Pretty much everyone enjoys the classic fairy tale about the Three Little Pigs and how they outsmart the Big Bad Wolf. But what happens when a treasured tale becomes a horrible headache?
Jade, a peace-seeking schoolteacher has just moved into a see...
A/N: an audio version is on YouTube which has sound/music and is performed by a talented voice actor/narrator.
Recently upon a time, in a serene, scenic setting, a car drove up to a house that was just purchased. The driver was a schoolteacher. And after the demanding days with two dozen, elementary students, the thirty-something woman decided to leave her cramped apartment for the quaint, ranch home for space and tranquility.
Standing along the house's property and elated about her arrival, was a real estate agent, ready to hand his client the keys to her new home.
"Here's your new dream house, Ms. Jade! It's already nicely furnished, so you're good to go!" declared the overly cheerful realtor.
"Thank you," Jade responded in her assured, yet soft-spoken voice, putting the accepted keys into her jeans pocket.
Jade marveled at the countryside scenery around her and smiled happily. "It's wonderful here! And everything sounds so peaceful."
The proud man nodded while tugging the top of his bright blue blazer. "Yes, it's the perfect, private community for a little R and R! You'll have peace and quiet all day!"
Jade pondered for a moment. "It's great that I don't need to buy any furniture, but do you know why the previous homeowners left everything?"
The perky real estate agent continued to display a wide and pearly grin.
"They probably were just in a hurry to go somewhere. Well, too late for them! You've already PAID, Ms. JADE"
The woman shook her head at the corny rhyme before retrieving one of the packing boxes from her convertible. With the parcel in her arms, Jade looked to the right side of her large home at the small house next to hers. Oddly enough that the little cape appeared to be made almost entirely out of red bricks and mortar, including the rooftop, but it also seemed to never be occupied.
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"That's strange," she commented, "I have been here at least several times and I still haven't met my neighbors. Are they ever home?"
Awaiting an answer, Jade turned her view back towards the realtor... just in time to see him already hurrying into his car, which was just as big and polished as the man's teeth and poofy hairpiece.
"Only in the evening," he replied, still smiling wide as he quickly shut the car door. "So you won't hear a peep all day!"
"But, I arrive home... late afternoon. So how are the neighbors-?"
"Congratulations, Ms. Jade!"
The shiny sedan sped off.
"...at night?"
After blinking in brief bewilderment at the realtor's superb imitation of a race car driver, the woman shrugged to herself and began setting up in her new, quiet abode.
***
That evening, Jade enjoyed a drink of warm, soothing, chamomile tea, returned the empty cup to its plate on her bureau, and settled in bed for the night.
Under the soft, ginger-colored blanket, she welcomed the lulling, melodious chirps of crickets emitting through the bedroom's open window, while viewing the night sky's stars glimmering in sync with the flickering fireflies.
Smiling, the relaxed woman admired the pleasant, earth-tone decorated bedroom. '
This is such a beautifully furnished house. I wonder why it was so inexpensive?' she thought with a yawn.
And within a few minutes, her light green eyes closed contentedly.
During the night, Jade had partly awoken, for she heard banging and excited voices coming from outside. She knew the loud sounds were given off from the small and somewhat unkempt brick house, as it was the only home that was close to her new rancher. Then she heard another voice. They all sounded the same, but all were very annoying.
The woman opened her eyes and was now fully awake. '
Well, it sounds like my neighbors are finally home...'
Being an inquisitive person, Jade got out of bed and peered out her window; her eyes squinting through the darkness. Someone opened the door of the brick house, and two short figures rushed in. Its porch light was lit up, however, everyone was already inside. They were still loud, even in the red dwelling, so Jade closed the window and went back to bed.
With the windowpane closed, the voices were now muffled, so the woman couldn't clarify the conversation, but she rather not care and try to go to sleep. Suddenly, an even brasher and much deeper voice went on calling to the beings inside the house. The voices argued a bit and fell silent.
Jade sighed with relief and shut her eyes. But then, she heard what sounded like a strong wind, gusting over and over by the neighboring house.
"Great, is that a storm coming?" she groaned.
The woman noticed that no raindrops were hitting the window glass. Plus, the local trees were not affected by the sudden storm... Not a single leaf or branch was moving.
Being too tired to contemplate the bizarre weather, Jade finally fell back to sleep, only to be abruptly snapped awake by a loud howl and... something slamming onto her house's roof!
Startled, the muzzy woman sprung up in bed.
"Ah! What?! Who just ran over a dog?!"
At that point, she heard something roll and drop, followed by yipping that faded off. The first, three voices started cheering. After a few breaths for composure, Jade pushed back her ruffled, sandy-brown hair from her face, and slumped into the mattress again.
When the voices became quiet, her eyelids slowly closed once more. But just before she resumed sleeping, music began blaring from the brick house. Jade waited for an hour, and yet the same song kept replaying as the celebrating continued.
She attempted to block out the ruckus with earplugs...
It didn't work.
She tried headphones...
That didn't work, either.
Then, she tried earplugs with headphones.
...Again, no such luck.
"Ugh... It's like trying to ignore a thunderstorm during a rock concert with fire truck sirens as the lead singers," grumbled Jade while rubbing her doubled earache with both hands.
Restless, she gave up and headed into the kitchen. The woman trudged towards her cupboard to prepare another cup of herbal tea. Blinking tiredly, she stood in front of the opened cabinet, observing the cups and plates rattle from the music's pounding beats and the neighbors' off-key singing (if one could even justify it as singing).
"Oy... So much for 'a little R and R'..."
And with a heaving sigh, the longing-for-peace schoolteacher pulled out a massive mug from the vibrating cupboard... For a tiny teacup was far from being enough to soothe her frazzled nerves, this erratic evening.
