Knocks

Chapter 14

I throw the newspaper at the librarian's face, bolt out the door, and mount my bike, pedaling faster than I ever have before. I ignore Erica's desperate calls to comfort me even though she has no idea what I'm going through. She follows me even though I've made it pretty clear I don't want to be bothered. I know I told her she could come to my house but now I'm not so sure. I don't feel comfortable telling anyone about my family and what has happened to them because they won't understand. Their dads haven't been murdered and that isn't something that happens to everyone. And to think Mom was keeping that from me this whole time. I shiver in disgust at the possibility of other dreadful lies she might be keeping from me and Lucy.

I zoom along the ups and downs of the road and after a few minutes arrive at the gravel road. I jump off my bike and run it up the incline. I look back, glad to see no Erica. She'll be coming soon. I race past the tree in the front yard, tears welling up in my eyes. I dash past the side of the house, noticing a bunch of trucks and investigators going down in the cellar. I do not want to face my mom or any other kind of contact. I just want to be alone and think about what to do next after hearing my Dad was dead in the cellar all along. Now Lucy knows and she's probably throwing a tantrum as well. That's the only thing we have in common. I rush through the open field behind the house, the grass as tall as me now. It feels as if I'm in a maze but there's no middle.

The grass smacks against me and pokes my legs, making me itch from head to toe but I don't care. I sit down, the grass acting like a wall so I'm finally alone. I let my tears fall to the ground and I let myself cry. I don't like crying in front of people. I don't think anybody really does so this is my escape. I put my head in my hands and hear screaming coming from the house but I still don't care. It's probably just Erica witnessing a pencil being moved by the air conditioner. I almost laugh at how ridiculous she was when she came up to me.

Suddenly, a noise interrupts my thoughts. I'm afraid to move but I get up anyway, standing on the tips of my toes so I can see the tops of the grass. I'm frozen with fear as I see the grass parting. At first it looks as if it's going away from me, but then I realize the true horror. It's coming right at me.

I spin around to try to run away but grass is parting that way too. I turn in circles as I notice from every direction that something is coming for me. Four of them. My first reaction is to scream. I cry for my mom and hope she can hear me. Then, I sink to my knees and shut my eyes, getting ready for what's to come.

***

My head is pounding and my heart is still beating faster than ever when I see Mom at the end of my bed. A washcloth is over my forehead and my shoes lie on the floor near the bottom of the bed. Mom looks worriedly at me as she scoots up farther. "Are you alright? I was so worried that you wouldn't wake up. I found you passed out in the field."

I feel a little dizzy but I nod and look out the window, seeing stars twinkling down at me. "What time is it?" I ask, my voice coming out in a whisper.

"Almost nine. You slept through dinner," she explains. She swallows and carries on. "While you were in the backyard a girl came running to me asking where you were. She introduced herself to me as Erica. Do you know her from school?"

I nod again. "Where is she now?" Mom's eyes reflect concern as she answers.

"She's in the hospital," she replies, looking down at her feet.

"What?" I question loudly, feeling my heart speed up again, "what happened?" I am now fully awake.

Mom sighs and glances at the clock before continuing. "While I was talking to her a brick flew... out of nowhere. It hit her hard on the head and knocked her unconscious."

"Oh no..." I can't say anymore as I think about everything I've ever thought about Erica. I instantly regret how I treated her. Mom doesn't talk for awhile after she announces this so I don't bring up anything else.

Mom shakes her head and stands up. I can read her like a book. Right now she's on the brink of breaking down and I know she'll only blame herself for all of this. She manages to say goodnight to me and closes the door with no more words. I wonder how she's taking the news about Dad's body being down in the cellar.

Now it is silent as I switch off the lamp, praying to get through the night without waking up to a knock.

A few hours later I wake up in the middle of the night. Nothing is trying to hurt me or lead me to the basement, it's just my thoughts in my mind. I stare at the ceiling and think about what I've gotten Erica into. Half of me says it was Erica's fault that she's in the hospital. If she had just left me alone everything would have been fine right now. What does Mom think of all of this?

Mom saw the brick hit Erica in the head but did she see where it came from? Does she believe me that it isn't just us in this house anymore? My mind drifts to memories of Dad after I've thought about everything there is to think about this house. I wish Dad were here. He would know what to do. He would get us out of this house and-

My bedroom window shatters and glass flies through. My heart races as shards pierce the wall to my left. The glass doesn't fall to the floor like when a window breaks normally. In this house, the pieces go right across the room as if trying to kill me purposely. Some glass is stuck in the side of the mattress and the rest are all inside the wall. I look over and see a piece that could've went through me if I had moved an inch.

I don't know what to do. I don't want to get up because I'm afraid the whole room will try to crush me. I shut my eyes and yell for Mom. I've never wanted her this much in my life. Mom comes in with quick steps and Lucy peeks in, wide-eyed. "What's wrong, Lainey?" She asks, frantically looking around the room. She notices the glass shards everywhere and gasps, bringing her hand up to her mouth.

I try to get up but I get a headache immediately so I lay back down. Mom hurries over to me and puts a hand on my head. "Are you okay? Are you hurt?"

I can't answer any of her questions because she's asking them too fast and there are too many. The room starts to spin and it feels as if I can't talk. Mom gives up trying to communicate with me and instead, picks me up. I feel like I'm Lucy's age, ten and scared of the dark. I'm grateful for my mom taking me out of here. But I decide that I'm scared of the dark again. I don't think I'll ever grow out of it after what happened tonight.