Chapter 3

The time was between one and two o’clock in the morning. The house was an eerie quiet. The weather outside had gotten worse. The rain was falling heavily, and the wind had gotten stronger. The neighborhood trees were swaying so hard it was if they were about to fall over.

Brian was the only one in the house with a tree in front of his window. He climbed that tree when he was younger and always wanted to build a tree house in it. The tree was as tall as the house and had a big wide trunk. But even this massive tree couldn’t hold up against this powerful wind. It rocked back and forth like it was going to fall into the house. The tree branches were scraping up against Brian’s window, as if the tree was trying to get his attention. Finally, Brian woke up from the noise and started watching the shadows the trees were putting on his room walls. The branches were stretched out like skinny fingers. And with his imagination, it was easy for him to think that those skinny fingers were gesturing for him to come over to the window.

Brian, knowing that he was letting his imagination get the best of him, got out of bed and walked over to the window. Peeking through the blinds he could see how fierce the storm had gotten. He finally realized he was only scaring himself. Just before Brian closed the blinds he’d seen a shadow standing down by the trunk of the tree. He blinked his eyes several times to make sure it wasn’t from him just waking up. When he refocused the shadow had disappeared. He closed the blinds and hurried back into bed. He grabbed the blankets and pulled them over his head and tried to convince himself that it was just his imagination. I can’t let it get the best of me, I can’t let it get the best of me, he kept saying to himself. When talking to himself didn’t work, he grabbed his pillow and blankets and left his room. He tiptoed across the hallway and went into Adam’s room. He planned on staying in Adam’s room for the rest of the night, then waking up in the morning before Adam even knew he was in there. He opened up the room door really slowly. The door creaked a little when he opened it, so he paused for a second to see if he had woken him up. Adam turned over, but he didn’t wake up, so he snuck in the room and layed on the floor beside the closet door.

The morning had come, and Adam’s alarm clock started ringing. Brian slept right through it. Adam sat up in his bed and saw Brian lying next to his closet. “Brian. Brian,” Adam whispered. “What are you doing in here?”

"I’m sleeping!”

"I can see that, dummy. Why aren’t you in your own room sleeping?”
Brian opened up his eyes. “I had a nightmare so I came in here.”

"What is going on with you lately?”

"I don’t know, but don’t tell Mom I came in here. I don’t want her to worry.”

"Okay, I won’t say anything, but when I get off work you and I need to talk.”

Brian stood up, half asleep, grabbed his pillow and blanket, and walked out of Adam’s room. Every step he took the more awake he became. He started reflecting on what happened in his room last night. Was it all a dream or was that really a shadow? Ahhh, it had to be a dream. I don’t believe in ghost or spirits. Knock Knock.

"Come in.”
"Brian, Mom is calling you down for breakfast. And don’t forget about our conversation we will have when I get home.” “I know; you just told me a few moments ago. Adam, what time is it?”

"It’s a little after eight. Why?”
"I just wanted to know the time; is that all right?”
"I’ll see you later, Brian.”
Adam closed the door and ran downstairs. “Bye, Mom, no
time for breakfast; I’m running late.”
"Okay, Adam, I’ll see you later. Don’t forget that I’ll be home
around five or six tonight.”
"I won’t,” replied Adam, and then he rushed out the front
door. Brian was looking out of the window when he saw Adam
back out of the driveway.
"Brian, come and eat your breakfast.”
"I’ll be there in a minute, Mom.” Brian continued to watch
Adam until he drove out of sight. He then turned around and
walked out of his room. “Good morning, Mom.”
"Good morning, Brian. How are you feeling this morning?”
"I’m okay, still a little tired, but I’m fine.”
"Brian, I have to go to the office today, so you’ll be home by
yourself. Stay out of trouble and remember what I said about
going over to Sydney’s house.”
"But Mom!”
"Brian, I meant what I said last night. No, Sydney!”
"Oh, all right! Can Josh come over?”

"Yes, he can come over, but no roughhousing. My number is written on the side of the refrigerator. There is also some left over meatloaf and mashed potatoes in the refrigerator. All you have to do is warm it up in the microwave. I believe there is enough for Josh also.” She leaned over and kissed Brian on the top of his head. “Be good,” she said, and went out of the front door.

Brian went back upstairs to his room. He heard his mom back out of the driveway, but he didn’t watch her like he watched Adam. Instead, he got back into bed. He laid there a few moments and then remembered about his breakfast. He swung the blankets off of himself and went back downstairs. He took his breakfast off the table, grabbed a dinner tray, and went into the living room.

On the table next to the remote control was the morning newspaper. On the front page was a headline, “Come Find out about Our Town’s History.” Brian looked at it for a second but didn’t pick it up. Instead, he grabbed the remote control and turned on the television.

Ring Ring. Ring Ring.
The telephone again. This is unbelievable. “Hello.”
"Hey, Brian, it’s me, Josh.”
"What are you doing calling here this early?”
"I wanted to ask you if you want to go to the museum with me
and my sister.”
"Why would I want to go there? I’ve been there a hundred
times?”
"They’re showing a new exhibit. Didn’t you read the paper?”
"No!”
"Well, read it, and we’ll pick you up in about an hour.”
"Alright, bye!” He hung up the phone and went to finish his
breakfast.

When he sat back down, he grabbed the paper to see what Josh was talking about. The town museum was displaying old papers and pictures of the most horrifying time in its history. This information had been locked up for over 50 years and now they were going to tell it all. Brian thought that this could be interesting, so he ate quickly and went upstairs to take a shower. He turned the water on and ran into his room to get his clothes and shoes. He had about 40 minutes before Josh would be pounding on the front door. He leaned down to reach under his bed for his shoes when he suddenly got a cold chill on the back of his neck. He sat up quickly and looked around. His head turned around the room, and out of the corner of his eye; he saw a shadow pass by his room door out in the hallway. He got up quickly and looked to see if anyone was out there. It’s only my imagination. I must be going crazy. When he went into the bathroom the steam had already covered the mirrors. He reached inside the shower door to add cold water. He put his hand on the cold water handle and was suddenly grabbed by something. He pulled back as hard as he could, was released, and then he fell to the floor. He couldn’t see anything because of all of the steam. So he got up frantically and ran out of the bathroom. He tripped and then fell in the hallway. He rolled over on his back and just laid there, tired and out of breath. He kept saying to himself, “It’s only my imagination; it’s only my imagination. But what was it that grabbed me? Or was that also a figment of my imagination?” He wasn’t sure what to believe, and to prove that he wasn’t going crazy he went back into the bathroom to see what was in there.

When he got to the bathroom door he pushed it open all the way. The steam started to escape into the hallway, clearing the view for Brian to see. He stood right in front of the shower door. He glanced around the bathroom and then slid it open. There was nothing there, so he felt confident that he was once again the cause of his own fears. He took off of his clothes, then got inside. While he was taking his shower his eyes kept wandering around, but listening for any sounds outside of the running water. His attention was not just on what he feared; it was also on the time. Knowing that Josh and his sister could be there at any moment, he quickly showered and got out. He took his clothes back into his room and sat on his bed. While he was putting on his socks he heard a car pull up into the driveway. The car horn honked twice. Brian ran to the window, opened it, and yelled, “I’ll be right down.”