obelisk 2022
the floorboards creaked under my weight . Why , all of a sudden , were the sounds of my house so loud ? My senses were alive with adrenaline . Neither the pleasant smell of fresh laundry hanging to dry by the washing machine nor the warm light of the nightlight in the hallway did much to comfort me . The crinkling and rustling grew louder .
I passed the kitchen where , in the faint light coming from the street , I saw the dishes washed and laid out to dry after dinner . The goldfish swam happily around its tank with the filter bubbling softly . All was well there . Moving past the front door , I noticed it was locked to the outside . How , then , could something strange be lurking inside ? Crinkle , rustle , CRINKLE , RUSTLE …
Both the mysterious sound and the sound of my own heartbeat intensified as I turned the corner into the living room . I noticed shadows dancing across the couch and pillows , so they no longer looked welcoming . I saw the reflection of a large human figure in the big window . Who could it possibly be ?
“ Hi , Kevin ,” I heard the figure say to me . I flipped the light switch on and immediately breathed a sigh of relief . My father stood before me with his hands in my candy basket and empty wrappers littered all around him . The horrible noises that had woken me that Halloween night were actually the sweet sounds of a late-night candy binge .
~ Kevin Neary
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