House Of Horrors

Threats On Maple St.

I hold a sandwich bag full ice on the back of my head with one hand, while my other hand smudges a glob of Neospornin onto the back of my neck. Sitting on the toilet I hiss as the cold ointment stings my torn skin, trying to ignore it. The boy left me really beaten up, I have a giant aching bump on the back of my neck, the entire back of my neck is scraped, and I have bloody nail indents and bruises running up and down my arms.

That kid... he was so strong, he lifted me off the ground like I was baby. I keep replaying that incident over and over in my mind, my sore muscles tightening up in fear when I picture how he bruised me. I don't know what the fuck is that guy's problem, maybe he is unstable or does drugs. But what I do know is that I'm not leaving this house. I paid seven grand and I'm not going anywhere.

I exit the downstairs bathroom and walk to the front door, staring at the little white security system next to the door. The red light winks backs at me, signalling that the security system is on and working. It was on last night too... and somehow that guy was hovering over me last night in bed, staring at me right in the face. My throat swells, imaging what he and that old lady might do Elle and Elliot. So far not a hair on their heads had been touched and for his sake it better stay like that. I step away from the security system and walk up the stairs to my room, so I can change out of the red costume.

The house is eerily quiet like always, no wind or crickets or even the floor creaking, just silence. I peak into Elle's and Elliot's rooms, seeing them fast asleep in their own beds in their new rooms. I walk into my own room and hold back a scream.

GET OUT

The words are huge and gleaming in the light in what I thought at first is blood. I force myself to walk to the wall, paint fumes hitting my nose. Red paint drips down the wall, looking more threatening up close.

"Fuck you." I whisper to myself.