Chapter 1: Getting settled.
The house was certainly, unique.
The walls were thick. Clearly made of stone instead of wood like the other houses I was used to. The front porched was fenced off with steel wires instead of wooden planks and the door was made of steel. So heavy that it took me some effort to get it open.
The windows were weird as well. Too thick for it to be normal glass and built in such a way that it wouldn’t open.
There were two floors above ground. The first one containing a garage, three closets, a small study, a kitchen, a lounging area and a washroom without a tub or shower while the second one contained three more bedrooms with attached washrooms for each one.
It looked small and humble. Especially once you compared it to the water tank right next to it. A solid monstrosity that was easily twice the size of the building people were supposed to inhabit.
The rest of it was below ground.
Deep below ground.
Accessible through two separate staircases, both of which were sealed by thick, steel doors of their own.
One inside the house and another one located some ways off by the side.
To my surprise, there wasn’t just one or two, but three basement levels. With wide corridors connecting the rooms within to the stairs leading up.
All of them were bigger than the surface rooms, with thick stone columns in the middle and steel doors separating them from the hall outside.
There were five washrooms, one for each of us and an extra one in the first basement floor’s hallway. All of them were lavish, with a big tub and a separate showering area.
We had six bedrooms below ground to deal with as well. Two of which were unfurnished and on the second-deepest basement floor.
Since my aunt and uncle would be sharing a room, that left a total of nine unused bedrooms in the whole house. Making me question the arrangements.
“Are we sure this is our place?”
“This was the address they gave me.”
“Yeah. I get that. But over half the rooms are going to be empty. That and I’m pretty sure I’m not supposed to have a king-sized bed?”
“They all have king-sized beds.”
“I know. That’s why I’m worried. Are we supposed to share with another family?”
Uncle Uter sighed. Looking straight at me with a weary expression.
“I don’t know. I did ask and my manager assured me this was our place and no one else’s. Its possible that there was some mix up, but there’s nothing I can do about that right now.”
“Did he tell you about the game room downstairs? Or the gym?”
“No. He didn’t.”
“What about the whole warehouse on the bottom?”
“He didn’t say anything about that either.”
“Did anyone say when we’d get our WIFI installed?”
“A worker should be coming by tomorrow.”
“What happens if they come by tomorrow and tell us there’s been a mistake?”
“Then we move to the other house they give us.”
“What if there isn’t another house?”
“Then we will head back the way we came and I get a hold of a very expensive lawyer. The contract has been signed and these accommodations were listed as a signing bonus. My name is already on the deed. Any funny business is not going to go their way.”
That was something, at least.
Our first night was an uneventful one. I slept like a log. Sore all over from spending so much time stuffed in the car.
The next morning saw us putting the rest of our belongings in their proper places. I set up my PC in my room, one of the three upstairs, and our console in the upstairs lounging area.
I was just starting to relax when Eva came strolling by.
“I want to play.”
“You can play once I’m finished here.” I said offhandedly.
“I want to play now!” She insisted. Sitting next to me and holding her hand out for the controller.
“I’m playing right now. You can have it once I’m done.”
“I want play with you though.”
I stopped, looking at her in surprise. Her sandy-blonde locks were in shambles, as always and her big green eyes were staring up at me. Pleading.
“What brought this on? We never play together anymore.”
“I know. I want to play with you now. Dad says I’m not allowed outside for some reason and mom’s too busy to do anything with me.”
‘I can think of a few reasons.’ I thought, recalling uncle Uter’s face last night.
“You know what? You’re right. Let’s play some Dario Cart for a while. We can watch some movies after the internet guy shows up.”
Eva smile brightly. Her missing tooth making her even more adorable than normal.
We played for an hour. Then two. Then three. We played so long that I switched games and handed her the controller so she could play by herself while I wandered around the kitchen looking for a snack.
The shelves were full of canned goods. Enough cans and beans to last us several lifetimes if someone did drop a couple of bombs. Not that such an event would hurt us anyway.
This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
This town was so small that no one would even think to bomb it and so remote that whatever befell the big cities would hardly impact us anytime soon.
‘Wait, are they expecting a zombie apocalypse?’
Nah. There’s no way anyone would be that delusional. Especially not some old billionaire with enough money to just give out houses.
