DESPERATE

2

The sun's rays pierced his face. Randall struggled to open his eyes, but his lashes were stuck together by the crusty gunk. He woke up, sat up, and rubbed his eyes hard with his hand. His back throbbed and his stomach rumbled. He shivered as he put on his oversized tattered brown coat. I don't deserve to live like this. I must find myself a new home and a family. I'm sure they will love me the moment they set eyes on me. He got up and went to search for a new place to live.

Randall wandered around a wealthy neighborhood. People gave him strange looks. His dirty and torn coat covered his small body. His messy hair concealed his grimy face. He looked so out of place. He stopped in front of a white picket fence with a FOR SALE sign. He scratched his lice-infested head. This is perfect. No more living in a dangerous and stinky alley. I can finally live in a house and have warm meals.

Randall checked his surroundings to make sure he was alone. He didn't want people to mistake him for a trespasser. This was his home. In his deranged mind, he had every right to be there. He quickly climbed over the fence and searched for a back door. He pushed against it and broke into the house.

Randall grinned foolishly as he entered the house. Wow, my new place. Whoever lives here will be my family. They belong to me. He was determined to build the most cozy and comfortable room for himself. As he explored the basement, a sharp pain shot through his right thigh. He ignored it and said, "I won't let anything stop me! The first thing I need to do is find some useful tools." His stomach growled again.

He walked around the house until he found the kitchen. The fridge caught his eye and he pulled it open. It was foul and empty. Rage pulsed through his veins and he spat in the fridge. I need to eat something, or I'll faint. Frantic, he searched through the kitchen cabinets. When he saw the skinny decomposed mouse, he hesitated. He was still haunted by the huge alley rats that attacked him. He changed his mind and left the kitchen.

While Randall searched every room in the house, he suddenly heard voices outside. His heart raced and he ran to the basement. It was a dark and eerie place that most people avoided. But it was also a safe place for him to hide so no one would find him. He was overcome with delight when he saw some loose boards near the washing machine. He knelt down and pried them open. He thought, "I have to build a small tunnel underground. That way, I can go in and out of the house without being noticed."

Before Randall left the house, he checked the windows. I'm safe. No one is here. He slipped out the back door and continued to search for useful tools somewhere else. I need to get back here quickly so I can work on my new room. Don't have much time left before it gets dark. I need to hurry up.

He decided to visit his ex-girlfriend Suzie. They had a rocky relationship for years. He once asked her to marry him, but she said no. She was afraid their kids would be too short and get bullied. The truth was she never loved him.

As Randall neared the house, he saw a bald, tattooed man washing a rusty white van. He hid behind a bush so no one could spot him. The front door opened. A skinny woman with blue hair came out. It was Suzie. She clutched a bottle of cheap red wine and gulped it down. Red wine stained her cheek. He was shocked by how ugly his ex-girlfriend had become. A gray cat rubbed against Randall and meowed. He pushed the cat away, but it hissed at him. Suzie glanced at the gray cat and said, "What a weird cat. It's hissing at nothing."

Randall wiped the sweat from his forehead and crossed his fingers. Don't come here, Suzie. If he got caught, his plans would be ruined. The gray cat got bored of him and left. He saw some handy tools lying on the grass. After the couple finished cleaning the truck, they went back inside the house. He quickly collected everything he needed and hid it behind the bush. He scanned the area to make sure nosey neighbors weren't watching. Before he left Suzie's place, he wanted to pull a mean prank on them. He hated Suzie for breaking his heart and kicking him out of their house.

Randall grabbed a stone and carved UGLY in large letters on the side of the white van. He spotted a bucket of dirty water near the flower bed. He scooped up some soil and mixed it with the water until it became muddy. He smirked as he splashed the muddy water over the clean truck. He gathered all the stolen tools and crammed them into his funky coat. It was time to return to his new home.

After several days of hard work, Randall had dug a huge hole for himself under the basement floor. It was his new room. Being small had its perks. He could squeeze into the wide gap between the walls of the house. He built small steps inside the wall. He needed to see every room in the house. He had to watch his new family closely so he would know more about them. It would be easier for him to interact with his new family when the time came. His small body ached. He stretched and yawned.

This was his new life. He would be happy and safe in his new home sweet home.