DESPERATE

3

Early in the morning, Randall was puzzled but thrilled by the commotion upstairs. He heard voices and footsteps in the house. A door creaked open. Someone tiptoed down the basement stairs. “What a creepy basement!” a female exclaimed. She dashed back up the stairs and shut the door with a bang. His happiness was so overwhelming it frightened him. He rubbed his hands together. My new family finally arrived. Welcome! We will live happily ever after in our home sweet home.

The Andera family was ecstatic about leaving their tiny apartment. After years of saving money, Tom and Jillian bought their dream home. It was ideal for their family. Their children could have their own rooms. They would enjoy some space and privacy. Their sixteen-year-old daughter, Dionah, was a typical moody teenager. She whined about everything. How she loathed sharing a bedroom with her younger siblings. They annoyed each other and bickered all the time.

"I can't believe this is our new home," Jillian, the mother, said as she opened the front door for her husband, Tom. He carried the last heavy box inside. His phone buzzed in his jeans pocket. His wife glanced at him, "Aren't you going to answer it?”

"It's nothing. Where do I put this darn heavy box?" Tom asked his wife. She pointed to the fireplace. His phone buzzed again. Tom took it out of his pocket and switched it off.

"Are you keeping something from me, Tom?"

"Don't be silly, Jillian. It's probably Billy from work. I don't want to fight in front of the kids. Let it go!”

Tom wiped his sweaty face with a red handkerchief, "Gail, I need you to stop hopping around the house. You could slip and hurt yourself."

Eight-year-old Gail stood in front of her parents. Her smile stretched from ear to ear. "I love our new house. It's so spacious. Can I pick my bedroom first?”

"Go ahead," her mother said. Gail could barely contain her joy. She dragged her twelve-year-old brother, Jordan, by his arm and went upstairs.

"I'm the only boy. I should pick first." Jordan muttered as he followed his little sister.

"Annoying kids. They fuss over everything." Dionah said, rolling her eyes. She clearly hated moving into their new home.

Her father asked in a low, concerned voice, "What's wrong?”
Dionah pursed her lips with a slight frown, "I hate this house. It creeps me out."

Jillian stood there with her arms folded across her chest. She stared at her teenage daughter, "Don't be ridiculous! The real estate agent said that no one died in this house. It's not haunted."

"Mom, I didn't say the house was haunted by evil spirits. I went down to the basement alone. It was so dark and spooky. I had a weird feeling like someone was there with me. It felt like someone was watching me. I freaked out.”

"Keep your thoughts to yourself. I don't want you to scare your brother and sister." Dad said, shaking his head.

"Whatever! I'm not going back down there, alone. And don't expect me to do the laundry either," Dionah yelled. "Don't look at me like I'm crazy." She stormed out of the living room and went upstairs to join Jordan and Gail.

Jillian threw her hands up, "Why are teenagers so difficult? Can't she just be happy like everyone else? She's such a pessimist."

Tom massaged her shoulders, "Don't worry, honey. It's just a phase she's going through. She'll get over it." Jillian gave him a
hope so look and unpacked the rest of their stuff.

The sound of their voices wasn't enough for Randall. He wanted to see the new homeowners with his own eyes. He moved carefully between the walls of the house so he could get a good glimpse of them. He pressed his eye against the hole to view the living room. There was a sturdy man with thinning black hair, rearranging the furniture. It must be the father. I’m such a genius. I can spy on them day and night. No one will notice me. He gave himself a pat on the back.

Randall hurried to the kitchen and peeked through another hole. Some dust got into his eye but he didn’t care. A wavy, blond-haired woman was busy preparing a meal for her family. She’s definitely the mother. His stomach made a loud noise.
I hope she didn’t hear it.

An adorable little girl with dimples entered the kitchen. Her nicely braided ponytails swayed back and forth as she skipped to the table. She took a bag of chips out of the grocery bag and tore it open. She stuffed chips in her mouth and looked at the wall.

His stomach twisted into a knot, his heart beat rapidly. Randall backed off a little. No way, she could see me.

“Gail, dinner will be ready soon. I want you to put the chips away.” Jillian said, putting some seasoning on the food. Gail ignored her mother. She took the bag of chips with her and left the kitchen.

The little girl’s name is Gail. Nice to meet you. Randall chuckled softly. He was curious to know what the other family members looked like.

On the second floor, Randall saw a boy sitting in the hall. He played a game on his iPad and mumbled some cuss words. A door opened, and a teenage girl in shorts came out of a room. She had nice, long slender legs. “Jordan, you still haven’t unpacked. You better do it before mom comes upstairs.”

"Leave me alone! You're so bossy, Dionah," Jordan yelled back, his eyes still glued to the game.

Randall couldn't take his eye off Dionah. He was captivated by her. What a beauty. He wiped the drool trickling down his chin with a filthy hand.

Meanwhile, her brother remained glued to his spot, engrossed in his game. Despite her growing frustration, she took a deep breath and managed to say, "If mom decides to ground you for a week, don't complain." With that, she retreated to her bedroom and closed the door firmly.

Randall peered through the hole in the wall, curious about Dionah's activities. He saw her lying on her stomach, browsing a fashion magazine. The heavy metal music from her speakers assaulted his ears, but he whispered under his breath, "You are mine, Dionah."

Dionah shivered with unease. The eerie feeling of being watched persisted, even though her curtains were tightly drawn. No one could peek into her bedroom from the outside. She flung her magazine on the bed and turned down her music. She had no motivation to unpack the rest of her belongings. She shoved the remaining boxes into the corner of her room, out of sight. A gentle knock on the door interrupted her thoughts. Gail popped her head in, "Mommy says it's time for dinner. She wants us to eat together as a family for once.”