Curiosity killed the cat [ON HOLD]

Chapter 1

*~~~~~15 months ago~~~~~*

It was just a normal Saturday afternoon. I was relaxing on the porch with a nice ice cold beer. While I was waiting for the guys to come over for the big game, I was looking over at my new neighbours’ house. He moved in a few weeks ago but doesn’t talk much to the rest of the neighbourhood, which is unlikely for us.

We are a really close neighbourhood.  Not by choice may I add.  It is a rather curious neighbourhood that I live in. And neighbours make it their mission to know everything that goes on, that don’t concern them in the least.

Just as I was about to get a new beer, one of my buddies was on his way towards me.

“Hey Stevie, are you ready for the big game this fine afternoon?” Jared asked me when he got on the porch where I was still sitting.

“Of course I am! This game will be a piece of cake for us. It is Australia that is our opponents after all.” I said as I got up to give Jared a man hug.

After a few of catching up with Jared, the rest of the crew joined us on my porch. More ‘Hays’ and man hugs went around before we went inside my house.

“So what happened to that girl from the other night?” Brendon asked me as he sat down on my large couch that is perfectly situated in front of the TV. Brendon was my life-long friend and always wanted me to date the girls he doesn’t want.

“It was fine, I guess. But as usual the dates you set up for me doesn’t work out.” I answered him while I was placing beers in front of the six men that were sprawled out all over my living room.

“Bummer man. I thought that you two will really hit it off. You looked really relaxed and happy and really into each other that night.” Ryan said as he switched on the TV. He is a big fan of Rugby and never misses a game. Even if it means that I have to give up my Fridays and Saturdays so that he can have his Rugby glory moments. He never watches it at his house because he claims that my television is bigger than his. Personally I think it’s just because my TV works and his don’t.

As the game begins I started to wonder about Julian, and if he wants to join us for the Rugby. He is still fairly new and although the neighbourhood is curious buggers, it still won’t hurt just to invite the poor guy over. Right?

After the first match we started a fire on the barbeque while chatting with another round of beers.

“That tackle must’ve done some damage to Roderick’s leg. If not, I will be happy to do it for the team. It will only be fair for getting Strauss a red card.” Brian said with an enthusiastic smile while the others laughed like there were no tomorrow.

“I will definitely.... help you?” Gregory meant that as a normal statement but the loud hammering sound that came from the woods may have been a reason for his weird sentence.

“What the HELL was that?!?!” Leonard asked in a squeaky little voice. If it weren’t for the awkwardness of the sounds Jared would’ve cracked up a nasty joke about Leonard’s scared ass. But even now Jared look more scared than the rest of us.

“Guys relax! I think some development company will be doing something in the woods. Like a nature spa of some sorts.” I said trying to reassure the guys. But mostly I tried reassuring myself.

The banging noises had been heard for days. The noises usually came at night. The nearby houses were used to the noises but not the rest of the little valley. Like these six losers in front of me.

“Are you sure, man? You know it could also be some crazy ass lunatic that is planning the deaths of the whole neighbourhood.” Leonard said with a shaky voice and big round eyes. The guys were really scared. I never as in never thought that I will see one of them as scared as they were now. And yet here we are.

“Come on guys. There is no killer out there.” I tried once again to talk some sense in to them and myself. “The people of our neighbourhood aren’t wicked people. We love one another, even when we fight with each other. Nobody will hurt the people of Sandton – valley and you know that. Now come on, why don’t we get the meat before the fire dies completely” I said to the still quiet men with eyes as big as saucers.

As time went by the guys got more relaxed and a little drunk. And by the time midnight came by everyone left after a great barbeque, Rugby and beers. Not one of the guys said another word about the strange noises and for that I was truly grateful. 

For a long time I have had my own suspicions about the strange banging noises that has been coming from the woods. But it wasn’t just in the woods. The noises came from directly behind my house. As if to send me the message that the banging noises was meant for me. So that I can hear the noise, to know that something is coming for me or my town, I will never know. But I truly hope that it was just a nature spa of some sort and not a killer that is coming our way....