Whispers on the Coral Row

Day One: Home

I gasped, relief flooding through me as Andrea came into view. She burst into laughter at my astonished face.

"What brings you here?" I asked, my heart pounding so loudly I feared they could hear it. With her were two other guys, whom she promptly introduced.

"This is Anne, and this is Beck and Mike," she said, motioning toward them. Beck, tall and lean with curly brown hair, and Mike, handsome with a muscular build and a neatly groomed beard, stood beside her.

"We're hitting the club tonight since it's the weekend. Would you like to join us?" Mike asked politely.

"I'd love to, but I've got plans with my family. Sorry about that. Thanks for the invite, though." They bid goodbye and hopped into their car, which rolled away just as my phone began to ring. Glancing at the screen, I saw it was Mom calling.

"Hey, almost home!" I answered quickly. Yet, a lingering sense of unease nagged at me. *Am I being watched? Or am I just imagining things?* I shook off the feeling, attributing it to the unfamiliar surroundings.

"Where have you been?" Mom asked in a concerning tone when I arrived home. "Why haven't you called me?"

"Just wanted to wander around a bit, didn't want to pester you," I replied, flashing a sheepish grin. She returned a smile before continuing with her tasks.

Our two-story home has a living room, kitchen, basement, two bedrooms downstairs, two bedrooms upstairs, and an attic. The attic was off-limits for now, as per the previous owner's request to leave his belongings untouched.

With a busy weekend ahead of us, I eagerly dove into unpacking and arranging our new home while Josh and Tim were out grocery shopping.

As my family settled into our new space, I couldn't help but feel excited for all the adventures that awaited us in this new neighborhood.

As I moved my stuff to my room upstairs, rain pounded against the windows. I'd picked one of the upstairs bedrooms, leaving the other to Tim.

The worry crept in when my brothers hadn't come home yet. Mom asked me to call them, but they didn't pick up. I could see the concern in her eyes, matching the storm raging outside. In this strange new place, fear clutched at us. We didn't know a soul or even where to turn. *Were they lost, or just hiding from the storm?*

Mom's worry urged me on. I dashed to my room, searching for my umbrella amid the mess. Suddenly, a loud 'thud' startled me, making me drop a lamp in fright. Mom's voice called from downstairs, where my brothers' chatter could be heard.

Before joining them, I paused. Something wasn't right. I crept back to my room, but found nothing amiss. Must have been the storm, I thought, and joined my family below, leaving the mystery behind.

We all sat around the dining table for dinner. Tim animatedly recounted the trials of their 'journey back home,' while we exchanged a knowing glance, sharing a smile.

As conversation flowed, we chatted about our day, indulging in light-hearted banter.

"Have you made any friends at your new school, Anne?" Mom inquired.

"Uh, sort of..." I responded. "Well, bring them over sometime. Let us get to know them," She suggested warmly.

"Sure thing. Once our house starts looking more like a house, that is," I joked. We all laughed before heading to our rooms for the night.

Upstairs, Tim and I made our way as the clock struck nine. I ushered him into his room, tucking him in tight, just the way he liked it. With the soft glow of the lamp casting shadows, I left him to rest. After bidding him goodnight, I tidied up my own room a bit. When I was done it was almost midnight.

Before turning in, I opened the window to let in the cool breeze, carrying the scent of wet earth. As I settled into bed and was on the verge of falling asleep, the quiet of the night was interrupted by creaking floorboards outside my room. *Is it Mom coming to check on us?* I wondered, before the sounds faded away, leaving me to drift off to sleep.