Holli Grow

Period 2

Dr. Haslam

English 1010

She told me she couldn’t care for me anymore. What did she mean? I had told her that

it was okay, and I still loved her. I mean, how could I not love my mother after all she did for

me? But even that didn’t stop her from sending me away. Did I do something wrong?

Mom had always told me to never answer the door when she wasn’t home, but she

made it explicitly clear to answer the door for her ‘friends’ when she left for the store. I don’t

think she left for the store though because she left her wallet on the counter and drove away in

the wrong direction.

Her ‘friends’ that came to the door were two grown adults in their late forties - which

was twice my mom’s age, a woman and a man. They told me to pack a bag because we were

going on a trip.

“But what about mom?” I had asked.

They cast each other a look. “You’ll see her soon,” The man said, but I knew it wasn’t

true.

Now I have been riding in their car for over an hour, scared and alone. I had a feeling

that I wasn’t going to be seeing my mother for a very long time.

I chewed on my nails, unsure of what to do in this situation. Was I being kidnapped? Did

my mother know I was being taken away? Did she plan this? Will and Christine, I found to be
the man and woman’s names, had hushed conversations throughout the trip. I could hear a few

words every now and then, but none of it made any sense.

“Miss Jane…”

“...doesn’t like children…”

“...why foster them…”

“...money…”

My hands began to shake, and a ringing in my ears muffled my thoughts. I missed my

mother so dearly, and I wonder if she even cared that I was gone.

We pulled into the driveway of a tall, dark house that towered over the city. I thought I

saw ghosts in the windows, but they disappeared when I looked a second time. Was that

another child I just saw?

They hopped out of the car and waved for me to follow. With my small backpack full of

my clothes and a toothbrush, I walked up to the front door with Will and Christine. I hid behind

them as best as I could. The house was terrifyingly beautiful in a way that made me shiver.

An older woman opened the door with a crooked smile. She looked so frail for her age,

and I wondered if she even brushed her teeth. And the house was so dark that you couldn’t see

anything behind her; shadows seemed to move faster than the blink of an eye.

The adults exchanged a few words before Christine grabbed my arm, tighter than I

would’ve liked, and pushed me into the house. Before I could protest, the door was shut behind

me, and I was alone with the old woman who went by Miss Jane.

“Welcome home, Cody.”

“It’s Dakota,” I said quietly.

 She smacked the back of my head. “Rule number one, don’t speak unless told to. Now

let me show you to your room.”

Miss Jane walked me down the hall. Eyes seemed to peer out of every shadow and

every dark corner. I swear I could feel hands reaching out towards me, but they disappeared

every time I turned around.

Someone breathed on my neck.

I whipped around to find no one there but darkness. The hair on my arms stood up as a

shiver ran down my spine. I couldn’t shake the jittery feeling that I was being watched even as

we arrived at my bedroom.

“Pick a bed that isn’t occupied.” Then she left.

There were about ten bunk beds crammed into a small room with barely enough space

to walk by. Small figures peeked over the tops of beds while some poked out from underneath.

I couldn’t make out their facial features in the darkness which made it even creepier.

There was a single lamp in the room on the opposite side. I made my way towards it,

tripping over mysterious items strewn across the floor. I put my bag on an unoccupied bed and

sat down, releasing a breath I had been holding in.

I looked around the eerily quiet room, seeing a few more figures staring at me from the

darkness of the shadows. Feeling uneasy, I reached for my bag to pull out my blanket to

comfort me.

My hand met an arm reaching for my bag from under the bed. I yelped, jumping away

from the bed as a couple more hands shot out from the darkness towards me. Whispers and

excited voices came from all around me.

 I hit the lamp, and everything seemed to move in slow motion. The table tipped and

crashed to the floor along with the lamp. The lightbulb shattered, and everything quieted at

once.

Then I heard shuffling and shushes as the other kids hurried to hide.

“Miss Jane isn’t going to be too happy about this, New Kid,” Someone whispered from

underneath the bed.

Footsteps sounded from the hall. My heartbeat quickened. Was I going to get in

trouble?

I looked around for a place to hide. Anything. But in my panicked state, I couldn’t focus.

I began picking up the pieces of glass scattered across the floor, but it was no use.

The footsteps grew louder and louder, and I heard a snap with every few steps as if

someone was whipping a horse.

I backed into the wall, feeling hopeless and terrified when hands slithered out from an

unseen closet and snatched my coat. I began to scream when one of them covered my mouth

and pulled me in.

I tried to fight against them, but then a voice hushed me. “Don’t speak, don’t move, and

don’t make any noise or Miss Jane will find you.”

I immediately grew still. “Am I in trouble?” I whispered.

They didn’t say anything.

The footsteps were now in the room. They came closer and closer to the closet. I heard

the glass crunch underneath Miss Jane’s shoes.

 I felt around me, but there was no one there. I was alone once again. I covered my

mouth as I heard the footsteps stop at the closet. Tears streamed down my face.

And the doorknob turned.