The night is dark and full of terrors.

After finishing “A song of ice and fire” Jimmy’s thoughts were constantly interrupted by that ominous sentence. He squeezed his little sister’s hand just a bit harder; to assure her he was as afraid as she was of all the strange noises coming from unseen sources. He looked around. The streets seemed safe, not as safe as being in his own room, but not as dangerous as to expect a big bloody clown to pop up from a corner and grab Alexa. Big brothers have to be strong, they have to have nerves of steel; but my nerves are made of titanium. Titanium is lodes stronger, thought the lad, looking at his little sister; he was 15, she was 10. Their parents had sent them on a very special quest, to defeat the demons of boredom and loneliness, which were threatening the damsel in distress, their grandmother. Their parents wrapped the tedious experience of visiting their Nan in a coat of magic, so to make it feel like an adventure, designed to be conquered only by the bravest of knights, because their Nan was a bit …odd, let’s say. She was fiercely convinced her two cats were plotting an invasion of some sorts, so she decided to train them. It was amusing to watch the old lady struggle to capture the attention of her overfed felines. 

But something was picking at poor little Jimmy’s brain, like he forgot to get this month’s Spider-Man.

“I liked the new tricks Nan taught the cats. But they scratched me again. See”, said Alexa and presented her tiny hand to Jimmy. They were filled with crimson vines, like a map where the rivers and roads were marked with crimson lines.

“Why didn’t you tell me sooner. You should have put something on them. Silly monkey”

“ I’m not a monkey”, said Alexa with tiny fury in her tiny voice.

“Yes you are; a ridiculously annoying one. Don’t dare show that to mom. I’ll get in trouble again,” said Jimmy, visibly distressed by his sister’s recklessness.

They walked in silence, engulfed in the crisp air of the night. The echo of a distant meow from a forgotten cat filled the silence.

“Look at the stars. They are so bright tonight”, said Jimmy, pointing up towards the invasion of bright lights.

“They look like fleas. Or like Nan’s dandruff”, laughed Alexa.

The children stopped to stare at the stars for a while. Even though the scenery was placid, the streets were alive with the sounds of laughter from close by houses, Jimmy could not shrug off the eerie feeling, comparable to the dread of getting the wrong item in LoL. There was something hidden in a creepy corner of his soul that refused to let him smile.

The siblings continued walking back to their castle. Jimmy looked at Alexa. Does she feel it too? Or am I going insane? thought the boy. They walked without rush, step by step in unison. Jimmy mimicked his sister’s rhythm, so the speed was slower than he would have liked. He could not shrug off the feeling of lack of order in the universe, something was missing or something was too much. He could not tell which one. 

They reached their big mahogany door. The two-story house was adequate in size and color, indistinguishable and welcoming. The doorbell rang but there was no response. Jimmy rang again, but again, there was no point to the action. He used his special key, originally hidden under a rock, to open the door.

“Mom, dad”, screamed Jimmy. Yet again, there had been no response.

“Where are they? They should be home. I want my chicken pie. And ice cream. Lots of ice cream,” said Alexa, her voice filled with impatience.

The hallway was hushed, the living room strangely untouched.

“ Let’s go upstairs to see if they are hiding there.” Said Jimmy. I should keep her close,

he thought.

Step by step, they carefully reached the top of the staircase. The air was still, the light almost nonexistent. The door to their parents’ bedroom was slightly cracked open; enough to instigate the curious mind of the young kids.

“Mom”, said Jimmy; firmly holding her sister’s hand. “Dad”. The bedroom was empty, only the closet was partially cracked.

“Where are….”

Alexa’s question was interrupted by a terrifying scream.

“Get in the closet!” said Jimmy, pushing her inside.

It was dark in their parents’ closet; the only illumination was the daggers of light coming through the slatted doors. Jimmy and his sister were huddled together in the farthest corner, away from the menacing light. The screams for their parents as they carefully climbed the stairs had gone unanswered—the strange sounds from downstairs growing ever louder. Their terror filled eyes were riveted on the closet entrance, the only thing standing between them and the unknown. Gaping, their stares were drawn to the pile of clothing at the other end of the closet…


“Jimmy!” screamed Alexa.“ You’re day dreaming again. Stop doing that. Your face looks like you ate a rotten banana that has been sitting in the fridge for a million years. We’re home. Let’s go in, I’m hungry”, said Alexa and let go of his hand, running towards the door. Jimmy wanted to pull her back, to keep her safe but she slipped through his fingers. She rang the doorbell insistently.

Maybe it was just a daydream, thought Jimmy as he searched for the secret key.

 

Impressum

Texte: Lucia Morosanu
Tag der Veröffentlichung: 11.02.2013

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