"Just don't step on it," you say. "It'll be fine."
"You think?"
"Sure." You're not sure, but you don't want the hunter to open the door and see you trying to mess with his ward. That would be suicide.
"Well... okay," Ed smooths back his hair and adjusts his sweater. "You ready?"
"As I'll ever be."
"Good. Here goes nothing."
He rings the doorbell. It lets out an obnoxiously loud DING DONG. And then...
Next
...nothing. You stand for ten seconds. Then twenty.
"You told them we were coming didn't you?"
"Yeah..." Ed reaches out to ring the bell again. Right when his finger is on the button the door swings open.
Ed jumps back with a squeak of surprise.
A woman is standing there in a beige dress. Her shoes are also beige, as is her handbag, scarf, and hair. Her teeth are brilliant white and bared at you in something that looks like it's meant to be a smile but makes you want to snarl back.
"Hello! Welcome. Unfortunately, you're a little late. The open house has finished. If you would like to—"
"Oh," Ed cuts in. "No. Actually, we're here to meet Mr Bates."
The woman gives him a blank stare which, accompanied with her still unwavering smile, is frankly more than a little creepy.
"Of... Bates and Lee?" Ed says. "Paranormal investigation and removals?"
"Oh," her smile mercifully vanishes. "You want to talk to my son. He's in the granny flat outback. You'll have to knock loudly. He listens to his music with his special sound-cancelling headphones." She scoffs and shakes her head. "Kids these days."
"Thank—" Ed begins.
She slams the door closed.
Next