…
…
“Uncle! Has anyone in your company said anything about zombies!?”
“What!? I can’t hear you! Come closer!”
I was about to go over to him, when the doorbell rang.
“Oh good. That’ll be the internet guy.”
I opened the door, struggling slightly with its weight.
Behind it was a young girl. Maybe a few centimeters shorter than me. She was wearing a denim jacket over a pink shirt, coupled with a pair of dirty jeans.
Her hair was tied back in a ponytail by way of a bright yellow ribbon and her big brown eyes stared up at me with a mix of excitement and mischief.
“Sorry to say. I am not the internet guy. I’m Elsie. Your new neighbor. Here to see Mr. Fowler.”
An impish grin blossomed on her face.
“I wasn’t told that Mr. Fowler was so young.”
“I…yes. My Uncle. That’s who you’re looking for. I’ll go get him.”
“Now hold on. There’s no need to hurry. Daddy says he doesn’t start until next week anyway. We don’t need to bother him right now.”
“Uh, right. Okay. What can I help you with?”
She snickered.
“You can help me by coming along on a little adventure, new kid. I can’t wait to show you around.”
“I don’t think I’m allowed to leave the house right now.”
Her snickering turned into melodious laughter.
“One day in and already grounded? Oh boy. That’s not a good look new kid. Daddy isn’t going to like you. Although…”
She leaned in closer, making step back in surprise.
“Me and my friends could use the company.”
I rolled my eyes.
“I’m not in trouble. I’m not going outside because there’s something in the woods.”
“Of course there’s something in the woods, silly. It’s the woods. That’s where animals live.”
“I meant something other than animals. My uncle saw it last night. He won’t talk about it but I’ve never seen him so scared before. You probably shouldn’t be out here either.”
“Oh? Are you worried about me?”
“Yes. I’m worried about anyone walking out in the open right now.”
Her smile widened.
“I don’t know about that. I feel pretty safe. In fact, I don’t think there’s anything out there capable of hurting me.”
‘Then you’re way dumber than you look.’ I thought to myself.
Bears were many things, but picky wasn’t one of them. I also knew that they could basically sprint up trees; meaning a flimsy fence wasn’t likely to stop them.
“You’re thinking something rude, aren’t you new kid?”
“No.” I lied. “I’m just thinking about my own life and how I would really like it to be long and uneventful.”
She laughed in my face. She laughed so hard that she stumbled backwards into one of the columns on the front porch. Leaning against the solid stone as she struggled to breathe.
“Man! You are not in the right place new kid! Not at all!”
I narrowed my eyes. Sensing more than meaningless teasing.
“What do you mean?”
“I mean what I said. This is not the place to be if you’re going to be a pacifist locked inside the house all day. The schooling is going to be different. Way different. You’re going to have to get your hands dirty at some point. Or else.”
“Or else what?”
The grin was back. Taking over her face like some parasite.
“I guess you’ll find out when you come to school, won’t you?”
With that, she sauntered off. Walking merrily away without looking back.
“Or, you could follow me and find out today? Just a thought. Unless you’re too scared of what your uncle will do.”
What was she, five? Like that was going to work.
I wasn’t afraid of uncle Uter. I did, however, trust him enough to be afraid of whatever had spooked him.
Exploring the wilderness when there was a threat nearby was how people earned Darwin awards.
If Elsie wanted to risk her own neck, then she was more than welcome to do so. I liked to think I was smarter than that.
I closed the door just as uncle Uter was coming over.
“Did they leave already? How long is it going to be?”
“It wasn’t the internet guy. It was some girl, around my age, I think. Looking to see who had moved in. I think she knew about you but not about me.”
“Who was with her?”
“No one. She came by herself.”
His eyes widened into saucers.
“By herself!? And you let her go out there!?”
I was taken aback by the suddenness of the outburst.
“What was I supposed to do? She left by herself!”
Uncle Uter cursed.
Flinging the door open and running out into the yard. When he didn’t find her, he ran out into the woods. Calling out to the trees for anyone nearby.
When that didn’t bring her out, he stepped into the car and reversed out of the gravel driveway. Honking his horn over and over again as he sped out and onto the dirt road.
