I thought some of you might enjoy the change of pace from the JAFF Regency Romance I've been writing lately. If not, well, there's more JAFF coming.
The Korne Field
by Diana Oaks
The tires on the ancient Ford Falcon crunched the gravel as
they passed the sign that read “Danny’s Korne Maize.”
“That’s lame.” Yvonne giggled from the back seat. “They spelled corn wrong.”
“Shut up.” Isabelle glanced over her shoulder. “It’s their name, idiot. Isn’t that right, Bradley?”
Bradley Korne smiled.
“Uncle Danny thinks it’s funny.
He likes the puns, ya know? Maize
for maze was his idea too. Just tell him
you think it’s corny and he’ll love you forever.”
“It is corny,” Yvonne rolled her eyes and turned to look out the
window at the golden stalks that lined the road.
“Corny is his specialty.
He’ll probably make some crack about seeing double when he spots you
two. Just laugh.” Bradley laughed and swung the car under the
shade of a lone tree in the parking area.
“That cornfield is his pride and joy, and his maze is a goodun too. It’s gonna be fun.”
They approached the entrance, which was marked by some
stacked bales of hay and pumpkins. Isabelle hung onto Bradley’s arm possessively
as they stepped across the threshold.
“I dunno about this.” Yvonne peered into the labyrinth of
corn plants as she instinctively grabbed his free arm. “It’s kinda creepy.”
“Nah,” He flexed slightly.
“It’s just a corn maze. I’ve been
through it a thousand times.”
“Yikes!” Yvonne jumped and squealed, clinging tighter to his
arm while her feet danced in place.
“That was a snake!”
“Crap Vonn, grow up whydoncha. It was just a garter
snake.”
“Turn left,” Bradley instructed. “I said left!” He repeated when Isabelle
veered to the right.
“Keep your eyes
open girls. I lost my dad’s ring out
here last year. It would be freaking
awesome if we found it.”
“You should get one of those metal detectors.” Yvonne suggested. “I think my dad has one you could borrow.”
“Get a clue, Vonny,”
Isabelle snorted a little. “They plow these fields under before they
plant ‘em. Ain’t no way some silly ring’s
gonna turn up like magic. It’s
gone.” She looked sympathetically at Bradley
and squeezed his arm. “Sorry.”
They pressed deeper into the maze, their conversation
continuing much the same. Yvonne
released her hold on Bradley’s arm, and she fell back, watching silently as her
twin flirted and teased the tall, athletic farm-boy who’d brought them here. He looked over his shoulder once, to make
sure she was still there, and smiled and winked at her as though he could read
her jealous thoughts.
She allowed the distance to grow, daydreaming in the warmth
of the October sun, grateful that they had not come at night. Then she realized that Isabelle and Bradley
were gone. She listened for their
voices, but only heard the sound of rustling around her. In a panic, she started to run, calling their
names, turning blindly down corridors of cornstalks in a desperate attempt to
find her way. She was forced to stop
abruptly when she turned a corner and faced a dead-end. She spun and fell, a board in the ground
shaking beneath her in a puff of dust when she landed.
Brushing some dirt aside, she found an old, hinged, plywood
door. A handle formed of a metal ring
was centered along the edge, and hesitantly, Yvonne lifted it, shifting her
weight to gain leverage until the door crashed open. Stairs led downward, and with a hesitant look
over her shoulder, she descended into the dank, dark room beneath the corn
maze, battling a cobweb and flinging the spider who lived in it from off her
arm.
A lone beam of sunlight pierced the room from the hatch,
providing enough illumination for her to see that the walls were lined with thick
shelves laden down with mason jars, all of which contained a clear liquid.
“Yikes!” She whispered in astonishment, and with a shiver,
turned to go back up the stairs. In her haste, she stumbled, and as she caught
herself, her fingers wrapped around a tiny artifact embedded in the dirt on the
step. She groped for the cold, hard
thing, and found herself in possession of a man’s gold ring, which quickly
found its way to her pocket.
Thirty minutes later, she emerged from the maze to find Isabelle
and Bradley waiting by the car with mutually reddened lips.
“Where you been?” Isabelle demanded.
“I’ve been to the dark side of the cornfield,” she grinned at Bradley as she fished in her pocket, “where the moon shines.
I found this.” She handed him the ring. “And I think I understand now, why your
uncle loves his corn.”
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