Gatekeepers by Robert Liparulo

“It’s one thing for me to fly you across the country because you think the folks in this house are in danger. It’s something completely different to attack police officers. I’m just saying, you better know what you’re doing.”
    â€œOh, pooh,” Jesse said from behind the bushes. “Wasn’t us who scared them away. It was the house, this place. We just helped it out a bit. Now, don’t just stand there. I got a stick jabbing me in the back.”
    Keal made his way around the foliage. The shadows here were even darker than the rest of the woods. He couldn’t make out anything.
    Jesse wheezed in a breath, and Keal moved faster. He was supposed to take care of the old guy. Didn’t matter if it were back at Mother of Mercy Nursing Home or here, Jesse was his responsibility.
    He said, “You okay?”
    â€œNothing I’m not used to,” Jesse said. “These old lungs don’t work the way they did once.” His laugh sounded like sobs. “Nothing does. Owww! You stepped on me.”
    â€œSorry,” Keal said. “Can’t see.”
    He knelt down, running his hands over Jesse’s scrawny body. He cupped his hand under Jesse’s head. When he lifted it up, a stray beam of moonlight caught the old guy’s face. He was smiling.
    â€œNow, that was fun,” Jesse said.
    â€œI wasn’t laughing, man,” Keal said. “That cop pointed his gun at me. I was sure I was a goner. And he was heading right for you.”
    Jesse growled.
    Even watching the old man make the sound, it put goose bumps on Keal’s arms and the back of his neck. “That’s just freaky,” he said.
    â€œIt worked,” Jesse said. “Did you see that guy hightail it for his car?”
    â€œI’ll give you that one. You all right?”
    â€œJust tired,” Jesse said. “Not used to being up so long. I feel like . . .” His lids drooped. “Like I could just . . .” His eyes closed, his mouth fell open, and he snorted in some air.
    â€œYeah, funny . . .” Keal leaned closer. “Jesse?”
    Jesse’s eyes sprang open. He smiled. “I ain’t that tired . . . or old. You going to get me off this cold ground or what?”
    Keal got his arms under Jesse and lifted him. It was like picking up a scarecrow, the man was so light.
    Jesse said, “I gotta admit, I wasn’t expecting the gun.”
    â€œThey’re cops, Jesse. What did you expect?”
    He felt the old man shrug.
    Jesse said, “Smooth move, putting out the light, my friend. And with only two throws. You missed your calling. You should have been a pitcher.”
    It was Keal’s turn to shrug. “Spent some time in the minors. I’ll tell you about it someday.” He crunched over the ground cover, carrying Jesse toward the front of the house. He stopped.
    In the distance, mist was billowing up between the trees, glowing in the moonlight. In front of the slowly stirring cloud stood a man, silhouetted against the mist. His shoulders rose and fell as though he were breathing heavily.
    â€œJesse?” Keal whispered.
    Jesse caught his stare and followed it. He let out a deep sigh.
    â€œWho is it?” Keal said quietly.
    â€œOne of them ,” the old man said. “I knew it had started again.”
    â€œ What started, and who . . . ?” Before Jesse could answer, Keal called out, “Hey! What do you want?”
    The dark figure backed into the mist and disappeared.
    Keal waited, but the man did not reappear. He heard no sounds from the woods besides the wind and an occasional squeak from the weather vane.
    â€œA watcher,” Jesse said.
    â€œWatcher? What’s he watching?”
    â€œUs. The house. Everything that happens here.”
    Keal didn’t move.
    Jesse said, “Never mind him, Keal. If he was going to do anything, he’d have done it. He’s only someone else’s