“Where’s dad going?” Eva asked as she came closer.
“I think he’s going to try and head to the town center and tell people about the girl.”
“What girl?”
“The one who was just here. She said she was a neighbor.”
Eva turned to me. Making a sulking expression.
“Why didn’t you come to get me? I wanted to say hi to the neighbors too!”
I shrugged.
“She was weird anyway. You didn’t miss much.”
“How was she weird?”
I stopped to find the right words.
“You know that scary movie you watched when you thought I wasn’t looking? She talked like the old man in the beginning.”
“She said we we’re going to die?” Eva asked, suddenly terrified of this spectral new girl.
“No.” I chuckled. “But she did say we needed to get our hands dirty out here and that this wasn’t a good place for pacifists.”
“What’s a pacifist?”
“Someone who doesn’t fight.”
“But we’re not supposed to fight. Aren’t we all pacifists?”
“And that, Eva, is why you’re smarter than Elsie. She’ll be getting a talking to from her own parents while you get to sit inside the air-conditioned house playing super Dario.”
We ended up waiting another two hours before uncle Uter got back. He was fuming once again. His face so red that I feared steam was about to come out of his ears.
“I don’t suppose we got any good news?” I asked.
“The worker in charge of installing our router was indisposed today and he won’t be available for another week. I’m supposed to come to the office tomorrow to get some documents and do some training. You’re both coming with me too. The school is close to the office and the teachers there want you kids in there tomorrow.”
“What about the girl?”
He bristled.
“Her father thanked me for my concern. According to him it shows a deep moral fiber and depth of character. The exact attitude that will take me far in the company. I was also informed that she was perfectly fine and that I shouldn’t let her little adventures bother me. The man was one of Mr. Robertson’s grandsons so I left it at that.”
One of my eyebrows rose.
“It sounds like they were rude to you.”
“Not overtly. No. They did look at me like I was around Eva’s age though. I’ll have to change a few attitudes around here during my first few weeks.”
He sighed deeply. Deflating as the air and anger left in unison.
“That’ll be a worry for another day. For now, I decided to buy us some pizza. To let some of the tension out.”
“Pizza!” Eva cheered. Coming over to hug my uncle and looking around for the promised prize.
“Its in the car sweetie. I’ll bring it over in a bit. Go wash your hands first.”
She bolted for the sink without another word. Leaving me alone with my uncle.
“Cecil, I…” He paused, unsure of how to continue. “I think I’m being lied to. I don’t have any proof or any reasonable cause to justify it, but that’s what it feels like. The town, it was empty. There were maybe four or five people in the whole place. Most of them old enough to be my parents.”
“Is that weird for a town out in the sticks?”
“Very. The population here is supposed to be around four thousand. That’s not a lot, mind you, but its definitely not supposed to be this empty. Besides, there are too many buildings and too many houses sitting empty. That pizza came from one of the only two restaurants in the whole area.”
“It better be some damn good pizza then.”
“I’m serious. Cecil. Something’s bugging me.”
“You know, we could just, leave? There’s nothing keeping us here and the car’s fine.”
He paused for a few moments, before sighing once more.
“That would mean… I can’t. Things were worse than I was letting on before now Cecil. I didn’t have much in the way of savings and everything was getting more expensive. This car…it’s a company car. I’d lose it. And the house. All at once. Without anything to fall back on. We’d be on the streets without a job and nowhere to go.”
“Then let’s not do that.” I said hurriedly. “Let’s have the pizza now and worry about it later. We can stay inside for the most part, so neighbors shouldn’t be a problem. As for what you saw…”
“It was a dog.” He said at once. So fast that I wondered if I’d misheard.
“A dog? Is that it?”
“Or a wolf. I don’t know. It was…big. Twice as big a me. With four eyes instead of two and six legs.”
A shiver crept up my spine.
“Maybe you saw two wolves close together? It was dark out in the woods.”
He nodded slowly.
“That’s exactly what they told me at the gate. And over at that girl’s house when I made my way over there. Funny that. Its such an obvious answer that anyone could have thought of it. But somehow, I can’t bring myself to accept it.”
“Jeez uncle. You need to stop. You’re gonna jinx us to oblivion and back with the horror movie clichés.”