Yours Truly, Death (ON HOLD)

||Chapter 2||

Tracy

My new room wasn't bad. Though it did not meet my standards, it wasn't something I'd whine about so much.

It's the third day since we moved in. We were eighty percent settled. The only thing needed was a re-paint of the outside and parts of the inside: which dad said was not to come soon. The fact that the house wasn't cleaned before we moved in put me off.

From what I learnt, the house had been abandoned for almost thirty years. How my dad found it and most importantly, how he got it after thirty years, beat me.

I was glad we moved during summer vacation. I was moving classes too from ninth grade to high school, whilst Robert was still in eigth grade. Meaning he had to switch schools. Poor him.

I stole a glance at the clock on my table beside my bed and realised it was an hour past mid-day. I had to take a shower. For the record, I enjoy taking showers. They make me feel more refreshened and relaxed.

As I stripped and stepped into the medium-sized cubicle, I noticed a shadow on the wall above me. I span around quickly but there was no one. I furrowed my brows, grabbed my towel and wrapped it around me and stepped out of the bathroom.

I scanned the area, hoping it wasn't my brother sneaking in to have a peek at me. No one. I simply shrugged it off and went back to the bathroom.

Feeling refreshed after my bath in my red top and black shorts, I went downstairs to check if I would find anything to eat. Finding some peanut butter and bread, I made myself a sandwich which I ate gracefully.

I was bored to the core. My brother was probably in his room playing a game on his Xbox 360, while I sat here feeling dejected. My parents were out shopping.

Suddenly, I remembered something. My cousins were coming over to stay with us in our new house for a week. The thought put a smile on my face. They were due to arrive in three days time: a Saturday.

Abigail and Annabel were seventeen year old twins and their brother was twelve. A year younger than my brother. We were related through my dad. My dad's sister is their mother.

I began to wonder where they were going to sleep and with that I went upstairs and busied myself with creating space for them in my room.

****

When my parents got home around six, Robert was sleeping and I was reading a book I was so engrossed in since I picked it up after cleaning my room. I helped my mum prepare dinner, making conversation as we worked.

When dinner was almost done, I left the kitchen to set the table. Just as I was placing a plate down, a strong wind blew, sending my hair flying and causing me to almost loose my balance if I hadn't held on to the table. Everything happened so fast I didn't even have time to think. I set the plate down gently and walked in the direction of the nearest window.

To my uttermost surprise, it was closed! Then I checked another window closer to it. That too was closed. I was getting frightened. But then I realised that a window outside of the living room where I was, was opened. This caused me to relax a little. Although, it still didn't add up, it was better than leaving me to think like superstitious teenager.

I felt quite stupid and left to the kitchen to finish off what I started.

During dinner, not much was said. Except my attempt to make conversation by bringing up my cousins' stay.

"Mum do you remember that Anna, Abi and Jake are coming over in three days time?" my dad flinched a little. I caught the movement from the corner of my eye. He always did that whenever I shortened Annabel's name to Anna. I tried getting the reason out of him once but the outcome wasn't so pleasant so I never visited the topic again.

"Oh yeah. Meaning more shopping tomorrow. You're coming with me Jerome." she stated and my dad only nodded ending the conversation. And that is how my attempt failed.

Sitting up in bed, I took my phone and began chatting with my friend. I laughed when she sent something funny but that was interrupted by the opening of the door. Robert walked in and my startled look turned to a frown.

"You know there's something called knocking. You probably aint heard it before." I said sarcastically.

"Really. Tell me all about it." he replied, playing along. I rolled my eyeballs.

"Anyway, I just came to ask you something. Have you been noticing any wierd things happening lately. Like shadows that seem to flash before you're eyes when there's not supposed to be one?" he asked, sitting on my bed. I would have argued about that if he wasn't looking all serious.

"Well.." I began "..sorta." That was my best answer.

"Oh cmon give me a straight answer and stop being a blonde." he retorted.

"Hey! I'm not a blonde. My hair is brown. Just like yours." I snapped.

I realised that I could seize the opportunity to tease my brother so that's what I did.

"Nope. There's absolutely nothing strange about this place. It's just your stupid imagination." I said with a smirk.

"Didn't I hear you say 'sorta' a few minutes ago." he asked ignoring what I said.

"Was teasing." I lied. "I told you. It's your stupid head that's playing tricks on you." I repeated. This time he responded.

"You're stupid!" He got up to leave and I returned my gaze to my phone. I heard him mumble a whatever and after that, the banging of a door.

But it puzzled me. He also had those creepy experiences. What was going on?

I might have slept with my phone, cause when I woke up to the wild fluttering of the curtains, it lay on the bed too.

I groggily walked to the window to close the window. I was quite certain it was probably going to rain.

When I drew the curtain apart, my eyes were wide in surprise. There were no clouds! Neither was the window opened!