Pennsylvania, 2007 (Present Day)516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1dIvU9S2FX
Note: Malcolm's Viewpoints
In the middle of the night, I always creep down the stairs to find some food. It was totally awesome since there was no one I have to share the snacks with. Since that was always my routine, currently, I was walking in the stairs, groping for the kitchen.
I turned on the light and jogged to the cupboards, snatching one of the snacks for the weekend. I leaned back on the counter as I opened this delicious potato chips. But, of course, before shoving it in my mouth, I sniffed it.
An absolute treasure.
I grabbed a handful from the chips that thronged the bag wall-to-wall. I couldn't even notice how the crickets chirped loudly outside. I was too struck to this masterpiece. If Mavis has food obsession, then so do I.
As the chips' tasty seasoning coated my tongue gracefully, I poured myself a glass of soda, and started jostling it to my throat. What an amazing midnight. Taking a break from the soda, I grabbed some chips again, one by one.
Suddenly, I heard a noise from the back door. Some loud knocks that were enough to catch my attention. I placed the bag of chips aside to approach the door. I looked through the window first before opening it. There was no one standing. Just as I was about to close it, I saw a note fastened to the door with a red pin. There were letters written in a begrimed manner and red-inked pen on it.
I looked outside before grabbing it and slammed the door. I regarded the paper as I walked to the table. That was when I realized that there was a message scribbled in the paper.
MALCOLM CONWAY! You are in great danger.
This household isn't the best for your family.
Living here is like killing yourself too.
You could survive by leaving the house.
No one will survive unless you fight them.
Bravery and determination, I could see it on you and your siblings.
Fight your way out and end this curse.
You still have plenty of time...
How did this person knew my name? And who says some baloney things like these? The one who wrote this probably has brain issues. Gee, stalker much? But it did gave me the chills. My mind wasn't set to the snacks anymore. It was on that letter now.
Guess my date with Potato Milagro was canceled. How annoying.
I grabbed my phone and texted my siblings, messaging them the same thing. I needed to tell them, but maybe to Mom and Dad...just tomorrow. Was that a bad move? Nah, we'll talk about it first.
Malcolm: You come here in the kitchen right now!
Malcolm: Like, right now!
Malcolm: ARE YOU HEARING ME?! COME.
Malcolm: HERE.
Malcolm: RIGHT NOW!!!
Malcolm: DO NOT MAKE ANY SOUND OR ELSE I'LL KILL YOU!!! THIS IS IMPORTANT!! WE. ARE. HAVING. A. SIBLING. MEETING. SO GET YOUR NECKS IN THE KITCHEN!! YOU'RE PISSING ME OFF!
Malcolm: I CALL SIBLING-MEETING! HELLO??! "SLIDE YOUR LEGS OFF OF THE BED AND WALK HERE DOWNSTAIRS TO THE KITCHEN! MAYBE IT'LL TAKE JUST THREE-DOZEN STEPS TO GET HERE." THERE! NOW YOU HAVE SOME INSTRUCTIONS. MAYBE YOU CAN GET HERE IN THE KITCHEN. NOOOOWWW! DON'T YOU CARE ABOUT THIS FAMILY?!?
Mavy: OK, OK. Jeez, you're gonna kill my phone with your texts.
Mavis: What is it Malcolm?? I'm. In. The. Middle. Of. My. Slumber. Can't you see? Everyone's fast asleep!
Malcolm: Stop complaining and get in here!
Soon, I heard some steps descending the stairs. From here, I could already tell they're too lazy to do it. I mean, it was for our safety too. Don't they care about safety? Their safety?
They had reached the last step and went in the kitchen, looking at me with deathly glares. I shrugged, already knew what they were thinking. "It's for the family, siblings," I explained. Well, it was true as I said repeatedly earlier.
They both groaned.
"Oh. What is it now, Malcolm?" Mavy asked in his hoarse voice, folding his arms beneath his chest.
I shook my head disapprovingly at them. "I told you this is for the family! Honestly, don't you care for the sake of this family? This is totally unacceptable. I'm calling you for your safety too. I'm your sibling and I care about y — "
"Stop your 'touching' speech, and tell us what is going on! We were having a moment with the pillows!" Mavis complained, highlighting the word touching with air quotations.
"Well, I bet you'll stop complaining once I show you this," I said and took the paper that I had read earlier, and they read it as I talked. "This letter is telling us to leave the house because it's dangerous. It said that living here is like suicide too. I don't know, but a part of me believes it. Nobody could tell if this person is lying or not. Neither he nor she has to be living in this neighborhood because they know my name, and surely they know yours too."
"Wow. That's incredible," Mavis said before looking at me. "You can read!"
I rolled my eyes. I thought she was talking about the letter when she said, "Wow. That's incredible." Urgh. How was I supposed to expect something serious from her?
"Yeah. I didn't know, either!" Mavy agreed. These two weren't taking it seriously. This message could mean something. And yet, here they were, making fun of me.
"Will you two quit it? This message," I said, "is telling us something."
"Well, I think I got one theory about that," Mavis said, looking earnest.
"What?" I asked darkly.
"You studied the English alphabet yesterday!" she laughed, and I rolled my eyes, as Mavy joined her laughter too.
"I said quit it!" I said quietly, careful to wake our parents up. They will think we're doing something stupid here in the kitchen this late. "You know what? I'm fighting the urge to yell at you two!"
Mavis turned genuine solemn this time, stating, "But, seriously, earlier, I met a boy — I don't know what to call him. He's a boy on the outside, but a man on the inside. He said he's sixty-four already, and he died at March 9, 1953. That was the reason I screamed earlier. He also told me that we're in danger. At first I don't believe him, but when you showed us that message. I bet he's the one that wrote that. Because he said he's scaring us off every night so that we'll decide to leave. He also mentioned that he died because of his family. He said that his family is about to avenge their rights and properties, so I think that means — "
" — they own this house," Mavy finished, looking at the both of us with that usual serious look on his face.
"I think we're in serious danger!" I said.
"But hold up!" Mavy said, looking at me with a frown. "How did you know someone was putting a message at the back door and you're in here in the middle of the night? Are you doing something stupid here, Malcolm? You can't tell us that you're drinking water, trying to cure your thirst because you always bring that water bottle with you in your room before slumber."
"Yeah. You told us that you don't want to go downstairs because you're too lazy to even pour yourself a glass of water," Mavis continued.
Urgh! Why do they have to be this smart? Now I'll get caught!
"Tell us you're not having a midnight snack," Mavis said suspiciously.
I just stared at them, holding my breath. I breathed out hardly and told them the truth, saying all of it very fast.
"I knew it!" Mavis said. But before the sermon began, we heard loud knocks on the door. We all sold up in vigilance as the knob wriggled, the person on the other side trying to break in. We stood there silently.
Mavy ran to the door, trying to hold it close with his body, as I followed and threw myself to the door, both of us barring it. Mavis ran to the sink, grabbing some knives.
The force on the door was so hard, that even mine and Mavy's united-strength couldn't hold it close. Finally, the person on the other side pushed it really hard, making the door open and threw Mavy and I on the floor.
The person entered, and I was sure as heck that it was a complete stranger. It was hooded, surely a man, carrying an ax, his broad shoulders raising up and down as he breathed hardly. We looked up at the person, not getting up. Too distracted by his appearance.
He raised his weapon, directed at me, and ready to hurl it down to me.
Here it comes...
Here it comes...
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