Excerpt: The Five

My father chuckled a bit. Then he asked, “And how many were there? Of these lights? Were there two of them?”
“Yes,” I answered, though I was a bit annoyed. He wasn’t taking me seriously.
He chuckled again. Then continued, “So, these two lights, they were small circles that came right at you? Did they follow you back here?”
“For a little bit, then I didn’t see them again,” I said a bit testily. I was scared and he wasn’t taking me seriously. I know now, and knew even then, that I should have just been happy that he was talking to me and smiling again. Unfortunately I felt annoyed, and I have never found a winning argument against feelings.
“Hmm. Well, son, did you happen to think that they might be eyes?”
“Yes, sir, of course I did. That’s what scared me.”
“Spoken as wisely as I ever could have. What did you think the eyes were attached to, then?”
“I didn’t know, that’s what scared me. They didn’t look like any eyes I had ever seen before. Not that color. Not that red color. It wasn’t natural. It was scary.”
“So, then, you were afraid of what you didn’t know. You were afraid of something new?”
“Yes, sir. I suppose so.”
“It seems then, that you have joined the world. You, at least, have the courage to admit that when you afraid and why. I’m proud of you.”
“I don’t understand, sir.”
“I know son, but grab a stool from the van. Let’s get a warm fire going and I will try to explain what I mean.”