"Momma. What's that sound?"
"Must be the skis in the cellar. . . . .again." Uneasy, Mrs. Halloman stood up from the couch, leaving her ten-year-old daughter to watch TV. Reassured her that it was nothing, once again, then moved to find out for sure.
She went to the basement door. Held the handle, and waited. She turned the knob. Darkness was before her. She switched the light on and proceeded down the steps.
"What is it, momma?" Kaitlin stood at the top.
"I'm sure it's nothing. I'll see if the skis fell and make sure they didn't fall on the rabbits.
"Can I come?"
"Just wait here, and switch the light on if it goes out."
"Okaaay."
Kaitlin's breath was heavy behind her. The humidity had brought on her daughter's asthma. She labored for each breath. Mrs. Halloman continued and walked the fifteen steps to the bottom.
The light went out. "Kaitlin!"
"Got it!"
They were back on.
Ever since the Halloman family moved into Essex 105, the blackouts were frequent. Not unheard of in the windy mountains of Western Pennsylvania, but on some days, even if it wasn't windy the lights went out. And no amount of fuse flipping brought them back. On two occasions while the neighbor's lights went out during a storm, the lights at 105 Essex would be on. And vise versa. As if 105 Essex had its own energy supply.
At the bottom, Mrs. Halloman walked around the hidden corner and could hear the rabbits munching. Not sure why she kept them in the basement instead of the art shack out back. It was warmer there. The rabbits looked up at her with their usual nervous twitches, one finishing a carrot and not the least bit disturbed about anything unnatural.
BANG!
She jumped. "Kaitlin, are you all right?"
"Yes, momma. Are Pinkie and Peppy, OK?" Looking around for the piece of furniture or athletic accessory that had fallen, and satisfied all was fine she reached into the pen and picked up Pinkie, the white rabbit with brown patches.
"Can I see the bunnies?" Kaitlin called down. "Please?"
"Sure, come on, just watch your step."
Kaitlin was next to her before she turned and put Pinkie back in his corral.
"I've got, Pinkie." She hugged, his neck stretching away from her, a leg far separated from the others.
"Not too long. Your asthma's already kicking up."
Kaitlin nodded. "And Peppy, I don't want you to get jealous." She replaced Pinkie in favor of Peppy.
Mrs. Halloman moved away from the pen, and over to where the recent sound of falling objects came.
Not only did their new house enjoy its own light display it seemed to try its hand at redecorating. Favoring the basement for its antics. As suspected, the line-up of skis had fallen on top of the hockey equipment set aside for the season. Her husband and son were out for the evening enjoying a ballgame. With the unexpected storm coming, they could be home soon. She almost wished they were.
Something caught her eye. Movement?
But it was nothing, only her imagination.
She lifted the skis; glad to have moved the rabbits days ago. From where she stood she couldn't see the rabbits or Kaitlin. She finished and moved toward the tiny dark window at the farthest wall of the cellar. It was open. She shook her head. "Must have been a raccoon," she whispered, turning the knob until the window squeaked shut. "There."
