Forlot: Welcome to the Dummy House - Book Forty-One

Chapter Twenty-One

I was startled by the loud knocks. After what happened to me, I was on alert. I had to protect my family. How I wanted to lock the front door and the windows and get a weapon and close all the curtains. That hand was not crawling in here and attacking me and my family. Why did it even want to? For the fun of it? Was it evil? I was not about to find out.

Speaking of my family, they were not in said kitchen. It was the scariest moment of my life. If the hand wanted to attack someone, it should be Alexis. She deserved it. Maybe if she were scared once in a while, she would be down to this planet. She believes that she cannot make mistakes and is God's gift to the world. My sister needs to get her head out of the clouds before it is too late.

"Thank the Lord from above that Alexis is not Jesus," I said as I rushed to the front door. "The world would be worse than now."

I assumed that my family was in another room - which I was right - and decided to answer the door. I have no clue how you can answer a door. Like a dummy, it is an inanimate object. It cannot talk to you. Alright, alright. I will stop. But I gave you something to ponder.

I was about to grab the knob when I got an idea. I froze and went through my plan in my mind. Although that I had not opened the door, I had a bad feeling that I was unable to shrug off. It could be Jack and Alexis - or the hand. I only knew that somebody or something was on the other side.

I shuddered and hugged myself. My teeth chattered. It does not matter if it is that hand or Jack and Alexis. Do I want to see the doll's hand or Alexis and Jack holding hands and kissing? No. I think that I would rather deal with that hand. At least that I can hurt it without being scolded by my parents. But if it was that plastic hand, I would have to defend myself. Defend my family.

Next to the front door was a wooden coatrack. I walked to it and placed my hands on my waist. I could use it. I could use the coatrack to fight off that hand. Only issue was that it was too heavy. I would never get it off of the floor. But I could use one of the jackets. I do not have a clue why the coats and jackets were not in the closet. It was not cold.

I pried a jacket off the coatrack and walked back to the door. I held it in front of me and grabbed the doorknob and prayed that my plan would work. I held my breath and pulled open the door.

"Take this!" I yelled as I tossed the jacket at the creepy crawler.

The jacket landed not on a hand, but on a head. A head attached to a police uniform. And he was a human. My heart sank when I saw two cops on the porch. I gulped. I was more embarrassed than I was confused. I quickly yanked the jacket off his head and apologized.

"Please accept my apology," I said. "I-I did not mean to toss the jacket at you. I thought that you were someone else."

I thought that the officers would be mad, but they were curious. I did not blame them. I would be curious too if somebody threw clothing in my face. I straightened my shirt out and put my hands behind me.

The officer closest to me tilted his head to the side. "So why exactly did you throw a jacket in my face?"

I tried to not show fear. "I told you. I assumed that you and your partner were somebody else." A chill crawled down my spine. "I am afraid for my life."

"Why?" the second cop asked. He took off his hat. "Can you tell us why you are afraid for your life? And who in the world did you think that we were?"

I hesitated. "...you would not believe me if I told you."

"Try us. We are the police after all. We are here to help you. In fact, it is why we are here. We want to help you and your family."

I quirked an eyebrow and brushed back my hair. "Why do you need to help us?" I gasped. "Did my parents call you about the hand in the jar?"

"'The hand in the jar'?" the first officer repeated. "Your parents did not call us. People at the restaurant did."

"You mean the Forlot restaurant?"

He nodded. "Yes."

"Why would complete strangers contact you to come to my house?"

The other cop was playing with his hat. "They all called for the same reason, but not to check on your family. It has to do with your family."

Now I was worried. And even more confused. My arms dangled at my sides. My legs were growing weak by the second. "What...what is going on?"

"We will explain everything...what is your name?"

"Janice."

"Do you know an Alexis?"

"Yes. She is my older sister, but...what does she have to do with this?"

They looked at each other before looking back at me.

I steadied myself. "What...what are you not telling me? Please. Tell me now."

"Do you not want to wait until we tell your family?" the first cop asked with a concerned look. "I would."

I clasped my hands together. "What the crub happened to my sister? If you are here because of her..." My voice trailed off.

"I say that we tell her and get it over with. She will find out sooner or later," the second cop told his partner.

"Okay. Alexis is..."