“Why in the world am I house sitting?” I muttered selfishly to myself as the grave crunched under my ocean blue flip-flops. “Because people look in the paper at the obituaries and call the house to make sure no one’s home and then they break-in while the family’s at the funeral home.” My mom’s explanation from the previous day raced through my scattered brain. I walked into the outdated musty house that mourned from the unexpected death of my great aunt, Kay. The remaining sorrowful people departed for the funeral home as I remained behind with the furry, black, yelping mutt to housesit.

The glorious smell of the cornucopia of food that flooded the kitchen and sitting room, gave me a warm feeling of comfort. After I straightened-up the kitchen, I dogged the empathy flowers in the hundreds that smelled of Easter time as I plopped down to watch television. I looked out at the sunny summer evening that covered the area to find the neighborhood deserted.

“Ring! Ring!” The ‘older than dirt’ phone startled me sending sound waves all over the house. The television’s gibbering voices were sent straight to the back of my mind as a lump arose in my throat. My hand trembled as I reached for the receiver. “Hello?” I spoke shyly. “Hi, is Steve there?” the man on the opposing end spoke in a pompous voice. I gripped the cream gadget harder preparing my answer “I’m sorry, he’s busy at the moment, can I take a message?” My voice cracked as I asked trying to stay cool and collected. “Is Carolyn there then?” the man retorted. “She’s busy right now.” I spoke with curtsies into the receiver much like my prior answer. “They’re both busy! Let me talk to someone!”, The man hissed as he began to get snippy at me. “I’m sorry they’re busy.” I got as touchy and snippy as a rattle snake about to attack. After bickering back and forth he said, “Who is this?” I answered swiftly and flawlessly with, “Ciara Coriell.” I soon kicked myself with my bright, pink painted toenails that glistened in the setting sun, for my response. After the creep yelled at me for a few seconds I slammed the now warm receiver down and went back to the colorful television set.

My mother’s vivid voice ran through my head like sirens from cop cars. A mysterious man called just like she had predicted they would and now they know I am a helpless teenage girl and here alone! I frantically raced dialing my sister’s cell phone number. After the annoying Bonanza theme-song ring tone rang in my ear, the answering machine picked up in a monotone voice. Who knew how much time I had in my isolated neighborhood. Think! Think! I demanded furiously at myself as I frantically itched my defenseless chest which tingled out of stress and desperation, as I continued rattling my brain for something of use. Then it hit me like a ton of bricks! 357-2130. I couldn’t dial fast enough, and my uncontrollable shaking didn‘t help. “Kyle!” I screeched in a girly voice. Relief whipped over me as I spoke to my sister’s short and crazy boyfriend who was accompanying and comforting my family at the moment. I briskly told him the story of the eventful evening. Then an uncontrollable fire burst from my chest, from the lack of oxygen I was inhaling, due to the excitement and adrenaline rush of all of the commotion. He assured me I was fine, but to call him if something else occurred and that he would arrive in a moment’s notice.

The taste of the satisfying sweets lingered in my watering mouth, teasing my craving tongue, as my pulse became normal again. After several moments passed, I once again found myself as cool as a cucumber. The television buzzed as it told the story of a high school drama surrounded by young foolish love, which was the only sound in the desolate house. The serene calmness of the house was disrupted by the squeaky weak “Ruff! Ruff!” of my companion for the evening. “Sammy, what’s wrong?” I asked, as I followed it with a murmuring under my minty fresh breath; “I must be losing my mind.” The 10 pound dog managed to heave itself 10 inches off of the snow white, cushiony carpet floor, but the yipping continued to rattle the house.

“Bang!” a mysterious, frightening sound rippled from the clean and tidy garage into the grief-struck house. My heart picked-up 10 paces and my throat became dry and ached like the cracking of desert land; I was for sure I was dying from heart failure. My bare feet touched the slippery, smooth, cold tile hallway as I tiptoed over to the dark brownie, colored-stained door. My trembling hand was extended outwards from me, making my fingertips graze the shiny gold doorknob when all of a sudden the doorknob jiggled from left to the right with quite a force being exerted. I was blind to the outside world by the windowless door, so I took what can be considered a leap of faith by the optimistic or a flash of insanity by the pessimistic. I gripped the phone, causing my green and blue veins to bulge from the intensity, as I
prepared to sprint savagely barefooted until I reached a secure hiding spot to call the number of the bare everyday heroes. Puffs of my warm breath tickled my face as I recited the securing never-ending prayer for times of need, The Hail Mary. I took my frightened free hand and twisted the tiny safety precaution. Ever so slightly, I opened the barrier before me and prepared for the worst circumstances as I restrained the K9 with my toned legs. I cautiously peeked my bulging, pine tree green eyes into the danger zone.

“Oh, Hi!” the chipper voice responded to my obviously unexpected presence. “I didn’t know you were here!” As I explained the circumstances to my great aunt that placed me there, leaving out the bizarre coincidence, the erratic thumping inside of me subsided. After minutes of mind-numbing, pointless conversation, my aunt departed and I sauntered over to the cream sofa to relax in peace from the tiresome evening. I pushed my strawberry blonde hair aside, with little effort, as I remembered the craving of the waiting food that still teased my mouth and stomach, before zoning out on a television program.

“Errr! Ruff! Ruff!”, the feminine yelping continued, but something was different this time. The dog glared at me with tiny satin-filled eyes surrounded by an ocean of black death. Taunting me with sudden deep hatred as I slowly tried not to draw attention to my silently rising body. The vicious creature continued to snarl at me and then my instincts took over, and against my better knowledge, my barefoot feet sent me springing to the sliding glass door and throwing myself out into the ending night. I sprinted like never before! I just kept running with the fear returning as I stared straight ahead to the upcoming colossal, silver- kiss colored silo that sparked in the moonlight, not chancing looking back at the fading sadistic house. Something bizarre was going on there and I did not intend to find out what.