He couldn't say if it were apples or pears growing on the trees, he didn't take time to check either. The rows were lain in the other direction here and crossing through them was a lot harder here. He almost had to go flat on the ground to get through, with a lot of noise. He only passed two this way before stopping. As he got up from the second row, he felt something stuck between his bulletproof vest and his shirt. Pears it is. Still very small.
He stopped to catch his breath and listen around him. He took a bite from the pear. Still a bit too early but he ate it all the same. He could already use the sugars. When nothing came after a few breaths, he creeped closer to the barn so he could see more.
There weren't any lights in the vicinity, neither at the barn nor in the house. Darkness had grown thick enough to hide almost anything around him. The moon was only a tiny stripe in the open sky but too weak to light up anything but itself.
At the edge of the orchard, he stopped and sat down again to peek around. The house's first floor doesn't show any lights but there could be someone there. I wouldn't be able to see that from here— Wait, what's that? Is the the chimney or is there someone on the roof? The figure wasn't lighted but it stood out against the night sky. Derrek pinched his eye, but his suspicions were confirmed when it started moving around. It came a bit higher before disappearing beyond the roof's edge. Why the hell is someone walking around that roof at night? That drop will break you like an egg.
Derrek sat staring at the rooftop when, from the corner of his left eye, he spotted someone leaving the cornfield. White dress. Damn, she could have spotted me. He took a step back, making sure the pears were between him and the dress. The girl didn't stop, she went straight for the open barn door. The white dress made it easy to follow, even in the dark.
Another scream. The girl stopped, even jumped just a tiny bit, she glanced toward the house before continuing toward the barn. Ok, so it wasn't her. That means, there could still be someone in danger. I need to get some information quickly. This could be an opportunity. His followed the girl entering the barn. He came a bit forward but stopped immediately as he saw the figure on the roof had returned. Holy shit, I missed that one returning. Don't think he saw me,

Holy shit, I missed that one returning. Don't think he saw me, should just wait him out. Derrek sat waiting for a few more seconds and saw the figure disappear again. With flashlight ready in his left, rubber gun in his right hand, he started off in a hurried pace toward the barn door. His eyes flicked from the house's roof, to its first floor, to the barn door, to the roof, first floor, barn door, roof, first floor,… until he arrived at the barn door.
It was full open, swinging inside. Beyond the opening was full darkness, someone could have stood just beyond the opening and he wouldn't spot them, even white dress. That's real dark. Gonna have to use my flashlight once inside. He was thinking it through, but as he saw a shape starting to break from the horizontal line of the roof's edge, he moved inside.

NEW CHAPTER - THE BARN

Can't see anything, better take away that advantage from white dress too. He got behind the door, swinging his flashlight arm —without igniting the light— to catch anyone there, before he closed the door behind him. At least it didn't creak to a close, it was smooth slow swing. He didn't pull it to a full close, that'd be too loud. All right, now what? If she's here somewhere, she's seen you without a doubt. No use in being subtle.
He ignited his flashlight, whirled it around and scanned his surroundings for a white patch. He released his breath as he didn't find one and took another slower tour.
The barn stopped on a few meters to his right, as he spotted from outside already. Behind the door, in the corner, were some buckets and a crate. Stacked to the back were hay bales on its sides. He couldn't see the opposite corner yet.
Left from the door were some tools — pitchforks and shovels — stacked to a wooden barrier, an opening and another similar barrier with a ladder going up. The barrier closed off pens where livestock could have been, horses or cows.
Above the pens was an extra level, where Derrek stood it was open above him.
Where is she hiding? I can't hear anything. The corner there is empty too, would have been a great spot behind the hay bales. Up the ladder also valid option, better check it first.
He moved toward the rungs when he heard a giggle come from the deeper in the pens. The hairs on his arms raised. Ah man, that's just nope. Big nope.
He took the first rung and shone his flashlight deeper into the pens. The ones to his right all seemed empty, left

He holstered his rubber gun, took the first rung and shone his flashlight deeper into the pens. The ones to his right —he counted five— all seemed empty, left all except the fourth. He couldn't see exactly what, but his light illuminated a lot of flies. Oh please no. Don't let there be a body. He got off the rung, his hand dropped to his rubber gun but it automatically went further to his service weapon. As he moved into the hallway separating the pens, he unbuttoned the holster. His focus was full on the swarm of flies. He passed the first row of pens and double checked each of them. Both empty.
He almost screamed as the door he entered by, clicked shut. In turning, he drew his weapon but there was nothing there aside from a closed door. His heart was in his throat, he tried to swallow the stress away. Was that the wind? Was she hidden back there?
First, it wasn't the wind, as he could hear metal chains clinking against the door. Great, locked in.
Second, it wasn't her either; the giggle returned, straight behind him from somewhere in the empty pens. Even better, locked in with a giggling girl and a body. What's next? He turned back toward the pens. He got on tiptoes and tried shining into the pens to his right, the giggle pens, but couldn't see more. He tried controlling his breathing but it kept speeding up along with his heart.
He holstered his service weapon. Calm down, Derrek, or you'll be shooting the place up. You brought he rubbers for a reason. He drew the rubber gun and took slow steps deeper down the hall.
Second pen: left was clear except for some straw, right had some barrels. He started smelling something rotten.
Third pen: right had some wood stacked, left was clear. The buzzing from the flies was loud here, he shone up and saw a whole lot of them flying about. They were feasting on something, the smell was getting worse. It didn't feel amiss in the environment but it made his stomach turn nonetheless.
Another giggle, Derrek turned in a hurry but saw nothing. Or there's something in that last pen to the right or it could be coming through a hole somewhere. But better check out four to the left here first. Here goes nothing.
Fourth pen: he just passed over right in a hurry, not seeing anything white he shone into the left pen. On the ground was something. He saw a shirt before turning away, swallowing. God damn, I'm gonna barf. He looked away for a few seconds. He had never seen a body before, the smell was worst. He expected bad meat but this felt different. He recognized it which made it even weirder. This smells like that time I forgot a crate of mandarins in my garage. It goes deep but I expected a body not to smell like rotten fruit.
He returned