I was running down a lone street, the wind rustling behind me. There wasn’t a single soul in the vicinity and the silence gave off an eerie feeling. I was already scared out of my mind and the surroundings didn’t help to ease that fact.

I kept my eyes fixed on my destination. A huge mansion standing in its full glory above a low steeping lane. The full moon and the twinkling stars illuminated the mansion, as if though they were telling me ‘it’s right here’. I didn’t need any more encouragement seeing as the sight of the mansion itself urged me to move even faster.

A few thousand steps and a countless number of quick heartbeats was all that it took me to reach there. Sweat pouring and heart pounding, I grabbed and held on to the strong iron bars of the gate to catch my breath. I didn’t realize that the gate was unlocked until I pressed my weight against it and was sent hurling inside.

Saved! I had finally reached the confines of my home. I picked myself and brushed away the specks of dirt and dust which was here and there, all over my shirt and hands. It was only when I stood up and took a short breather that I realized something wrong. Lying on a side of the garden that belonged to the mansion was a green sedan, which was not supposed to be there.

An uneasy feeling crept up my spine and I made a dash towards the door. I grabbed the huge ancient handles and took a deep breath. The usually familiar lion shaped handles, now warned me of the awaiting horror. Just when the door opened a loud noise rang throughout the mansion. The sound was from the giant clock which was indicating that it was midnight.

For a moment I froze, as the sound took me unawares. I calmed down my breathing and looked into the hallway which was pitch black. It was so dark that you could walk over a chair without realizing it was a chair. Except that it was not going to happen as this was my own home.

Step by step, I moved forward slowly and quietly, careful not to make a noise. But as I approached the end of the hallway a muffled groan managed to slip through the hands that were holding my voice back. There was a faint glow from the living room and sudden dreads popped up into my head. I quickened my pace and made it to the living room. The moment I saw what was there, I gasped, and braced myself for the attack that was about to come.

“WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?” An ear-splitting female voice boomed throughout the room. I was right in thinking of my bracing myself, by covering my ears, because the loudness of her voice could have shattered any glass nearby. Fortunately there were no vulnerable objects near us.

“Mom, that might have been your new personal record!” I told her commenting on her scream. Okay! Maybe that wasn’t an attack or an attacker that you might expect for that matter. But if you knew her, rather if you actually heard her, she would be more dangerous than a goblin with a club or a homicidal maniac with a gun. As if to prove my point she screamed once more, causing my eardrums to throb in pain.

“ANSWER MY QUESTION?” I was pretty sure that my ears would be deaf by time she was through with me, but that was if I managed to stay alive without dying through her conversation. Anyone would probably wonder what I did, to make her this made. I for one didn’t understand why breaking your bed time curfew to hang out at party that your mom specifically forbade, was worth getting your ears drums split in half. Was it the fact that I managed to sneak out when she was away for her meeting or the fact that I broke my promise to her that made her this mad?

“Um. Aren’t you back a bit early”, I pointed out. Her car had almost had given me a heart-attack when I saw it outside. I hadn’t expected her to be home before 1:00 am.

“ARE YOU LISTENING TO ME?” She screamed out a third time. I was listening to her but now I was not so sure that I would be able to keep listening any further. I had avoided the question, for which she already has the answer, deliberately. A direct answer would have only helped to increase her anger.

“You went to Jack’s party didn’t you”, she said. Silently I nodded and sighed in relief. Bless her conscience to even consider lowering her voice. God only knows how many times I prayed for that. But there wasn’t much to expect from her conscience.

“GO TO YOUR ROOM MISTER, AND YOU ARE GROUNDED FOR THE WHOLE MONTH”. I could have sworn that the whole floor beneath me shook as I ran for cover, out of her voice’s reach and into my room. I hurried to get a shut-eye wondering whether the party was worth the punishment I received. Oh, well!