It was 13 o'clock by the time that day. Little Andrew held unto a hand he knew well. He looked up in confusion. The pretty lady that led the way was one he'd grown to be fond of. Yet his innocent mind couldn't go through the haze. Until something familiar sparked to life in his tender heart.
He was only three, chubby in size. And walking was something he disliked, especially at night. He looked with curiosity. The streets were without trouble and people. But it was difficult to find the house. The houses all looked the same in the gathering twilight. The same verandas. The same yard gates. The same crooked branches leaning forward, shadows being casted like a cursed witchling.
Suddenly he perceived a foul odour. It was the same repugnant trash dumpster. Placed against the same brick walls. And the same dirty colour. From the corner of his eye, a light twinkled. Slowly, he twisted his gaze, his eyes widening in fear.
" Momma?" His frail voice squealed. "That scary, spooky house smiled at me. I saw someone wave at me."
It was the same setting people had always termed to be haunted but yet ignored it. Just some rumor. A large part of the area had been massed in debris. The earth, pitch black to its very depths. Trees twisted in a sickening way. The walls had been covered by moss.
The pretty lady grew agitated with each brisk walk and all of a sudden halted. She took Andrew by the hand.
"Andrew, what have Told you about looking over there?" She stared into his eyes. She was truly blessed but a tiny glint of sadness flashed across her eyes.
"Now promise me you'll never go there. Not even a tiny peak you'd spare. Promise mother. Pinky promise?"
Andrew appeared perplexed.
"I promise momma. My pinky-pinky."
It was the same house a mad man said to be unholy. Evil lied in such a dark area. No one had the wits to confront such silly beliefs. Everyone kept back to their daily lives and minding their own business. Besides who'd believe a deranged lunatic. He was just some idiot who got drunk every evening.
It was like saying that the world would end this moment. Sure people would go, try to repent but many would still clawed away the idea. It wouldn't be the first time such false rumor was passed. In such a town, silence reigned pouring coldly like a grave yard.
But that was years ago. After moving away from the city, for almost twenty years. Andrew knew the familiar scent. He stared out the window, everything seemed to just be the same and he immediately disliked the place.
He frowned, a curse left his lips. He remembered every single detail like it was yesterday. He inhaled the air, sighing.
"And to think that this was still here." He muttered, glancing at a trash dumpster before glancing back at the road. The morning spent on the road was warm but by 11, it was blazing hot and the heat was slightly unbearable. With no wind to dissolve the humidity, it rose the more. It was lucky that the car's air conditioner still functioned properly.
"Don't look at me that way," She said.
"You very well know the reason why" He flatly replied, not sparing the other a single glance again.
"Oh Andrew, I'm sure you'll love it here. It's been so many years now. Your new school will be a breeze don't sweat it yo" Brenda, his mother added.
"Mom?" He dragged, "What have I told you about slangs?"
His mother simply smiled, "That I'm so good at it"
The boy rolled his eyes in defeat. He gave up.
Soon enough they were parked beside a new residence. It looked like simple and peaceful. Andrew loved the scene.
On the inside, the house looked space filled and beautiful. Artworks of difference hung.
"In some moments the moving company truck will be right here. Help unpack and be nice" His Mother, Brenda came in dropping a few pack boxes in the corner.
Time spaced out and the truck arrived. Moments later everything was set. Even though it was disorganized, everything they needed arrived safely.
"Tomorrow we'll tidy the place up. It was a nice gesture for the owner of this house to clean the place up" Brenda mumbled, rubbing the droplets of sweat that brushed down her face.
Night came shortly and the two turned in to their rooms after having a light breakfast. Pizza was a wrong choice but since the cooker wasn't really set, they had to improvise. It was the worst idea ever because Brenda began to have tummy pains. So she slept early due to the pain. During the dark of the night, Andrew was still up. The moon light peeked through the glass windows that were tightly shut. He laid back on his bed , his phone in his hands when it beeped.
Craig___Sup brother. How's the new place...
Andrew sighed, disappointed.
He replied,____It's fine I guess. Just doing this for her. Not like I like it here. That promotion meant the world to her and seeing her happy is good. But still, don't know why her manager had to post her to this place.
His phone beeped shortly then began to blur.
A loud bang echoed in the room. The windows had shot open forcefully. Andrew found the whole thing strange but frowned that he had to drag his tired body from the bed.
"Gosh"
He slowly got off, as he did. A peculiar wind stirred in. It felt stifling hot. The boy shuddered.
"The heck!"
And just as he reached the window, he saw the lamppost across the street burst.
"The bulb must be weak" He mumbled, still puzzled to how a hot breeze formed. The air outside felt cool.
And just as he was about to close the windows. His eyes narrowed.
Beside the broken lamppost, there was another lamppost across it. Something began to move underneath. It looked like a shadow. Andrew peered closely,
"Who could that be at this hour?"
He almost yelled when a distant noise broke the silence. His attention strayed and as he returned his gaze the whole street had gone dark. And abruptly, the lights went back on. But the figure wasn't there.
He gave the thought a thinking but let it be shutting the windows.
And as he climbed his bed, a small shadow glimmered against the reflection of his window.