that she couldn’t wait to be with him. I brushed it off because he had just walked down from the chapel, so I assumed that he had been praying and telling his wife how much he missed her. He did that everyday he said since she passed. ”

“Wait, you mean He couldn’t wait to be with Her. Right?”

”No, son. That’s why I just thought it was odd. He said She spoke to Him. But the dead don’t just speak to us like that, they can’t. I think… maybe… there may be some darkness at play here.” My father jumped up quickly. “I need to close the chapel. Find your mother, tell her what I’m doing just in case I do not return soon.”

“Yes father.” I said, I knew he needed time to grieve alone.

Mama and I waited for quite some time for father to come home. Dinner had been ready and waiting for him, our plates already empty, mamma asked me to go get father before his food got any colder. The sun was starting to get low in the sky, just cresting the top of the trees, as I walked out the door.

The streets were bare, everyone was settling in for the night, only a few stragglers left. Kye seemed on edge, but I’m sure he could sense the sadness in the air. We made it to the chapel, I knew father would be near the alters. But to my surprise he was not, I called for him but there was no answer. So carefully and quietly I tiptoed towards the back supply room, ”Father?” I whisperd. Still no reply. Thoughts raced in my head of the worst possible outcomes, but I suppressed those thoughts quickly. There was no need to panic. Not yet anyway.

I heard a grumbling sound, and at first it scared me but then I realized that it was the familiar sound of father snoring. He had fallen asleep. I followed the low grumble, Kye in tow, and found father curled up on one of the church pews. Grasping on to what looked like a letter.

“Father… Father!” I shook his arm lightly and he awoke.

“Son! Oh my, what time is it? Your mother must be upset with me, have I missed dinner?” he said quickly.

“No father that’s why I’m here, your dinner is getting cold, mama wanted to make sure you ate.”

”Well then lets go son,” glancing out a small window, “before the sun sets.”

We walked out into the street and it was almost too dark for comfort.

”We must hurry, I don’t want to be out this late. Your mother is waiting.”

Stepping briskly we made our way down the cobblestone street. But as we passed the Bakers shop we heard what sounded like Bakir’s voice calling my fathers name. Fathers pace quickened but he didn’t say a word. Kye made a growl in the direction of the voice, his hair stood up slightly. I could see home, a candle lit in the window was a welcoming sight. But just as soon as that feeling came, it vanished. There was the voice again, but louder, more aggressive. “Jasper?! Jasper! Hello? Let me in!”

”Bakir?” father said, his voice faltered. He froze, staring at the front gates. Slowly father walked toward the gates. Kye let out a piercing bark, but father didn’t even flinch. Mother opened the door, ”Jasper, what are you doing??”

“Bakir, is that really you?” Father asked

“Jasper!? Come open this gate, I need in, my wife…”

Father seemed to snap out of his weird trance when he realized what the voice had said. Bakir’s wife had been gone since before he came to this place. Father took a step back, ”Get in the house,” he said to me, “Now.” In a panic he ran back towards the house as mama grabbed me and took me inside. Kye didn’t move. He stood guard until father was in the door. He let out an ethereal howl, I could feel it in my bones, in my soul. It rattled the walls with an almost soothing vibration. I heard an unnatural groan from the creature outside the gate. And then it was gone. A sense of relief hugged me, and Kye came back in the house, but he looked exhausted.

 Nuzzling each of us, Kye checked to make sure we were all present and safe before laying in front of the door. We were present, but things definitely didn’t feel safe. Goosebumps riddled my skin, all hair felt as if there was static in the room.

“What was that?…” I asked quietly, the room was stagnant with silence.

Fathers blank expression, he looked at me with teary eyes, “I don’t know Finn…”

“Jasper, I don’t understand, what’s going on??” Mothers voice was panicked, but father couldn’t find the words.

“Mama, something out there, was talking to father. It sounded like Bakir… it was just outside the gate, but… we also heard it by his house. Whatever it was, wanted father to let it in, said something about his wife.”

“His wife?” Mamas tone seems confused.

“Bakir told me that his wife was taken by bandits about eleven summers ago. But never could say more than that.”

“That’s right,” father said, his voice a somber tone, “he tracked the bandits that took her. When he finally caught up to them…” father trailed off, “the sands swallowed them, Bakir wasn’t fast enough to get his wife out, the sand almost swallowed him too. He always said he wished that it had so that he could still be with her.”

Silence grabbed the room again, Kye letting out a sigh as if he understood, and laid his he’d down on the wooden doorstep.

“Father?”

“Yes, Finn?” Fathers eyes staring emptily at the stone floor.

“You said earlier, that, Bakir heard his wife speak to him, that she couldn’t wait to be with him… do you think the voice outside the gate did that?”

Father looked up at me slowly, the thought processing in his mind.

“Son, I think you might just be right.”

Mamas voice sounded like silk, even when in distress, her Grantin ancestry was the reason for that, “But…why? What could it be? What could it want? None of this makes any sense……Jasper?”