That Boy Next Door

Chapter 5

It was late afternoon by the time Mr. and Mrs. Hale came home and the three sisters had already prepared dinner.  Dinner was Dannie's favorite part of the day.  She got to eat all she wanted and the people that surrounded her made her feel safe.  

"Quinn, I have good news dear!" their father announced.  

"I'm listening," Quinn replied as she ate another spoonful of mashed potatoes.

"Well, I've found a job offer that should be good for you!" he said excitedly.  Quinn quirked an eyebrow.  Dannie smiled knowingly.  She knew that her older sister needed some extra cash before going off to college.  But for some reason, Quinn never wanted to go job hunting, or even get a job.

"Dad," Quinn whined, "you know how I feel about getting a job."

"Well this is a good opportunity for you.  The job is as a waitress," their father stated.  "It'll also be good for you to get out more and socialize," he added under his breath.

"A waitress!" Quinn cried.  

"I thought you had good news for her," Dannie said questioningly.

"Well the good news is that the job pays well," her father said sheepishly.

Their mother smiled and patted Quinn's back soothingly. "It'll be fine honey.  You know there's not too many people in this town.  You'll be fine."

Quinn nodded uncertainly.  It was plain that she didn't want to take the job but she was such a good girl that it was ingrained in her to obey every word their parents uttered.  

The rest of dinner was finished in peace, with only a few words uttered here and there.  When finished, Dannie put her plate away and headed up to her room.  It had been a long day and all she wanted to do was sleep for the next decade, give or take a few years.

As she counted sheep in her head, she drifted off to sleep rather peacefully.

A scrapping sound woke Dannie up and she blinked one eye open.  It was still dark outside and the clock on her wall told her it was only a little past midnight.  Sighing, she put her head back on the pillow only to hear the scraping sound again. 

Perplexed, she looked toward her window.  The sound rang in her ears again and she drew the covers up to her chin and looked at the window, waiting to see what would happen.  After a few seconds, the wind blew and Dannie let out a sigh of relief.  It must have only been the wind, scraping the oak tree that stood outside her window against the glass.  

Suddenly, a face appeared against her window and Dannie let out a blood curdling scream.  She ducked under her covers as adrenaline pumped through her veins and her heart pumped on overdrive.  Her whole body shook and she couldn't help but to think that maybe she should get out of her room.  But her legs wouldn't let her, they were paralyzed in fear.  

She listened for any sign of the scraping sound.  Fear seeped into her veins as she heard light chuckles outside her window.  No doubt the murderer was insane and probably taking joy in her fright.

"Quinn!" Dannie screamed at the top of her lungs.  She waited underneath the covers of her bed, refusing to move a muscle until she heard the door open.

"Dannie?" Quinn mumbled sleepily from the doorway.

"There's somebody outside my window," Dannie whispered, her heart still pounding loudly in her chest.  Quinn gave her a confused look as she moved toward the window.  "Don't go near it!  They'll kill you!" 

Quinn peered outside the window before leaping back several feet and landing with a thud on the floor.  Dannie clutched her blankets closer as she stared wide-eyed at the window, ready for the glass to shatter.  Her hand itched toward the lamp on her nightstand.  It was made out of iron and could probably knock an adult unconscious if swung hard enough.